AGM-86 ALCM
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AGM-86 | |
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GPS | |
Launch platform | Boeing B-52H Stratofortress[1] |
The AGM-86 ALCM is an American
The concept started as a long-range drone aircraft that would act as a decoy, distracting Soviet air defenses from the bombers. As new lightweight nuclear weapons emerged in the 1960s, the design was modified with the intent of attacking missile and radar sites at the end of its flight. Further development extended its range so much that it emerged as a weapon allowing the B-52s to launch their attacks while still well outside Soviet airspace, saturating their defenses with hundreds of tiny, low-flying targets that were extremely difficult to see on radar.
The ALCM so improved the capabilities of the US bomber force that the Soviets developed new technologies to counter the weapon. Among these were
Examples of the AGM-86A and AGM-86B are on display at the Steven F. Udvar-Hazy Center of the National Air and Space Museum, near Washington, D.C.[4]
History
Quail
The ALCM traces its history to the
Quail was designed in the mid-1950s when the normal attack profile for a strategic bomber was to fly as high and fast as possible to reduce the time the defenders had to respond to the aircraft before it flew out of range. This was effective against interceptor aircraft but of little use against surface-to-air missiles (SAMs), whose attack times were measured in seconds.
This led to the adoption of low-level attacks, where the bombers would fly below the
SRAM
Looking for another solution to the Soviet SAM problem, in 1964 the Air Force began developing a new system that would directly attack the missile sites rather than confuse them. This emerged as the
While highly capable against known missile locations, SRAM could do nothing to defend against unknown sites, nor help with the problem of interceptor aircraft. To deal with these threats, Quail continued to be carried, typically in pairs, providing some defense against these other threats. However, by the late 1960s the Air Force concluded "that the Quail was only slightly better than nothing."[citation needed]
SCAD
In January 1968, a new requirement emerged for a modern version of Quail for this new mission, the Subsonic Cruise Aircraft Decoy, or SCAD. SCAD was designed specifically to fit onto the same rotary launcher used by SRAM, allowing a single aircraft to carry multiple SRAM and SCAD and launch either at any time. This led to it being the same 14 foot (4.3 m) length as SRAM, and the use of a fuselage with a triangular cross-section, which maximized the usable volume on the rotary launchers. The system was otherwise similar to Quail, using a simple inertial navigation system (INS) allowing the missile to fly a pre-programmed course.
Soon after development began, it was noted that the very small
For this role, the accuracy of the original INS guidance hardware was not enough. While a similar system was also used in SRAM, its shorter range and much shorter flight times meant the drift rate of the system was not a serious concern as long as the bomber could feed it accurate information just before launch, to "zero out" the drift. In contrast, SCAD was designed to fly over much longer ranges and slower speeds, resulting in longer flight times and increasing the problem with drift; even with the drift "zeroed out" just before launch, subsequent drift during the longer flight would accumulate to an unacceptable error. To provide the accuracy needed to attack the SAM sites with a small warhead, some system was needed to zero out the drift in-flight, and for this need, a radar-based TERCOM system was added.
Development was approved in July 1970, and it was given the designation ZAGM-86A, the Z indicating its initial development status.
ALCM
As SCAD moved from the pure-decoy role to decoy-and-attack, this meant it would be able to carry out the same mission as SRAM, but from much longer range. This would reduce the need for a decoy. Accordingly, in June 1973, SCAD was canceled in favor of a system dedicated purely to the long-range attack mission. The original designation number remained, but the name changed to reflect the new mission, becoming the Air Launched Cruise Missile, or ALCM.
The first example, similar to the original SCAD in most ways, flew for the first time in March 1976, and its new guidance system was first tested that September. In January 1977, the missile was ordered into full-scale production. Compared to the models that entered service in the 1980s, the A-model had a distinctive look; the nose tapered sharply to a triangular point giving it a shark-like appearance, compared to the later models which had a more rounded conventional appearance.
ERV and JCMP
Meanwhile, the Air Force had also issued a requirement for a version with a much longer 1,500 nautical miles (2,800 km; 1,700 mi) range. This would allow the bombers to launch their missiles from far off the Russian coast, placing it outside the range of the interceptors as well. To reach the intended range, this new Extended Range Version (ERV) would have to be lengthened to contain more fuel, or external fuel tanks would have to be added. Either change would make it too large to fit on the SRAM launchers and the extended-fuselage version would be too large to fit in the bomb bay of the new
The Navy was also in the midst of its own cruise missile project, the Sea-Launched Cruise Missile (SLCM), which ultimately emerged as the
While the JCMP program was taking place, the B-1 was canceled. This eliminated the need for ALCM to fit in the B-1's bomb bay, and the length limitations that implied. The Air Force decided to cancel production of the A-model ALCM, and replace it with either an air-launched version of the SLCM, or the ERV. The ERV flew in August 1979, and was declared the winner of the head-to-head fly-off against the SLCM in March 1980.
Initial production
Production of the initial 225 AGM-86B missiles began in fiscal year 1980. It entered operational use on the B-52H in August 1981 and became its primary weapon in December 1982. Production of a total 1,715 missiles was completed in October 1986. The air-launched cruise missile had become operational four years earlier, in December 1982. More than 100 launches have taken place since then, with a 90% approximate success rate.
CALCM
In June 1986 a limited number of AGM-86B missiles were converted to carry a high-explosive
In 1996 and 1997, 200 additional CALCMs were produced from excess ALCMs. These missiles, designated Block I, incorporate improvements such as a larger and improved conventional payload (1,360 kg, 3,000 lb blast class), a multi-channel GPS receiver and integration of the buffer box into the GPS receiver. The upgraded avionics package was retrofitted into all existing CALCM (Block 0) so all AGM-86C missiles are electronically identical.[2]
Design
All variants of the AGM-86 missile are powered by a Williams F107 turbofan jet engine that propels it at sustained subsonic speeds and can be launched from aircraft at both high and low altitudes. The missile deploys its folded wings, tail surfaces and engine inlet after launch.
