B-52 bomber: the grandpa of the USAF in Epic Fury, in photos from undisclosed locations

We live in the age of high technology and stealth aircraft, but even today we see an old acquaintance making its way back into the fray.

A report that shows how a Boeing B-52 Stratofortress strategic bomber works
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The B-52 Stratofortress strategic bomber made its first flight on April 15, 1952, almost 74 years ago. The aircraft entered service in February 1955. No other aircraft model in the United States Air Force (USAF) has remained in service for so long and continues to prove irreplaceable.

The B-52 is like an old rocker who refuses to retire, especially seeing more modern aircraft preparing for retirement. In December 2022, the USAF published its forecast for retiring the B-1B and B-2, while envisioning a future Air Force bomber force consisting of B-21s and B-52s. Let us remember that the B-1B Lancer (a supersonic bomber in service since 1986) and B-2 Spirit (with stealth capabilities and in service since 1997) are much more modern than the Stratofortress, but the older B-52 has lower operating costs and greater availability than its successors.

According to its 2025 Almanac, the USAF maintains 76 active B-52Hs (18 of them in the Air Force Reserve), a number that exceeds the combined total of B-1Bs (46) and B-2s (20). The average age of B-52s in service is 62.8 years, compared to 37.4 years for B-1Bs and 28.75 years for B-2s.

According to the aforementioned almanac, in 2024 the B-52H fleet still achieved a mission capability rate of 54%, compared to 43% for the B-1B and 55% for the B-2. The USAF emphasizes that this rate remains stable for the B-52, while it is declining for its successors. In short, the Stratofortress is an old soul in excellent health.

The United States Central Command (CENTCOM) has indicated that the B-52 is participating in Operation Epic Fury against the Iranian dictatorship, alongside the B-1B and B-2. It is the oldest aircraft used in this operation, and undoubtedly the oldest aircraft still in use in offensive operations, as the Tupolev Tu-95 "Bear," used by Russia in the invasion of Ukraine, made its first flight a few months after the B-52 and entered service in 1956.

Since the start of the operation, the multimedia portal DVIDShub.net has published several photos of the B-52 in Epic Fury. In all cases, these are photos taken from undisclosed locations. No information is provided about the units to which these aircraft belong, and the photos do not show any details that would allow for their identification.

American airpower remains unmatched. The B-52 Stratofortress has been utilized in every major conflict since 1965. During the first 100 hours of Operation Epic Fury, B-52s struck Iranian ballistic missile and command and control posts. pic.twitter.com/zhSqgA4m37

— U.S. Central Command (@CENTCOM) March 5, 2026

On March 5, CENTCOM released this video of B-52 bombers, stating: "American airpower remains unmatched. The B-52 Stratofortress has been utilized in every major conflict since 1965. During the first 100 hours of Operation Epic Fury, B-52s struck Iranian ballistic missile and command and control posts."

It’s never fair when a B-52 is involved.

“This was never meant to be a fair fight, and it is not a fair fight. We are punching them while they’re down.” – Secretary of War Pete Hegseth pic.twitter.com/JgRSgiM7jl

— U.S. Central Command (@CENTCOM) March 7, 2026

Two days later, CENTCOM released this other video, as mysterious as the first, showing some of the B-52 bombers from the published photos, without revealing locations or units.

The only significant detail revealed in the published images concerns the armament being used by these aging bombers on their attack flights against strategic targets in Iran. The following photo shows a B-52H carrying twelve AGM-158 JASSM cruise missiles, a stealthy weapon (with a low radar signature) weighing 1,021 kg and equipped with a 450 kg armor-piercing warhead.

All the published photos were taken between March 2 and 4 and disseminated a few days later on the aforementioned multimedia portal.

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Photos: U.S. Air Force.