First Glimpse Of Air Force's New Stealth Nuclear Cruise Missile
Most notably from this first unclassified render, the LRSO features an inverted tail very similar to the conventionally-armed AGM-158 JASSM stealthy air-launched cruise missile. The AGM-129 featured a similar arrangement, although with a differently shaped vertical tail. The missile looks like it has a trapezoidal fuselage cross-section design with a wedge-like nose. The wing design is also similar to JASSM. We see no air inlet in the concept rendering, which could be for security reasons, considering the inlet design is often a closely guarded feature on stealthy flying machines, or it could be located on the top of the missile. We also can't say with any certainty how accurate this official rendering is of the actual design, but it is a given that some features will be omitted or even misleading for an initial public release.
The airborne leg is already the most flexible of America's nuclear triad. Bombers can be positioned anywhere around the globe, both in the air and forward deployed on the ground. They can also be rapidly recalled as needed, signalling de-escalation. This is a critical tool for strategic messaging that could potentially avert a nuclear holocaust. The nuclear-armed cruise missile component of this capability allows for standoff attacks that present a real challenge for traditional air defenses and cannot be readily identified by ballistic missile-focused early warning architectures. So, as a result, in this new age of so-called 'great power competition,' with the AGM-129 already retired from service and the AGM-86B growing very old and becoming questionably survivable, a new, more capable and resilient long-range nuclear-tipped cruise missile was deemed necessary. This became the AGM-181A LRSO.
This new weapon system, built by Raytheon, will be carried by both the new B-21 Raider and the venerable B-52 Stratofortress. The B-52 is also set to be deeply upgraded, overall, as you can learn more about here.
Otherwise, little is known about the LRSO's capabilities as the program remains highly classified in many respects. Still, one can expect a subsonic missile with greater range than its predecessors that features a very tough-to-detect and track airframe and engine combination. Strict emissions control and the ability to navigate in any environment, including one where access to GPS is degraded or denied, and dense electronic warfare is the norm, will be critical. Autonomously reacting to threats in its area to better ensure its best path to its target will also likely be a feature. Combined, these elements will offer the missile and its launch platform more employment options and far greater survivability, especially as very long-range integrated air defenses mature at a rapid pace.
LRSO has been in secretive flight testing for years now, and it will feature the updated W80-4 thermonuclear warhead. The weapon is also part of the larger Long Range Strike family of systems, which includes the B-21 as its centerpiece, as well as new command and control, space-based support assets, weapons, communications, and other technologies, possibly including classified fixed-wing companion aircraft. These capabilities will work to become something greater than the sum of their parts in order to achieve success in a future combat environment that will be far more threatening than any in the past.
When it comes to the price tag, as we noted in a previous report from 2023:
'The Pentagon acquisition report does peg the estimated LRSO program acquisition cost, as of December 2022 and based on the expected purchase of 1,020 missiles in total, at just over $16 billion. Sustaining the missiles over a 30-year lifespan is expected to cost another $7 billion or so.'
More current estimates put the cost of LRSO at around $14M each.
Previous plans to make a conventionally-armed variant of the LRSO seem to have been dropped, with further extrapolations of the popular AGM-158 JASSM series of air-launched stealthy cruise missiles filling that role.
If this first rendering is any indication, LRSO has moved well forward in its development, and we are likely to hear more about it and finally see it in full in the not-too-distant future. The missile has been expected to begin entering operational service toward the end of the decade. Then again, few programs are safe just yet as this new administration looks to manifest its priorities in its first defense budget, which we should be seeing in full any time now.
