B-52H air crews are now trained to operate with just four members

New students who graduated to fly the B-52 bomber this fall will be operating the eight-engine aircraft with four crew members instead of the usual five.

A B-52H Stratofortress takes off as part of Agile Combat Employment at the Arkansas Aeroplex, Blytheville, Arkansas, Jan. 12, 2022. Using the ACE concept, within a few hours B-52s can land at a location, receive repairs, resupply and be back in the air before an adversary can pinpoint their location. (U.S. Air Force photo by Airman 1st Class William Pugh)


The bomber has two pilots, one navigator, a weapon systems officer operating the radar, and an electronic warfare officer. When downsized to four people, the navigator, weapon systems and electronic warfare seats can be filled by any of the two non-pilot air crew.

The switch to a four-person crew now is necessary as the bomber will be structurally modified to fly with only four people in the future. These current batch of graduates will be ready to assume the role of instructors when the modifications are rolled out later this decade.

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