U.S. B-52 Strategic Bombers Operate Off Venezuelan Coast as Pressure Campaign Intensifies

The U.S. Air Force has deployed B-52H strategic bombers for operations off the Venezuelan coast, as part of a large scale military buildup the United States has launched against its southern neighbour. Washington has explicitly laid out a goal of removing the Venezuelan government from power, with the country standing out as one of a small number on the continent remaining outside the Western Bloc’s sphere of influence, and retaining considerable oil and mineral reserves. The bombers maintained approximately 80 kilometres from Venezuela’s airspace. Alongside B-52s, which began operations off Venezuela’s coasts on October 15, the Air Force has also deployed pairs of B-1B Lancer supersonic strategic bombers for similar operations, including with their transponders disabled to conduct simulated strikes.

Although the B-52 is operated in far greater numbers than other strategic bombers, the fleet has suffered from considerable shortcomings. The Audit of B-52 Diminishing Manufacturing Sources and Material Shortages in late 2023 found that a primary issue affecting the fleet has been the Air Force’s extreme reliance on cannibalising other planes for spare parts, and industry’s inability to provide new parts in a timely manner. This has seriously reduced availability rates in the bomber fleet. The audit highlighted that a number of firms were ending production of parts for the B-52, thus jeopardising the future of plans to keep the aircraft in service for 36 more years. Plans for much needed upgrades to bring the bombers to the B-52J standard have suffered from multi-billion dollar cost overruns, and continue to face mounting delays, fuelling speculation that the Air Force will make deep cuts to the bomber program and potentially phase the aircraft out of service entirely.

Regarding the AN/APQ-188, officials have cited issues from “delays with the display and sensor processor” as “the primary cause” of cost overruns, highlighting that “the processor’s fibre optic converter – which provides communication between processors – did not work in testing.” The Government Accountability Office U.S. congressional watchdog in June 2025 confirmed that alongside major cost overruns, major delays meant that the B-52J would only become available with even a limited initial operational capability in 2033. “The program noted that there have been program delays in part due to funding shortfalls to complete the detailed design, but that it has worked with the contractors and submitted budget requests to support critical design review in August 2025 and initial operational capability in mid-fiscal year 2033,” it observed, highlighting that delays “are a result of underestimating the level of funding needed to complete the detailed design activities.”