The U.S. Air Force has released renderings of its cutting-edge AGM-181A Long Range Standoff (LRSO) missile, unveiling the mystery of America's latest nuclear weapons delivery platform. The missile, which recently completed flight tests, will replace its Cold War-era predecessor.

AGM-181A Long Range Standoff (LRSO) Missile

Military equipment from all over the world is an incredible mix of old and new. In some places, all equipment is brand new and advanced; in other places, soldiers are still using the equipment used by their grandfathers.

For example, some of the B-52 Stratofortress bombers that the U.S. Air Force put into service in the 1950s are still in service today, even though the aircraft has been in service for more than a century. During the Cold War in the 1980s, the B-52 seemed to have reached the end of its life because it was no longer capable of breaking through the Warsaw Pact air defense system to perform deterrent bombing missions.

Subsequently, the U.S. Air Force introduced the AGM-86B air-launched cruise missile (ALCM), transforming the B-52 from a heavy bomber into a standoff strategic weapons platform. The missile is equipped with a W80 nuclear warhead with a yield of up to 150,000 tons, allowing the B-52 to maintain a distance of more than 1,300 nautical miles (1,500 miles, 2,400 kilometers) from the target and hopefully avoid danger.

Shockingly, not only are the B-52s still in frontline service, but so are the AGM-86Bs. Unfortunately, more than forty years have passed and things are changing faster than the missiles launched in the Walkman era. And that's the problem with maintaining a credible nuclear deterrent.

AGM-86B is not only aging, but its supporting infrastructure is also aging. Its components age and are difficult to replace, causing maintenance costs to rise. To make matters worse, its ground-flying technology used to evade enemy defenses is also becoming increasingly outdated, and its stealth is significantly reduced when fighting satellites and other advanced sensors (not to mention electronic warfare countermeasures). Additionally, the missile's range is no longer sufficient and it lacks the mission flexibility required in a modern combat environment.

As a result, older cruise missiles have been integrated into the overall effort to modernize the U.S. nuclear deterrent while making it more cost-effective in the long term.

Cold War-era AGM-86B air-launched cruise missile (ALCM)

Like its 1980s predecessor, the new AGM-181A Long Range Standoff (LRSO) is an air-breathing cruise missile capable of navigating to its intended target unmanned. The missile, developed by Raytheon Technologies, can be launched not only from B-52 bombers, but also from new B-21 assault bombers.

It is equipped with the latest W80 Mod 4 thermonuclear warhead, with a programmable explosive yield from 5 to 150,000 tons, but weighs only 287 pounds (130 kilograms) and is equipped with new safety measures. Unlike previous missiles, it will not be available in a conventional warhead version.

The missile itself is powered by a Williams F107-WI-106 turbofan engine, giving it a range of over 1,350 nautical miles (1,550 miles, 2,500 kilometers) at subsonic speeds. This may not seem like much of an advance, but it is expected to make it easier than ever to achieve higher ranges in hostile environments.

The upgraded guidance system can operate in areas with weak or denied GPS signals and is resistant to electromagnetic interference. It is also expected to have the ability to respond to threats autonomously and adjust its flight path as needed.

The new pictures do not reveal much about the AGM-181A, but it has a more streamlined design, with a trapezoidal fuselage, a wedge-shaped nose and a sloping tail, as well as folding wings and a folding vertical tail installed on the ventral side of the fuselage. Its appearance strongly hints at its more efficient stealth capabilities, capable of absorbing or jamming radar signals across a wider range of the electromagnetic spectrum. In addition, its modular design also enables faster upgrades in the future.

The AGM-181A is expected to begin production in 2027 and enter service around 2030. The Air Force needs more than 1,000 of the missiles at an estimated cost of $16 billion, with another $7 billion needed for 30 years of support.

Compiled from /ScitechDaily