America s fleet of B-52 bombers is expected to keep flying into the 2050s because the long-range jets are seen as essential to keeping China and Russia in check and revamping the decades-old planes is cheaper than replacing them.
The Boeing-made US Air Force workhorse first took to the skies in 1954 - meaning the 76 jets due to stay in service until the middle of the 21st century will be nearly 100 years old by then.
The Air Force last year invited bids to supply 608 new engines to revamp the B-52 fleet, which can carry nuclear weapons, fly at 650mph and cost only around $6million per plane at the time they were built.