A Delta airlines flight would have collided with a B-52 bomber if it wasn’t for some quick manoeuvring by the airline pilot. The Delta airlines pilot was forced to make an “aggressive” evasive manoeuvre to avoid a potential mid-air collision with a U.S. fighter jet before landing in North Dakota.
BBC reports that the pilot, who identified the aircraft as a B-52 bomber, is heard in video recordings shared on social media, saying it was “kind of, sort of coming at us.”
“So, sorry about the aggressive manoeuvre,” he said.
“We took a really hard right turn, we were completely sideways,” Monica Green, a woman on the flight who recorded the audio, told the BBC. “I was facing the grass.”
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“We had no idea what was going on, we didn’t know if there was anything wrong with the plane or if the sharp turns would continue,” Green said.
Delta Air Lines regional jet SkyWest Flight 3788 was en route from Minneapolis, Minnesota, to Minot, North Dakota on Friday, the airline said.
What is a B-52 bomber?
The B-52 Stratofortress is a long-range, subsonic strategic bomber developed by Boeing and operated by the United States Air Force (USAF) since the 1950s. Designed during the early Cold War era, the B-52 was intended to deliver nuclear weapons as part of the U.S. strategic deterrence force. Its first flight was in 1952, and it entered service in 1955. Remarkably, the B-52 remains in active service today, making it one of the longest-serving military aircraft in history.
The B-52 features a distinctive design with eight jet engines mounted under its swept wings, allowing it to carry large payloads over intercontinental distances without refueling. It can carry up to 70,000 pounds (31,500 kilograms) of weapons, including conventional bombs, nuclear weapons, cruise missiles, and smart weapons. The aircraft is versatile and has been used in various conflicts, from Vietnam to recent operations in the Middle East.
In terms of cost, the original B-52s were relatively economical for their size and capability when built in the 1950s and 1960s. However, modernization and maintenance expenses have added up over the decades. Each new B-52H model (the latest variant) initially cost around $70 million in 1960s dollars, which would be roughly $600 million when adjusted for inflation today. The Air Force is investing billions in a long-term modernization program to extend the bomber’s service life into the 2050s, including new engines, avionics, and weapons systems. The estimated cost for these upgrades is about $13 billion over the coming decades.
Despite being an older design, the B-52 remains crucial due to its large payload capacity, long range, and flexibility. Its endurance and ability to operate from conventional runways make it a backbone of U.S. strategic and tactical air power. The B-52’s longevity and adaptability highlight the success of its original design and ongoing upgrades to meet evolving military needs.