Mary-Louise Hoffman
Boeing has equipped six B-52 bomber planes of the U.S. Air Force with new internal weapons bay launchers designed for storage and release of GPS-guided airborne munitions.
The company said Wednesday it modified the aircraft’s common strategic rotary launcher into a conventional rotary launcher and the upgrade allows the company-built aircraft to carry and launch up to eight Joint Direct Attack Munitions.
The six upgraded systems underwent ground and flight tests as part of the Air Force’s B-52 weapons bay launcher upgrade program.
Boeing also seeks to make B-52 launchers capable of carrying Miniature Air Launched Decoys and Joint Air-to-Surface Stand Off Missiles through the modernization effort.
