The b-52's role on the modern battlefield is basically a cruise missile truck. It lets you launch a bunch of cruise missiles(cough, I mean kamikazi drones, gotta use the modern lingo) from random locations.

One does not simply take out a SAM system with a cruise missile, especially when that SAM system can also target the cruise missile. So how do you get a cruise missile to launch from the right spot where the SAM system radar can’t see it coming?

Middle strike drone swarm is more likely in 2026 & as a bonus you can post the footage from it as a music video.

Plot twist: some of the best precision cruise missiles are air-launched.