AIR LAUNCHED CRUISE MISSILE

Abstract

The AGM-86B, Air Launched Cruise Missile (ALCM), is a subsonic, air-to-surface strategic nuclear missile, operational since 1982. Armed with a W80 warhead, it is designed to evade air and ground-based defenses in order to strike targets at any location within any enemy's territory. The ALCM is designed for B-52H internal and external carriage. The purpose of this program element is to ensure ALCM sustainability to 2030 in support of Air Force strategic nuclear deterrence and global strike mission requirements. An ALCM Service Life Extension Program (SLEP) was developed to support ALCM Service Life to 2030. The results of SLEP studies identified system components and support equipment that will become non-supportable prior to 2030. Service life extension of this critical weapon is essential to meet United States Strategic Command (USSTRATCOM) deliberate planning commitments. W80 Joint Test Assembly (JTA-8) Replacement was an effort to improve the unsupportable W80 JTA-1, a simulated warhead used for flight testing. This replacement effort revised and improved the W80 JTA-1, Interface Control Documents (ICDs), provided integration support, and supported flight test qualification for the improved JTA-8. In FY09, the Research, Development, Test, and Evaluation (RDT&E) effort completed. Minimal effort remained through FY11 to finalize and complete archiving of all data. The Aging and Surveillance program for ALCM continuously assesses critical components such as those in the safe arm and fuze subsystem, navigation/guidance system, and electrical/power distribution system. The program identifies aging trends prior to failures in fielded components that would result in fleet-wide reliability and supportability problems. Development funds are required to update software, test procedures, and test equipment. FY12 funding is to be used for developing hardware and software to update the contractor's testing complex/capabilities in order to add the Guided Missile Flight Controller (GMFC) to the annual Aging & Surveillance testing program. BA7- This program is in Budget Activity 7, Operational System Development, because this budget activity includes development efforts to upgrade systems that have been fielded or have received approval for full rate production and anticipate production funding in the current or subsequent fiscal year.

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Document Details

Document Type
R2 Budgetary Justification
Publication Date
Oct 01, 2013
Source ID
0101122F_7_3600_PB_2013
Change Summary Explanation
No significant Changes
Service Agency Name
Air Force

Entities

Organizations

  • United States Air Force

Tags

Communities of Interest

  • Weapons Technologies

DTIC Thesaurus Topics

  • Air Force
  • Air Launched
  • Cruise Missiles
  • Flight Testing
  • Ground Based
  • Guided Missiles
  • Nuclear Weapons
  • Power Distribution
  • Production
  • Reliability
  • Standoff Missiles
  • Surveillance
  • Test And Evaluation
  • Test Equipment
  • United States
  • Weapons

Fields of Study

  • Engineering

Readers

  • Aerospace Engineering
  • Enterprise Information Systems Architecture and Joint Command Capability Interoperability Support.
  • Missile Defense Systems.

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