Overview
- The radar-equipped B-52 flew Dec. 8 from Boeing’s San Antonio site to Edwards AFB, ferried by crews from the 49th Test Evaluation Squadron and the 419th Flight Test Squadron for evaluation with the 412th Test Wing.
- Raytheon’s AN/APQ-188 active electronically scanned array replaces the legacy AN/APQ-166, promising improved all-weather navigation, mapping, targeting precision and greater resistance to jamming.
- Ground and flight testing will run through 2026 to support a production decision later in the year, with data guiding a planned retrofit across the Air Force’s 76 B-52s.
- The Radar Modernization Program encountered environmental qualification, software, parts and physical-integration hurdles that delayed testing and drove costs high enough to trigger a Nunn–McCurdy breach.
- InsideDefense reports unit cost growth from $11.96 million to $14.35 million per aircraft, while Boeing highlights added mission-system upgrades including two Display and System Sensor Processors, dual 8×20-inch HD touchscreens, fighter-style controllers and improved cooling.