U.S. military B-52H bombers are equipped with a new satellite communication system IRIS to improve beyond-visual-range transmission capabilities

The US military's B-52H "Stratofortress" bombers are gradually being equipped with new satellite communication systems. (Picture taken from U.S. Air Force)

[Compiled by Chen Chengliang/Comprehensive Report] The US Air Force B-52H "Stratofortress" strategic bomber, which has been in service for more than 70 years, is now equipped with a new satellite communication system. It can not only maintain contact with remote commanders, but also transmit voice, data, images and videos. The US military stated that this system, called IRIS, has been put into practical use, but it is still a prototype system.

According to the military news website "Defence Blog", IRIS has been deployed on multiple B-52s. As of April 1 this year, some systems have been delivered to the 49th Test and Evaluation Squadron at Barksdale Air Force Base in Louisiana for personnel training and mission use. The U.S. Air Force Global Strike Command did not disclose how many B-52s currently have IRIS installed.

Old bombers replaced with low-orbit satellite links

Developed by Outerlink Global Solutions of Shreveport, Louisiana, IRIS transmits data through Iridium's Certus satellite communications service. This system allows the B-52 to still transmit information back to the command terminal after exceeding the traditional line-of-sight radio communication range. In the future, it will gradually replace the Global Iridium Bomber Set satellite communication equipment used by the B-52 since 2017.

IRIS is not a new idea that suddenly appeared. As early as June 2022, the 49th Test and Evaluation Squadron conducted the first demonstration flight of a B-52 equipped with IRIS at Barksdale Air Force Base to test voice and data transmission between the aircraft and ground command units, including images and videos.

The US military conducted further ground and flight tests in March this year to confirm that the B-52 could maintain a stable connection during flight and completed end-to-end testing through approved military network paths. After the relevant tests are completed, the B-52 Program Office also approved the system for subsequent flight tests.

The IRIS project was initially promoted through the U.S. Air Force's AFWERX Small Business Innovation Research Program. In August 2023, it received a four-year contract worth a total of US$26 million to help push this commercial satellite communications technology from prototype to practical application.

The B-52 has been in service since the 1950s and is still an important aircraft for the US military's long-range strike and nuclear deterrent force. The U.S. Air Force plans to keep the B-52 in service until the 2050s and carry out B-52J modernization upgrades such as new engines and new radars. However, the US military stated that IRIS will continue to undergo testing and evaluation, and the long-term over-the-horizon communication solution adopted by the entire B-52 fleet in the future is still under evaluation.