Future of The ALCM
The Air Force in 2008 maintains an arsenal of 1,140 AGM-86 Air Launched Cruise Missiles and 460 newer and stealthy AGM-129 ACM (Advanced Cruise Missiles). The B-52 Stratofortress is the only delivery bomber for these missiles.
In 2007, the USAF announced its intention to retire all of its AGM-129 ACMs, and to reduce the ALCM fleet by more than 500 missiles, leaving 528 nuclear cruise missiles. The ALCM force will be consolidated at Minot Air Force Base, North Dakota, and all excess cruise missile bodies will be destroyed.
The reductions are in part a result of the Strategic Offensive Reductions Treaty requirement to go below 2,200 deployed nuclear weapons by 2012, with the AGM-129 ACM chosen because it has reliability problems and also higher maintenance costs.
Even with the SLEP, the remaining AGM-86s will reach their end of service by 2020, leaving the B-52 without a nuclear mission. However in 2012, the USAF announced plans to extend the useful life of the missiles until at least 2030.
The USAF plans to award a contract for the development of the replacement Long-Range Stand-Off weapon in 2015.
Read more about this topic: AGM-86 ALCM
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