Because the Resistance needs a bigger, better bomber.
Influenced by several Star Wars Legends designs, such as the BT-7 Thunderclap, the Defender Light Corvette, and the Scurrg H6 prototype bomber.
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The B-52 Heavy Torpedo Bomber, also known as the StarHammer and often simply designated Hammer, was a starfighter/bomber designed to carry and launch capital ship rated ordnance, such as the the MGM-31 Assault Proton Torpedo or the AGM-86 Concussion Cruise Missile. It was developed and manufactured by Rendili Aerospace during the Thrawn campaign, as part of the New Republic Navy's New Class Modernization Program. While the B-52 lost to Koensayr's BTL-S8 K-wing Assault Starfighter as the New Republic Navy's main bomber, the admiralty still saw value in the StarHammer, and ordered 2500 units. This contract saved Rendili Aerospace from bankruptcy.

[u]Characteristics[/u]:

The StarHammer, much like its larger predecessors such as the BT-7 Thunderclap Assault Ship and the Defender-class Light Corvette, had an distinct hammerhead shape. This, combined with heavy armour and a slim forward profile, allowed it to engage much larger capital ships long enough to deliver its payload at optimal range. Thanks to its wide wingspan, the StarHammer carried twelve Krupx Type-93 Launchers, enough ordnance to destroy a Heavy Cruiser by itself.

Unfortunately, its impressive resilience and firepower came at a cost. Due its size and the sheer mass of its armour and payload, the StarHammer had infamously poor thrust-to-mass ratio and maneuverability. Because of these two weaknesses, and due to the severe threat it posed to Capital Ships, the Hammer often found itself swarmed by enemy Starfighters. While its impressive defensive armaments could deter small groups of light strike craft from engaging it, the StarHammer was still very dependent on X-wing support to weather attacks by a large number of Multi-Role or Heavy Fighters.

In order to remedy the acceleration issue, New Republic Navy mechanics had come up with all kinds of aftermarket modifications to the B-52 to improve fuel efficiency and thruster output. Daredevil pilots, however, have come up with a radical acceleration maneuver involving locking the Type-93 launcher's clamps before launching the payload, adding the back blast to the engine's thrust, effectively making every launcher a booster rocket. This was, of course, considered an insane, suicidal move for two reasons: one, the securing clamps could jam, leaving live warheads inside the ship. Two: said warhead's guidance systems could get confused and attempt to course correct, turning the StarHammer into a wild horse.