PLA researchers rank Cold War relic B-52 a bigger nuclear threat than F-35, B-2
South China Morning PostWednesday, May 21, 2025 at 12:00:09 PM
** Chinese military researchers have surprisingly ranked the aging B-52 bomber—a Cold War-era relic—as a *greater* nuclear threat than modern stealth aircraft like the F-35 or B-2. Their study suggests the B-52’s ability to carry more weapons and operate under less scrutiny (since it’s older and less flashy) makes it a higher-risk player in limited nuclear strike scenarios.
What This Means: ** It’s a counterintuitive take that flips the script on how we usually think about military tech—newer isn’t always scarier. The study hints that older, "workhorse" systems might fly under the radar (literally and figuratively) while packing a bigger punch. For defense analysts, it’s a reminder that risk isn’t just about stealth or speed, but how a weapon is *used*. Cold War-era tools might still have a hot role in modern tensions.
— Curated via WP Now’s AI editorial system