AGM-86B/C/D missiles increase flexibility in target selection. AGM-86B missiles can be air-launched in large numbers by the bomber force. B-52H bombers carry six AGM-86B or AGM-86C missiles on each of two externally mounted pylons and eight internally on a rotary launcher, giving the B-52H a maximum capacity of 20 missiles per aircraft.
An enemy force would have to counterattack each of the missiles individually, making defense against them costly and complicated. The enemy's defenses are further hampered by the missiles' small size and low-altitude flight capability, which makes them
AGM-86B
The nuclear armed AGM-86B uses a terrain contour-matching guidance system (
AGM-86C/D
The AGM-86C/D CALCM carries a conventional high-explosive payload rather than a thermonuclear payload. This is a fragmentation warhead in the AGM-86C and a unitary penetrating warhead in the AGM-86D. The AGM-86C/D uses an onboard Global Positioning System (GPS) coupled with its inertial navigation system (INS) to navigate in flight. This allows the missile to guide itself to the target with pinpoint accuracy. Litton Guidance and Control, and Interstate Electronics Corporation (one of the companies acquired by L3Harris) were the guidance contractors for the C model.[2]
Operations
The CALCM became operational in January 1991 at the onset of
CALCM's next employment occurred in September 1996 during
The CALCM was also used in
Future of the ALCM
In 2007 the USAF announced its intention to retire all of its
Even with the SLEP (service life extension program), the remaining AGM-86s were to reach their end of service by 2020, leaving the B-52 without a nuclear mission.[6] However, in 2012, the USAF announced plans to extend the useful life of the missiles until at least 2030.[7]
To replace the ALCM, the USAF planned to award a contract for the development of the new
The technology development contracts were to be submitted before the end of 2012.[11] In March 2014 a further three-year delay in the project was announced by the Department of Defense, delaying a contract award until fiscal year 2018.[12] The House Armed Services Committee moved to reject this delay.[13] The delay was caused by financial pressures and an uncertain acquisition plan, and allowed by the long remaining service life left for the AGM-86 and lack of urgent necessity compared to other defense needs.[14]
As of August 24, 2017, the Department of Defense has awarded both Lockheed Martin and Raytheon Corporations with $900 million (equivalent to $1,100,400,000 in 2023) to develop the LRSO. Contracts end in 2022, when the Department of Defense will select one design to continue further developments.[15]
The CALCM was retired on 20 November 2019, replaced in the conventional standoff strike role by the AGM-158B JASSM-ER.[16][17]
See also
- AGM-154
References
- ^ a b c d e "Factsheets: AGM-86B/C/D Missiles." Archived 1 August 2013 at the Wayback Machine U.S. Air Force. United States Air Force, 2010. Web. Accessed 14 Dec 2012. "Factsheet". Archived from the original on 21 May 2013. Retrieved 2012-12-14.
{{cite web}}
: CS1 maint: bot: original URL status unknown (link) - ^ a b c d e f "Factsheet: AGM-86B/C/D MISSILES". United States Air Force. Archived from the original on 10 July 2008. Retrieved 7 October 2008.
- ^ "ЗЕНИТНЫЙ РАКЕТНЫЙ КОМПЛЕКС 9К330 "ТОР" (SA-15 Gauntlet)". Вестника ПВО (in Russian). 21 August 2007. Archived from the original on 17 August 2008. Retrieved 9 August 2008.
- ^ "Missile, Cruise, Air-launched, AGM-86B". Collections Database. Smithsonian Institution. Archived from the original on 23 July 2009. Retrieved 7 October 2008.
- ^ AIR FORCE Magazine, August 2007
- ^ Air Force Next-Generation Bomber: Background and Issues for Congress, page 8, Archived at: Archived 2 May 2014 at the Wayback Machine
- ^ Weisgerber, Marcus, "USAF Outlines Nuke Weapon Inventory Modernization", Defense News, 24 May 2012
- ^ "Air Force plans two-year delay in developing new Cruise Missile", Archived at: Archived 5 November 2013 at the Wayback Machine
- ^ Kristensen, Hans (22 April 2013). "B-2 Stealth Bomber To Carry New Nuclear Cruise Missile". fas.org. Federation of American Scientists. Archived from the original on 22 April 2014. Retrieved 5 November 2013.
- ^ USAF's LRSO missile may reach IOC around 2030 Archived 5 December 2014 at the Wayback Machine - Flightglobal.com, 7 January 2014
- ^ Majumdar2012-12-07T20:49:00+00:00, Dave. "USAF to develop new cruise missile". FlightGlobal. Archived from the original on 5 November 2013.
{{cite web}}
: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link) - ^ Hemmerdinger, Jon. "USAF delays LRSO again, this time by three years". FlightGlobal. Archived from the original on 15 March 2014.
- ^ Guarino, Douglas P. (29 April 2014). "GOP Defense Bill Pushes Back Against Proposed Nuclear-Modernization Delays". www.nti.org. Nuclear Threat Initiative. Archived from the original on 30 April 2014. Retrieved 29 April 2014.
- ^ Long-Range Standoff Missile Development Pushed Back By Three Years Archived 4 December 2014 at the Wayback Machine - Insidedefense.com, 5 March 2014
- ^ "Lockheed, Raytheon receive contracts for nuclear cruise missile". UPI. Archived from the original on 25 August 2017. Retrieved 24 August 2017.
- ^ Wrightsman, Jacob (22 November 2019). "History in the making: final CALCM missile package retired". dvidshub.net.
- Air Force Magazine. 26 November 2019.