Keeping a 1960s airframe relevant in the 2050s has less to do with nostalgia than with wiring diagrams, test cards, and the unglamorous reality that engines wear out. That is the context for the U.S.

The new upgrade package—on top of an existing $2.6 billion contract with UK engine manufacturer Rolls-Royce—will keep the B-52 bombers flying indefinitely into the future.

Most modern aircraft use four jet engines, but the B-52 bomber has eight. The reasons start in one frantic weekend its ...

Originally tested in 1953 and entering service in 1955, the iconic B-52 Stratofortress is one of the oldest aircraft still in service today. Despite its age, this eight-engine bomber remains an ...