"The B-52 was originally manned by a crew of six. On the G and H models, the gunner who remotely controls the guns located in the tail was seated behind the pilots on the upper deck. On earlier versions of the aircraft, the gunner was physically located in the tail end of the fuselage. Movement of the gunner from the tail to a position behind the pilots removed this unfortunate individual from an isolated location that in turbulent air promised a ride similar to that of a high-speed roller coaster.

Several types of tail guns have been employed on different versions of the aircraft. The G model of the B-52 was equipped with the AN/ASG-15 defensive fire control system directing four .50 caliber machine guns. The H model of the B-52 uses the AN/ASG-21 defensive fire control system utilizing the GE M61A1 20mm cannon; a 20-mm six-barrel rotary cannon. Though both the AN/ASG-15 and AN/ASG-21 were designed to accomplish the same task, they were nonetheless very different in their design and operation. The ASG-15 had more than 20 modes of operation on the ASG-15 while the ASG-21 had just 4. The AN/ASG-15's .50 caliber machine guns were also prone to jam while the AN/ASG-21 GE weapon rarely did. Similar to the system employed on the B-58 Hustler, the B-52H's AN/ASG-21 featured two radars in its fire control system. In the mid-1980's, Emerson upgraded the ASG-21 to a totally digital system with the exception of three tubes, thereby making the tracking of missiles possible as a result.

For those versions of the aircraft in which the gunner was located in the tail, the entire tall capsule was separated in an emergency and the gunner was expected to fight his way clear of this unit and then complete his escape by a hand-operated parachute. Needless to say, the morale of the gunner was greatly increased when he was relocated to a position behind the pilots."