# Project 675039 — B-52 System Improvements

**Program element:** 0101113F — B-52 Squadrons  
**Project:** 675039  
**Component:** U.S. Air Force  
**Appropriation:** 3600 — RDT&E, Air Force  
**Budget Activity:** 7 — Operational System Development  
**Vintage:** President's Budget PB2027  
**Canonical URL:** https://hitchintel.com/programs/0101113F/675039  
**Parent:** https://hitchintel.com/programs/0101113F

## Summary

Project 675039 — B-52 System Improvements requests $126.3M in FY2027, 8.5% of the $1.48B requested for program element 0101113F, up 267% on FY2026. 6 R-2A activities decompose the request, 3 new and 1 restarted this cycle.

## Funding profile

| Fiscal Year | Estimate Type | Amount ($M) |
|---|---|---|
| FY2025 | Actual | 40.5 |
| FY2026 | Enacted | 34.5 |
| FY2027 | Request | 126.3 |
| FY2028 | Outyear | 169.9 |
| FY2029 | Outyear | 165.8 |
| FY2030 | Outyear | 176.6 |
| FY2031 | Outyear | 152.1 |

> Estimate types are not summed. This project is one leaf of PE 0101113F; the PE total is the sum of its projects, never added to them.

## What project 675039 buys

B-52 System Improvements is a comprehensive project to facilitate future capabilities and ensure the B-52's viability in performing current and future wartime missions. The scope of work may include, but not limited to, the development of an Analysis of Alternative (AoA), studies and analyses, a Capability Development Document (CDD), and/or any other analyses or documentation necessary to establish a Program of Record (POR). Additionally, this project may include airborne integration experiments or demonstrations of emerging technologies. Support of the platform integration efforts are necessary to identify and resolve challenges associated with integrating multiple programs and activities planned for the B-52 fleet. Costs include any analysis, documentation, and related expenses necessary to establish a POR and support the B-52 weapon system. Additionally, other costs include, but are not limited to Program Management Administration (PMA), civilian pay expenses, rapid technology insertion, centralized support and initiatives for anticipated weapon system enhancements (to include efforts to improve weapon system operational capabilities, safety, supportability, maintainability, reliability, and total cost of ownership), emerging and short-notice Diminishing Manufacturing Sources and Material Shortages (DMSMS) for both aircraft and associated training systems, Development Testing (DT)/ Operational Testing (OT), safety of flight issues and to fulfill Federal Aviation Agency (FAA) or other mandates necessary to ensure continued aircrew safety and mission effectiveness. Advanced Wing Weapon Pylon (AWWP) is currently within the Systems Improvement Budget Line and will be moved to a new consolidated Weapons BPAC during execution in FY27. The B-52 Advanced Pylon overcomes critical structural limitations of the 1960s-era pylon to enable carriage of next-generation, heavy-weight standoff weapons. It will dramatically increase the B-52's "magazine depth” by allowing it to carry a larger quantity of advanced munitions or single, massive payloads (20,000 lb. class). Long Range Anti-Ship Missile/ Joint Air-to-Surface Standoff Missile (LRASM/JASSM) Integration is currently within the Systems Improvement BPAC but will be moved to a new consolidated Weapons BPAC during execution in FY27. LRASM / JASM Integration integrates next-generation stealthy cruise missiles.

**R-3 lines of work:** Product Development; Management Services.

## Activities (R-2A) — 6

| Activity | FY2025 | FY2026 | FY2027 | Move | Page |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Long Range Anti-Ship Missile/ Joint Air-to-Surface Standoff Missile (LRASM/JASSM) | — | 0.0 | 50.3 | new | [a3](https://hitchintel.com/programs/0101113F/675039/a3) |
| Advanced Weapons Integration | — | 0.0 | 45.0 | new | [a5](https://hitchintel.com/programs/0101113F/675039/a5) |
| Advanced Wing Weapon Pylon (AWWP) | — | 0.0 | 30.0 | new | [a4](https://hitchintel.com/programs/0101113F/675039/a4) |
| Advanced Concept Demonstration | 3.9 | 0.0 | 1.0 | restart | — |
| B-52 Systems Improvements | 4.5 | 0.0 | 0.0 | — | — |
| B-52 Advance Extremely High Frequency (AEHF) Integration | 0.0 | 16.5 | 0.0 | −100% | — |

> Activities carry the prior, current and budget year only — no five-year plan. In the request year they partition this project exactly; in earlier years they can under-cover it.

### Long Range Anti-Ship Missile/ Joint Air-to-Surface Standoff Missile (LRASM/JASSM) — NEW START

Engineering & Manufacturing Development (EMD) for LRASM/JASSM Integration including computational fluid dynamics, system safety, SEEK EAGLE, and software updates to successfully employ the latest variant of LRASM/JASSM. Integrating the latest variants of LRASM/JASSM onto the B-52. The activities in FY27 will include integrating the…

Full year-by-year narrative: https://hitchintel.com/programs/0101113F/675039/a3

### Advanced Weapons Integration — NEW START

Engineering & Manufacturing Development (EMD) to enable the B-52 to launch weapons currently in development. This may include hypersonic weapons too large for internal carriage capacity or other classified efforts underway. FY2027 plans begin acquisition activities to field a new heavy hypersonic weapon currently in development. Program…

Full year-by-year narrative: https://hitchintel.com/programs/0101113F/675039/a5

### Advanced Wing Weapon Pylon (AWWP) — NEW START

Engineering & Manufacturing Development (EMD) for AWWP is the key for all future heavy-weight weapon capabilities for the B-52. FY2027 will address Pre-acquisition activities to structure the integration of a GFE weapon onto the AWWP. The AWWP will design, develop, integrate and field a new pylon onto the B-52 to take advantage of…

Full year-by-year narrative: https://hitchintel.com/programs/0101113F/675039/a4

### Advanced Concept Demonstration — RESTART

**FY2027 planned work.** New Heavy Bomber Analysis of Alternatives. New heavy bomber analysis of alternatives will begin initial planning activities to develop key performance parameters, key system attributes, and additional performance attributes for a follow-on heavy bomber in the USAF. The FY27 work scope will include key planning activities for programmatic, requirements, capabilities, and vendor options that could field in the future.

**FY2026 to FY2027 change.** Increase due to funding for New Heavy Bomber Analysis of Alternatives

**FY2026 plans — current year.** Advanced Concepts Demonstration efforts conclude in FY 2025. No FY 2026 funding allocated to this effort.

### B-52 Advance Extremely High Frequency (AEHF) Integration

**FY2026 to FY2027 change.** FY26 funding was in the wrong Project and was realigned to Project 671810. No additional requirements for this thrust.

**FY2026 plans — current year.** $16.450M was inadvertently moved from Project 671810 B-52 AEHF Integration, please see Project 671810 for information on this effort.

## What is NOT on this page

Congressional marks, the R-2 mission description and acquisition strategy, the industry vs government split of the whole request, and related program elements are recorded at **program-element** grain — an NDAA mark lands on a PE, never on a project. They are at https://hitchintel.com/programs/0101113F.

## Source & machine access

- **Source:** FY2027 Department of the Air Force RDT&E Budget Justification, Exhibits R-2/R-2A/R-3, PE 0101113F project 675039 (PB PB2027).
- **MCP:** `mcp.hitchintel.com` — `budget_get_program_element(pe="0101113F")`.

*HitchAI is an independent intelligence service, not affiliated with the U.S. Department of Defense. Budget figures are requests/estimates, not obligations.*