B-52 Stratofortress Units in Combat 1992-2025

An illustrated study of the ongoing career of the iconic B-52, chronicling its frontline service after Operation Desert Storm in 1991.

First flown in 1955, the B-52 has become an icon of deterrence and the long reach of American air power. The aircraft was conceived as a long-range nuclear bomber, but its versatility saw it used as a heavy-weight 'bomb truck' in Vietnam and a launcher of stand-off air-to-ground missiles during Operation Desert Storm. Following the First Gulf War, B-52s have continued to see combat, undertaking close air support missions during patrols above Al-Qaeda insurgents and Taliban forces in Afghanistan from 2001-03 for example, and have upheld their reputation as America's 'Big Stick' by acting as a deterrent in situations such as the Chinese friction with Taiwan in 2023.

In this illustrated volume, combat aircraft expert Peter E Davies draws on fresh research and first-hand accounts to tell the story of the later career of this iconic and enduring aircraft, examining its service from Operation Desert Storm onwards. Twenty-two newly commissioned profile artworks complement a variety of photographs from both official and private collections, demonstrating the colour schemes, nose art and new weapons that have become features of late-20th and 21st-century B-52 units.

Author: Peter E. Davies
Binding Type: Paperback
Publisher: Osprey Publishing (UK)
Published: 09/23/2025
Series: Combat Aircraft #158
Pages: 96
Weight: 0.7lbs
Size: 9.40h x 7.10w x 0.30d
ISBN: 9781472865038