U.S. B-52 Bomber Starts Trials of New AN/APQ-188 Radar to Enhance All-Weather Performance
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Boeing has delivered the first B-52 Radar Modernization Program flight-test aircraft to the U.S. Air Force, with testing now underway at Edwards Air Force Base. The upgrade is a key step in keeping the B-52 operational into the 2050s by improving targeting speed, reliability, and all-weather combat capability.
On December 11, 2025, Boeing announced the delivery of the first B-52 Radar Modernization Program flight-test aircraft to the U.S. Air Force for evaluation at Edwards Air Force Base. The milestone follows successful integration work and initial functional checks conducted in San Antonio. According to the U.S. Air Force, the aircraft completed a ferry flight to Edwards after the radar upgrade, marking the transition of the program from factory integration to a formal test campaign that will guide future fleetwide retrofits and enhance long-term operational readiness.
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The delivery and ferry flight mark the B-52’s radar upgrade moving from plan to reality, with 2026 testing at Edwards set to prove the AN/APQ-188’s all-weather accuracy, survivability, and reliability (Picture Source: U.S. Air Force)
The aircraft that has now been delivered is the first flight-test representative built to reflect the new radar configuration. Edwards Air Force Base has been assigned to run the ground and flight-test effort through 2026, focusing on proving performance as well as the less visible but equally decisive factors of reliability and maintainability before any decision is taken to move into wider production and fleet installation. Put simply, this phase is where design goals have to stand up to measured data, including how the radar behaves across different weather conditions, ranges, and operationally realistic mission profiles that mirror actual bomber tasking.
The centerpiece of the upgrade is the AN/APQ-188 active electronically scanned array radar, introduced alongside broader mission-system changes intended to make the sensor easier for crews to operate in day-to-day employment. Boeing has described a package that includes greater processing capacity, large high-definition displays at the navigator stations, and fighter-style hand controls aimed at reducing workload and simplifying radar management, with improved cooling to support operations in both extreme heat and severe cold. Reporting has also noted visible external changes around the nose associated with the installation, a reminder that fitting a modern AESA to a legacy bomber is not just a sensor swap but a significant airframe integration effort.
The B-52’s extensive operational history makes this achievement far more than a routine modernization effort. The aircraft has sustained its relevance through the continuous integration of advanced weapons, avionics, and communication systems, maintaining its role as a steadfast tool of deterrence and strategic signaling. In late 2025, long-range bomber missions in the Caribbean, conducted near Venezuela, underscored the platform’s enduring importance as a symbol of presence and reach. Even when such sorties serve primarily as instruments of strategic messaging rather than combat operations, their success relies heavily on precise navigation and dependable sensor performance throughout extended missions.
From an operational capability perspective, shifting from a mechanically scanned legacy set to an AESA radar is expected to improve how quickly crews build situational awareness, refine target solutions, and maintain all-weather effectiveness. Boeing has linked the new radar to faster target prosecution and improved aircrew survivability in contested environments, while the U.S. Air Force has emphasized the need to replace an aging radar that has become increasingly difficult to sustain. For Army Recognition readers, the key point is that better radar performance supports both conventional strike planning and the wider bomber mission set, especially as the B-52 is employed as a standoff weapons carrier where accuracy, track quality, and mission endurance directly affect deterrence credibility.
The B-52 Radar Modernization Program carries strategic consequences that go well beyond the sensor itself, shaping cost profiles, contracting arrangements, and ultimately the future size and composition of the bomber force. Framed as a key effort to keep the B-52 operationally relevant into the 2050s alongside the B-21 Raider, the initiative is being watched closely as budget documents continue to point to cost increases and the practical risks of integrating a new radar onto an aging airframe. The plan still assumes steady procurement funding through the retrofit period, with Boeing responsible for overall integration and Raytheon supplying the radar. In that context, the test work at Edwards Air Force Base is more than a technical checkpoint; it will heavily influence production choices and inform the wider debate over whether it remains affordable to modernize and sustain the fleet with contemporary sensors.
The recent delivery and ferry-flight milestone moves the effort from paper plans into real-world flight evaluation. The 2026 test campaign at Edwards is expected to be the moment of truth for the AN/APQ-188 configuration, showing whether it delivers measurable gains in all-weather targeting, resilience in contested environments, and day-to-day mission reliability. If the results meet expectations, the program would help recast the B-52’s story from longevity alone to capability, reinforcing its role as a versatile platform for strategic strike and deterrence missions well into the middle of the century.
Written by Teoman S. Nicanci – Defense Analyst, Army Recognition Group
Teoman S. Nicanci holds degrees in Political Science, Comparative and International Politics, and International Relations and Diplomacy from leading Belgian universities, with research focused on Russian strategic behavior, defense technology, and modern warfare. He is a defense analyst at Army Recognition, specializing in the global defense industry, military armament, and emerging defense technologies.
