B-52 Spotted During Testing of Unidentified Weapon
Published on: November 4, 2025 at 9:00
Stefano D'Urso Stefano D'Urso
David Cenciotti David Cenciotti
B-52H Possible AGM-181 LRSO
The B-52H carrying the unidentififed weapon and a close-up of the payload. (Image credit: @lookunderocks)
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A B-52 with test markings was spotted carrying a mysterious payload that resembles the rendering of the AGM-181 LRSO, the Air Force’s next-gen stealth nuclear cruise missile.
A U.S. Air Force B-52H Stratofortress has been captured while flying over the Owens Valley, California, with two units of an unidentified weapon under its right wing. The aircraft is painted with the classic orange markings associated to test aircraft, although other identifying details cannot be seen.
A B-52 with test markings was spotted carrying a mysterious payload that resembles the rendering of the AGM-181 LRSO, the Air Force’s next-gen stealth nuclear cruise missile.
The bomber was captured on Oct. 29, 2025, by aviation photographer Ian Recchio (@lookunderocks), who kindly allowed us to use the photo in this article. In an email to The Aviationist, he provided some details:
“I was plane spotting with a friend @661aviation in the Owens Valley when we heard ‘Torch52’ entering the low-level at ‘point Alpha’ on the scanner. It’s always a treat to see a heavy down low but, by the time Torch had reached our position, it had climbed to about 5,000 feet, still low enough and large enough to get a decent photograph. We snapped a few images which revealed some interesting ordinance attached to one of the weapons pylons.”
Upon close inspection, the ordnance appears indeed interesting. Some noticeable details which can be spotted on both units of the weapon are the inverted T tail with three surfaces, the fold-out wings below the weapon’s body and a wedge-like profile both at the nose and tail.
https://theaviationist.com/2025/11/04/b-52-weapon-testing/
