AGM-129 ACM
| AGM-129 Advanced Cruise Missile | |
|---|---|
The AGM-129A ACM (Advanced Cruise Missile) is a low observable, sub-sonic, jet powered, air-launched cruise missile. The AGM-129A is carried exclusively by the US Air Force's B-52H bombers.
Development
In 1982 the US Air Force began studies for a new cruise missile with low-observable characteristics after it became clear that the AGM-86B cruise missile would have difficulty penetrating future air defense systems. The AGM-86B relied on low-altitude flight to penetrate the Soviet air defense system centered on surface to air missiles. The deployment of theairborne early warning systems with "look down" radars reduced the likelihood that the low-altitude AGM-86B would reach it's target.
The solution was to incorporate various "low-observable" technologies into a new Advanced Cruise Missile system.
Design
In 1983 General Dynamics Convair Division (GD/C) was awarded a development contract for the AGM-129A. The AGM-129A incorporated body shaping and forward swept wings to reduce the missile's Radar cross section. The engine air intake was flush mounted on the bottom of the missile to further improve Radar cross section. The jet engine exhaust was shielded by the tail and cooled by a diffuser to reduce the infra-red signature of the missile. To reduce electronic emissions from the missile, the radar used in the AGM-86B was replaced with a combination of inertial navigation and Light Detection and Ranging LIDAR terrain contour matching TERCOM enhanced with highly accurate speed updates provided by a laser Doppler velocimeter.
These changes made the AGM-129A more difficult to find and allowed the missile to be flown at higher altitude. The newer Williams International F112-WR-100 turbofan engine increased range by about 50%. The newer guidance system, increased accuracy to a quoted figure of between 30 m (100 ft) and 90 m (300 ft).
The AGM-129A like the AGM-86B is armed with a W80-3 variable yield nuclear warhead.
The first test missile flew in July 1985 and the first production missiles were delivered to the US Air Force in 1987. The development program experienced software problems, quality control problems, scheduling problems, and testing mishaps. US Congressmen Les Aspin called the ACM a procurement disaster with the worst problems of any of the eight strategic weapons programs his committee had reviewed The US Congress zeroed out funding for the ACM program in 1989. Design and quality problems led the US Air Force to stop missile deliveries in 1989 and 1991. McDonnell Douglas was invited to qualify as a second source for missile production. In early 1989, the United States requested and received permission to test the AGM-129A in Canada.
Plans called for producing enough missiles to replace the AGM-86B approximately 1,461 at a rate of 40 missiles per year after full-rate production was achieved in 1993. In January 1992, the end of the Cold War led US President George H.W. Bush to announce a major cutback in total ACM procurement. The President determined that only 640 missiles were needed. The ACM program was later reduced still further to 520 missiles. The final missile was delivered in 1993. In August 1992 General Dynamics sold it's missile business to Hughes Aircraft Corporation. Five years later in 1997, Hughes Aircraft Corporation sold it's aerospace and defense business to the final production contractor Raytheon.
Operational History
The B-52H bomber can carry up to six AGM-129A missiles on each of two external pylons for a total of 12 per aircraft. The AGM-129A provides the bomber the ability to attack multiple targets without penetrating an air defense system.
An AGM-129A impacted the United States Army Dugway Proving Ground on December 10, 1997. The missile damaged two unoccupied trailers that were part of a cosmic ray observatory. The AGM-129A was released over the Utah Test and Training Range from a B-52H bomber assigned to Minot Air Force Base, North Dakota. The missile had flown for approximately 3.5 hours on its planned route and had fulfilled all test objectives prior to the mishap. The missile was carrying an inert test payload.
In February 2008, the US Air Force decided to retire the AGM-129
Variants
- AGM-129A - 520 missiles produced.
- AGM-129B - Unknown.
The US Air Force pushed for production of a AGM-129B variant for targets which the AGM-129A was considered ineffective. The US Air Force submitted this requirement in 1985 and proposed to modify 120 missiles into the AGM-129B variant. In 1991 the US Congress denied the request and the US Air Force was forced to terminate the program. In 1992, the US Air Force was directed by the US Department of Defense to restart the program an effort which was opposed by the General Accounting Office of the US Congress. Confusion exists as to precisely how this weapon is different from the original. Gibson states that it is an AGM-129A "modified with structural and software changes and an alternate nuclear warhead for accomplishing a classified cruise missile mission." However, Ozu states the AGM-129B was intended to be a non-nuclear version of the ACM, much as the nuclear AGM-86B led to the conventional AGM-86C. Some reports claim that the AGM-129B was actually produced, others that it was cancelled before production began.
Operators
Survivors
- AGM-129A located in the National Museum of the United States Air Force, Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, Dayton,Ohio
References
- Alleged violations of the Antideficiency Act in the Air Force’s procurement of advanced cruise missiles.FILE B-255831, Office of the General Counsel, United States General Accounting Office.
- Nuclear Weapons of the United States, James N. Gibson, Schiffer Publishing Ltd, Atglen, Pennsylvania, 2000 ISBN 0-7643-0063-6
- Missile 2000 - Reference Guide to World Missile Systems, Hajime Ozu, Shinkigensha, Tokyo, 2000 (Japanese)
- 2003-2004 Weapons File, United States Air Force, Eglin Air Force Base, 2003 [1]
- Sandia Engineers test cruise missile to qualify W80-3 in electromagnetic environments", Sandia Lab News", April 14, 2006.
- ACC releases Advanced Cruise Missile accident investigation report, Air Force News Service, July 10, 1998.
- AGM-129A Description Board", National Museum of the Air Force, Aug 18, 2007.
- The USAF and the Cruise Missile, Technology and the Air Force A Retrospective Assessment, Air Force History and Museums Program, 1997
External links