Contact the author: Tyler@twz.com
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Hamilton Spectator
a day ago
- Hamilton Spectator
Investigators to wrap up public hearings into fatal midair crash between Army chopper and airplane
The National Transportation Safety Board on Friday enters its third and final day of public testimony over the fatal midair crash between an Army helicopter and commercial jet in January. Two previous days of testimony underscored a number of factors that likely contributed to the collision that left all 67 people aboard both aircrafts dead, sparking Board Chairwoman Jennifer Homendy to urge the Federal Aviation Administration to 'do better' as she pointed to warnings the agency ignored years earlier. Some of the major issues that have emerged so far include the Black Hawk helicopter flying above prescribed levels near Ronald Reagan National Airport as well as the warnings to FAA officials for years about the hazards related to the heavy chopper traffic there. It's too early for the board to identify what exactly caused the crash. A final report from the board won't come until next year. But it became clear this week how small a margin of error there was for helicopters flying the route the Black Hawk took the night of the nation's deadliest plane crash since November 2001. The January incident was the first in a string of crashes and near misses this year that have alarmed officials and the traveling public, despite statistics that still show flying remains the safest form of transportation. Worry over military helicopters The board focused on air traffic control and heard Thursday that it was common for pilots to ask to use visual separation or relying on their eyesight just as the Army Black Hawk's pilots, who were wearing night vision goggles, agreed to do the night of the crash. FAA officials also said controllers relied heavily on pilots using visual separation as a way to manage the complex airspace with so many helicopters flying around Washington D.C. But Rick Dressler, an official with medevac operator Metro Aviation, told the board it is difficult to identify other aircraft in the night sky around Ronald Reagan National Airport, especially if a key onboard locator system was switched off, as Army choppers routinely did. Dressler said that he and other civilian helicopter pilots in the area have long been concerned about the Army and Air Force helicopters flying around Reagan airport. 'I don't like saying this. I'll say it again on the record,' Dressler, a former Army aviator and retired Air Force officer, said. 'I'm speaking for my group there. We we are all very uncomfortable when those two units are operating.' The Department of Defense referred questions about Thursday's testimony to the Army, which did not immediately respond. Army officials at the hearing did ask Dressler to elaborate on his concerns and consider visiting the Pentagon to share them. Dressel said part of what worries him is the relative lack of experience of the military pilots who may have only been in the area a short time and don't understand the complex airspace around Washington D.C. 'They don't get the seasoning here to really, truly understand how the airspace works,' said Dressel, who also complained that the Army helicopter unit no longer participates in regular meetings with all the other aviators in the area to discuss issues. The Air Force also did not immediately respond to questions about Dressler's remarks. The American Airlines jet arrived from Wichita, Kansas, carrying, among others, a group of elite young figure skaters , their parents and coaches, and four union steamfitters from the Washington area. Final moments Testimony covered much ground, including the final audio communications from pilots aboard the Army chopper. The Black Hawk's crew had been communicating with the airport's control tower, although the helicopter pilots did not fully hear the controller's instructions. The Black Hawk pilots told the tower twice in the minutes before the crash that they had the American Airlines passenger plane in sight and would maintain proper separation. But when the controller instructed the pilots to 'pass behind' the jet, the crew didn't hear that instruction because the Black Hawk's microphone key was pressed at that moment. Just before the collision an instructor pilot aboard the helicopter asked the pilot at the controls to come left. But it wasn't clear if the pilot had time to maneuver the helicopter before the crash. 'Kinda come left for me ma'am,' the instructor said. The pilot responded: 'Sure.' Concern about distances between planes and helicopters John Cox, an aviation safety expert and retired airline pilot, said the hearings are headed in the right direction to determine what happened and to prevent similar accidents. His main concerns focus on the Black Hawk helicopter, including why it was above the 200-feet (61 meters) elevation limit for that particular helicopter route. Another question is why the Black Hawk wasn't closer to the east bank of the Potomac River, where it would have been further away from landing airplanes. 'I've passed helicopters underneath me over the east bank of the Potomac a lot of times,' said Cox, who flew commercial airliners for 25 years. 'And there's always been plenty of separation. It's not a lot because the space is so constrained. But you're dealing with professional pilots and it's not been a problem.' Investigators said Wednesday the flight data recorder showed the helicopter was actually 80 feet to 100 feet (24 to 30 meters) higher than the barometric altimeter the pilots relied upon showed they were flying. ___ Associated Press writers David Klepper, Mike Catalini, Leah Askarinam, Ben Finley and Rio Yamat contributed to this story. Error! Sorry, there was an error processing your request. There was a problem with the recaptcha. Please try again. You may unsubscribe at any time. By signing up, you agree to our terms of use and privacy policy . This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google privacy policy and terms of service apply. Want more of the latest from us? Sign up for more at our newsletter page .
