CONCURRENT UPGRADES
The B-52H combat network
communications technology (CONECT)
upgrade is currently being integrated
during PDM work. Connie Davis says,
‘It is a small enough modi cation that
allowed us to leverage the concurrency
of PDM to do it.’ This dates back to a
2005, $1.1-billion system design and
development (SDD) contract to give
the B-52 network-centric operations
(NCO) capability with digital and
voice communications. CONECT
adds new cockpit displays, satellite
communications and a datalink to
enable mission retasking. The rstCONECT B-52H ew on May 22, 2009,
and the initial example was delivered to
the 2nd Bomb Wing at Barksdale AFB,
Louisiana, in April 2014.
Davis explains, ‘A lot of the CONECT
modi cation work starts in the pre-dock
gate.’ Her team took an innovative
approach towards integrating this
particular modi cation. ‘Starting in
the pre-dock gate was something that
our people came up with to make the
modi cation work better.’ This enables
the rework to get under way right from
the start of the process of putting a B-52
through deep maintenance.says things tend to evolve at this stage,
with a few discoveries along the way.
‘An example from a couple of years ago
was that we started seeing an increase
in undercarriage trunnion leg issues.
The repair need increased faster than
was supportable, creating a situation
where we had to call in all our enterprise
partners for help.’ Boeing engineers and
local manufacturing came to help get
the PDM on track. Defense Logistics
Agency (DLA) Aviation supported the
building of a trunnion leg fastener kit,
which included many items that were no
longer stocked and had to be substituted
with approved items identi ed by USAF
engineering personnel.
Rebuilding a ‘BUFF’
With the often extensive repair work
complete, the team prepares the B-52 for
the major re-installations at the restore
operations gate. Here, the engines
are re-attached to the pylons, and the
landing gear, vertical stabilizer, landinggear doors and bomb bay doors are re-
attached. The aircraft is pressurized in this
section, a new location for this procedure
and one that’s changed over recent years.
Re-attaching the n is conducted
indoors, but its height means it has
to be attached in its folded position.Top: B-52H
60-0009 in the
PDM hangar with
undercarriage
pivoted to enable
the bomber to be
‘crabbed’ into the
tight space.
Above left to right:
A stripped-down
cockpit during
PDM work.
The completed
and refurbished
cockpit still shows
its age.http://www.combataircraft.net // December 2018 91