The United States Air Force is buying 1,000 nuclear-capable cruise missiles. The new missiles are called Long-Range Standoff Weapons (LRSOs) and should offer commanders more options when considering possible nuclear strikes against enemy factions.
The United States’ nuclear arsenal is broken up into three distinct areas of delivery, collectively known as the nuclear triad. Intercontinental ballistic missiles can be launched from static missile silos or submarines. Bombers, like the B-52 Stratofortress, also carry air-launched nuclear weapons and guided bombs.
As the newest entrant into the triad, the LRSO will also be carried by the B-52, replacing the AGM-86 air-launched cruise missiles. The Air Force’s newest stealth bomber, the B-21 Raider, will also carry LRSOs once it is operational.
In the Air Force’s 2024 budget, the service requested $978 million for the LRSO program. While the USAF contracted to purchase 1,000 LRSOs from RTX, not all of them will be armed with a nuclear warhead. Some LRSOs will be used for testing and others will be used for backup.
The nuclear-armed LRSOs will carry the W80-4 warhead, based on the W80-1 design and featuring the same “dial-a-yield” capability. W80-4s can be set to produce a relatively small 5-kiloton blast or a much larger 150-kiloton blast. For comparison’s sake, the nuclear bomb the United States dropped on Hiroshima during World War II had a 15-kiloton yield.
When development of the LRSO began, plans called for the weapon to be in the field in 2030. After several successful tests of the weapon, the new cruise missiles could be operational sooner than expected. The LRSO is also being developed with an open software and architecture, making future upgrades to the missiles much easier.
Like all the United States’ nuclear weapons, the Pentagon said the LRSO is meant as a deterrent. In terms of strategy, the LRSO will provide a nuclear response option when flying fighters or bombers into an area of operation isn’t possible.
The LRSO has a range of at least 1,500 miles, meaning a B-52 can fly to the edge of an enemy’s air defense range, launch the LRSOs, and return to base without ever coming into direct contact with the enemy.
The LRSO is not without its critics. There are concerns that deploying lower-yield nuclear weapons could also lower the threshold of nuclear engagement, making the use of nuclear weapons more likely.
Former Secretary of Defense General James Mattis told Congress that in addition to LRSOs giving commanders more tactical possibilities, the lower-yield, stand-off strike option could also bring Russia back to the nuclear negotiating table after Moscow violated the INF Treaty.
