75 B-52 strategic bombers set to get gigabit connectivity and a fiber-optic network for their weapons pylons as part of…
- B-52 bombers receive gigabit weapon links through advanced fiber optic pylons
- The US Air Force plans 130 modern pylons for the aging strategic bomber fleet
- New pylons allow heavier weapons on upgraded B-52 aircraft for decades
The US Air Force is moving ahead with another major modernization effort for its fleet of 75 B-52H bombers, focusing on replacing weapons pylons originally designed during the late 1950s.
The proposed Advanced Wing Weapons Pylon introduces support for far heavier weapons while also bringing modern digital connectivity through the MIL-STD-1760E interface.
Those interface requirements include gigabit data transfer capability and fiber optic connections that allow advanced weapons to exchange significantly larger volumes of information with aircraft systems.
New pylons prepare decades-old bombers for future weapons
According to an Air Force business notice, the replacement pylon must carry either conventional or nuclear weapons weighing up to 20,000 pounds, while the wing hardpoint remains limited...
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