The US Air Force conducts B-52 heavy maintenance at Tinker AFB. On a daily basis, this team must find clever yet efficient ways to keep the mighty ‘BUFF’ fleet in the air.
KEEPING A COMPLEX, 60-yearold bomber at the forefront of the world’s most powerful air force is no easy task. Just ask the men and women of the Oklahoma City Air Logistics Center (OC-ALC) at Tinker AFB, whose diligent skills have underpinned US Air Force B-52 Stratofortress deep maintenance since 1959.
In 2019, OC-ALC will mark 60 years of providing that specialist care, looking after not just the aged dinosaur of an airframe, but also the embodiment of various upgrade packages to retain operational relevance. Unsurprisingly, the past 60 years has heralded transformational improvements in the approach to keeping the ‘BUFF’ (Big Ugly Fat Fella) in the air and the future looks set to continue this tradition.
Incredibly, the forthcoming Northrop Grumman B-21 Raider will replace just the B-1B Lancer and B-2A Spirit. The B-52 is still regarded as being virtually irreplaceable and looks set to command a place in the USAF ranks for several more decades to come. Coupled with a raft of new upgrades that are on the table, eicient depot mainte…
