Aerospace

The B-52 Will No Longer Carry Certain Nuclear Weapons. Here's Why

The B-52 Stratofortress will no longer carry the B61-7 and B83-1 nuclear gravity bombs as it prepares to carry the new long-range standoff weapon, known as LRSO.

Following reports that the bomb variants had been removed from the Cold War-era aircraft's inventory, officials at Air Force Global Strike Command confirmed the move is in line with the bomber's transition into an era of modern warfare.

"As the nature of modern warfare has changed, so have our tactics and weapons," a command spokesperson said in an email Thursday. "The B-52 remains an instrument of national security and a universally recognized symbol of American airpower, able to deliver the widest variety of stand-off and direct-attack nuclear and conventional weapons for the nation."

"As a multi-role platform, the B-52 offers diverse capabilities including delivery of the most advanced precision-guided weapons. The Air Launched Cruise Missile (ALCM) continues to be our main nuclear deterrent.