San Francisco Chronicle
a day ago
- San Francisco Chronicle
Investigators to wrap up public hearings into fatal midair crash between Army chopper and airplane
The National Transportation Safety Board on Friday enters its third and final day of public testimony over the fatal midair crash between an Army helicopter and commercial jet in January. Two previous days of testimony underscored a number of factors that likely contributed to the collision that left all 67 people aboard both aircrafts dead, sparking Board Chairwoman Jennifer Homendy to urge the Federal Aviation Administration to 'do better" as she pointed to warnings the agency ignored years earlier. Some of the major issues that have emerged so far include the Black Hawk helicopter flying above prescribed levels near Ronald Reagan National Airport as well as the warnings to FAA officials for years about the hazards related to the heavy chopper traffic there. It's too early for the board to identify what exactly caused the crash. A final report from the board won't come until next year. But it became clear this week how small a margin of error there was for helicopters flying the route the Black Hawk took the night of the nation's deadliest plane crash since November 2001. The January incident was the first in a string of crashes and near misses this year that have alarmed officials and the traveling public, despite statistics that still show flying remains the safest form of transportation. Worry over military helicopters The board focused on air traffic control and heard Thursday that it was common for pilots to ask to use visual separation or relying on their eyesight just as the Army Black Hawk's pilots, who were wearing night vision goggles, agreed to do the night of the crash. FAA officials also said controllers relied heavily on pilots using visual separation as a way to manage the complex airspace with so many helicopters flying around Washington D.C. But Rick Dressler, an official with medevac operator Metro Aviation, told the board it is difficult to identify other aircraft in the night sky around Ronald Reagan National Airport, especially if a key onboard locator system was switched off, as Army choppers routinely did. Dressler said that he and other civilian helicopter pilots in the area have long been concerned about the Army and Air Force helicopters flying around Reagan airport. 'I don't like saying this. I'll say it again on the record,' Dressler, a former Army aviator and retired Air Force officer, said. 'I'm speaking for my group there. We we are all very uncomfortable when those two units are operating.' The Department of Defense referred questions about Thursday's testimony to the Army, which did not immediately respond. Army officials at the hearing did ask Dressler to elaborate on his concerns and consider visiting the Pentagon to share them. Dressel said part of what worries him is the relative lack of experience of the military pilots who may have only been in the area a short time and don't understand the complex airspace around Washington D.C. 'They don't get the seasoning here to really, truly understand how the airspace works,' said Dressel, who also complained that the Army helicopter unit no longer participates in regular meetings with all the other aviators in the area to discuss issues. The Air Force also did not immediately respond to questions about Dressler's remarks. The American Airlines jet arrived from Wichita, Kansas, carrying, among others, a group of elite young figure skaters, their parents and coaches, and four union steamfitters from the Washington area. Final moments Testimony covered much ground, including the final audio communications from pilots aboard the Army chopper. The Black Hawk's crew had been communicating with the airport's control tower, although the helicopter pilots did not fully hear the controller's instructions. The Black Hawk pilots told the tower twice in the minutes before the crash that they had the American Airlines passenger plane in sight and would maintain proper separation. But when the controller instructed the pilots to 'pass behind' the jet, the crew didn't hear that instruction because the Black Hawk's microphone key was pressed at that moment. Just before the collision an instructor pilot aboard the helicopter asked the pilot at the controls to come left. But it wasn't clear if the pilot had time to maneuver the helicopter before the crash. 'Kinda come left for me ma'am,' the instructor said. The pilot responded: 'Sure.' Concern about distances between planes and helicopters John Cox, an aviation safety expert and retired airline pilot, said the hearings are headed in the right direction to determine what happened and to prevent similar accidents. His main concerns focus on the Black Hawk helicopter, including why it was above the 200-feet (61 meters) elevation limit for that particular helicopter route. Another question is why the Black Hawk wasn't closer to the east bank of the Potomac River, where it would have been further away from landing airplanes. 'I've passed helicopters underneath me over the east bank of the Potomac a lot of times,' said Cox, who flew commercial airliners for 25 years. 'And there's always been plenty of separation. It's not a lot because the space is so constrained. But you're dealing with professional pilots and it's not been a problem.' Investigators said Wednesday the flight data recorder showed the helicopter was actually 80 feet to 100 feet (24 to 30 meters) higher than the barometric altimeter the pilots relied upon showed they were flying.
