The Boeing B-52 Stratofortress is an American long-range, subsonic, eight-engine strategic nuclear bomber, that replaced the Convair B-36 Peacemaker in USAF service. The first flight took place on April 15, 1952, entering service in June 1995 with the 93rd Heavy Bombardment Wing. A veteran of several wars, the B-52 has completed over sixty-five years of continuous service with USAF and with upgrades is expected to serve into the 2050s.

Airframe construction is mainly of aluminium alloy, a semi-monocoque fuselage. The high mounted wings and the single fil tail assembly are of a swept-back cantilever design. The retractable undercarriage has four steerable main wheel bogies, two forward and two aft, under the fuselage and a small outrigger wheel on each wing-tip. The flight crew typically consists of five, pilot, co-pilot, navigator, weapon systems officer, electronic warfare officer.

The B-52B used eight Pratt & Whitney J57 turbojet, pylon mounted in pairs four per wing. It had a maximum speed of 1,013 km/h (630 mph), a cruise speed of 844 km/h  (525 mph), a service ceiling of 14,417 m (47,300 ft), and a combat range of 5,777 km (3,590 mi).

Armament consisted of two 20-mm M24A1 cannon or four 0.50-inch M3 machine guns in tail turret. Two external hardpoints one per wing, able to carry up to  (43,000lb) of stores, ordinance included; bombs, both conventional and nuclear, mines.