The U.S. Air Force invests $12 billion in affordable cruise missiles

Key Information

• The US Air Force plans to invest $12.6 billion (€10.7 billion) over five years to acquire nearly 28,000 affordable cruise missiles.
• This initiative aims to significantly strengthen the Air Force’s missile stockpile and ensure its ability to engage a large number of targets in potential large-scale conflicts.
• The program emphasizes cost-effective palletized munitions that can be launched from cargo planes, highlighting a commitment to financial accessibility and scalability.

The US Air Force is launching a major initiative to significantly bolster its long-range missile stockpile. Over the next five years, the Air Force plans to invest over $12 billion in acquiring more than 28,000 affordable cruise missiles under the Family of Affordable Mass Munitions (FAMM) program. This ambitious effort aligns with the broader goals of the Pentagon to prepare for potential large-scale conflicts and ensure the ability to strike tens of thousands of targets.

The program’s funding will be supported by multi-year contracts totaling $12.6 billion. The initial acquisition in fiscal year 2027 is expected to involve 1,000 missiles, with an allocated budget of $355 million. Subsequent years are projected to see a substantial increase in spending as production ramps up, leading to a regular expansion of the missile count until 2031.

Missiles

The FAMM program encompasses two distinct categories: munitions designed to be deployed from fighter jets and bombers, and palletized systems intended to be launched from cargo planes. The Air Force has prioritized the development and deployment of palletized munitions.

The current specifications focus on missiles capable of striking targets within a range of 400 to 800 kilometers. However, future phases of the program could incorporate extended-range capabilities and advanced beyond-line-of-sight communications. It is worth noting that the Air Force’s Lifecycle Management Center has issued a request for information regarding a longer-range cruise missile, designated FAMM-Beyond Adversary Reach, capable of exceeding 2,000 kilometers. This system would target slow-moving ships and be compatible with deployment from various platforms, including fighters, bombers, cargo planes, warships, and ground-based Army launchers.

Palletized Munitions

The concept of palletization builds on previous initiatives like the Rapid Dragon program, which explored using cargo planes as launch platforms for munitions. The Air Force Research Laboratory has successfully conducted live-fire demonstrations involving palletized munitions deployed from aircraft. Additionally, the Air Force is actively seeking cost-effective alternatives to existing high-end missile systems, such as the AGM-158B Joint Air-to-Surface Standoff Missile-Extended Range. This ongoing effort aims to reduce costs while maintaining operational effectiveness across a wide range of mission scenarios.