Boston Globe
a day ago
- Boston Globe
Investigators to wrap up public hearings into fatal midair crash between Army chopper and airplane
It's too early for the board to identify what exactly caused the crash. A final report from the board won't come until next year. Advertisement But it became clear this week how small a margin of error there was for helicopters flying the route the Black Hawk took the night of the nation's deadliest plane crash since November 2001. Get Starting Point A guide through the most important stories of the morning, delivered Monday through Friday. Enter Email Sign Up The January incident was the first in a string of crashes and near misses this year that have alarmed officials and the traveling public, despite statistics that still show flying remains the safest form of transportation. Worry over military helicopters The board focused on air traffic control and heard Thursday that it was common for pilots to ask to use visual separation or relying on their eyesight just as the Army Black Hawk's pilots, who were wearing night vision goggles, agreed to do the night of the crash. Advertisement FAA officials also said controllers relied heavily on pilots using visual separation as a way to manage the complex airspace with so many helicopters flying around Washington D.C. But Rick Dressler, an official with medevac operator Metro Aviation, told the board it is difficult to identify other aircraft in the night sky around Ronald Reagan National Airport, especially if a key onboard locator system was switched off, as Army choppers routinely did. Dressler said that he and other civilian helicopter pilots in the area have long been concerned about the Army and Air Force helicopters flying around Reagan airport. 'I don't like saying this. I'll say it again on the record,' Dressler, a former Army aviator and retired Air Force officer, said. 'I'm speaking for my group there. We we are all very uncomfortable when those two units are operating.' The Department of Defense referred questions about Thursday's testimony to the Army, which did not immediately respond. Army officials at the hearing did ask Dressler to elaborate on his concerns and consider visiting the Pentagon to share them. Dressel said part of what worries him is the relative lack of experience of the military pilots who may have only been in the area a short time and don't understand the complex airspace around Washington D.C. 'They don't get the seasoning here to really, truly understand how the airspace works,' said Dressel, who also complained that the Army helicopter unit no longer participates in regular meetings with all the other aviators in the area to discuss issues. The Air Force also did not immediately respond to questions about Dressler's remarks. The American Airlines jet arrived from Wichita, Kansas, carrying, among others, a group of elite young figure skaters, their parents and coaches, and four union steamfitters from the Washington area. Advertisement Final moments Testimony covered much ground, including the final audio communications from pilots aboard the Army chopper. The Black Hawk's crew had been communicating with the airport's control tower, although the helicopter pilots did not fully hear the controller's instructions. The Black Hawk pilots told the tower twice in the minutes before the crash that they had the American Airlines passenger plane in sight and would maintain proper separation. But when the controller instructed the pilots to 'pass behind' the jet, the crew didn't hear that instruction because the Black Hawk's microphone key was pressed at that moment. Just before the collision an instructor pilot aboard the helicopter asked the pilot at the controls to come left. But it wasn't clear if the pilot had time to maneuver the helicopter before the crash. 'Kinda come left for me ma'am,' the instructor said. The pilot responded: 'Sure.' Concern about distances between planes and helicopters John Cox, an aviation safety expert and retired airline pilot, said the hearings are headed in the right direction to determine what happened and to prevent similar accidents. His main concerns focus on the Black Hawk helicopter, including why it was above the 200-feet (61 meters) elevation limit for that particular helicopter route. Another question is why the Black Hawk wasn't closer to the east bank of the Potomac River, where it would have been further away from landing airplanes. 'I've passed helicopters underneath me over the east bank of the Potomac a lot of times,' said Cox, who flew commercial airliners for 25 years. 'And there's always been plenty of separation. It's not a lot because the space is so constrained. But you're dealing with professional pilots and it's not been a problem.' Advertisement Investigators said Wednesday the flight data recorder showed the helicopter was actually 80 feet to 100 feet (24 to 30 meters) higher than the barometric altimeter the pilots relied upon showed they were flying. Associated Press writers David Klepper, Mike Catalini, Leah Askarinam, Ben Finley and Rio Yamat contributed to this story.