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Boeing has delivered the first B-52 Radar Modernization Program flight-test aircraft to the U.S. Air Force, with testing now underway at Edwards Air Force Base. The upgrade is a key step in keeping the B-52 operational into the 2050s by improving targeting speed, reliability, and all-weather combat capability.
On December 11, 2025, Boeing announced the delivery of the first B-52 Radar Modernization Program flight-test aircraft to the U.S. Air Force for evaluation at Edwards Air Force Base. The milestone follows successful integration work and initial functional checks conducted in San Antonio. According to the U.S. Air Force, the aircraft completed a ferry flight to Edwards after the radar upgrade, marking the transition of the program from factory integration to a formal test campaign that will guide future fleetwide retrofits and enhance long-term operational readiness.
The delivery and ferry flight mark the B-52’s radar upgrade moving from plan to reality, with 2026 testing at Edwards set to prove the AN/APQ-188’s all-weather accuracy, survivability, and reliability (Picture Source: U.S. Air Force)
The aircraft that has now been delivered is the first flight-test representative built to reflect the new radar configuration. Edwards Air Force Base has been assigned to run the ground and flight-test effort through 2026, focusing on proving performance as well as the less visible but equally decisive factors of reliability and maintainability before any decision is taken to move into wider production and fleet installation. Put simply, this phase is where design goals have to stand up to measured data, including how the radar behaves across different weather conditions, ranges, and operationally realistic mission profiles that mirror actual bomber tasking.
The centerpiece of the upgrade is the AN/APQ-188 active electronically scanned array radar, introduced alongside broader mission-system changes intended to make the sensor easier for crews to operate in day-to-day employment. Boeing has described a package that includes greater processing capacity, large high-definition displays at the navigator stations, and fighter-style hand controls aimed at reducing workload and simplifying radar management, with improved cooling to support operations in both extreme heat and severe cold. Reporting has also noted visible external changes around the nose associated with the installation, a reminder that fitting a modern AESA to a legacy bomber is not just a sensor swap but a significant airframe integration effort.
The B-52’s extensive operational history makes this achievement far more than a routine modernization effort. The aircraft has sustained its relevance through the continuous integration of advanced weapons, avionics, and communication systems, maintaining its role as a steadfast tool of deterrence and strategic signaling. In late 2025, long-range bomber missions in the Caribbean, conducted near Venezuela, underscored the platform’s enduring importance as a symbol of presence and reach. Even when such sorties serve primarily as instruments of strategic messaging rather than combat operations, their success relies heavily on precise navigation and dependable sensor performance throughout extended missions.
From an operational capability perspective, shifting from a mechanically scanned legacy set to an AESA radar is expected to improve how quickly crews build situational awareness, refine target solutions, and maintain all-weather effectiveness. Boeing has linked the new radar to faster target prosecution and improved aircrew survivability in contested environments, while the U.S. Air Force has emphasized the need to replace an aging radar that has become increasingly difficult to sustain. For Army Recognition readers, the key point is that better radar performance supports both conventional strike planning and the wider bomber mission set, especially as the B-52 is employed as a standoff weapons carrier where accuracy, track quality, and mission endurance directly affect deterrence credibility.
The B-52 Radar Modernization Program carries strategic consequences that go well beyond the sensor itself, shaping cost profiles, contracting arrangements, and ultimately the future size and composition of the bomber force. Framed as a key effort to keep the B-52 operationally relevant into the 2050s alongside the B-21 Raider, the initiative is being watched closely as budget documents continue to point to cost increases and the practical risks of integrating a new radar onto an aging airframe. The plan still assumes steady procurement funding through the retrofit period, with Boeing responsible for overall integration and Raytheon supplying the radar. In that context, the test work at Edwards Air Force Base is more than a technical checkpoint; it will heavily influence production choices and inform the wider debate over whether it remains affordable to modernize and sustain the fleet with contemporary sensors.
The recent delivery and ferry-flight milestone moves the effort from paper plans into real-world flight evaluation. The 2026 test campaign at Edwards is expected to be the moment of truth for the AN/APQ-188 configuration, showing whether it delivers measurable gains in all-weather targeting, resilience in contested environments, and day-to-day mission reliability. If the results meet expectations, the program would help recast the B-52’s story from longevity alone to capability, reinforcing its role as a versatile platform for strategic strike and deterrence missions well into the middle of the century.
Written by Teoman S. Nicanci – Defense Analyst, Army Recognition Group
Teoman S. Nicanci holds degrees in Political Science, Comparative and International Politics, and International Relations and Diplomacy from leading Belgian universities, with research focused on Russian strategic behavior, defense technology, and modern warfare. He is a defense analyst at Army Recognition, specializing in the global defense industry, military armament, and emerging defense technologies.
