Paul Lewis/WASHINGTON DC
The US Air Force is seeking emergency funding to modify 230 more nuclear-tipped Boeing AGM-86Bs to conventional air-launched cruise missiles (CALCMs), while accelerating delivery of 92 conversions already approved.
The bid is part of a move to stem the impending cruise missile shortage faced by NATO forces in the former Republic of Yugoslavia. The UK Royal Navy is also requesting faster deliveries of Raytheon BGM-109 Tomahawk submarine-launched cruise missiles.
The NATO air strikes are depleting the USAF's remaining inventory of AGM-86Cs. USAF Boeing B-52H missions from the UK are believed to have consumed around one third of the 150 CALCMs in stock on the eve of the conflict.
The White House has already approved the transfer from other programmes of $51.1 million to convert 92 more nuclear air-launched cruise missiles (ALCMs) to CALCMs to replace those expended during December's Desert Fox campaign against Iraq. To restart the conversion line would normally take a year, but the Department of Defense (DoD) is looking to advance initial deliveries to November at a planned rate of 12 missiles a month.
DoD officials also seek emergency funding to convert another 230 ALCMs, while studying the possibility of restarting production of new missiles. Boeing had built a total of 1,715 AGM-86Bs by 1986, of which slightly more than 300 were converted to AGM-86Cs in three batches by 1997.
Modifications to the current Block 1 standard AGM-86C include replacing the ALCM's nuclear warhead with a conventional 1,360kg (3,000lb) blast payload and fitting a global positioning system to the existing inertial navigation system, in place of the -86B's less accurate terrain contour-matching guidance.
The UK nuclear submarine HMS Splendid has also fired an undisclosed number of Tomahawks in the Balkans conflict and is asking Raytheon to accelerate production of the 65 Block 3 standard missiles it ordered. RN deliveries are running at two a month.
US Navy BGM-109 reserves are less critical, with 2,200 conventionally armed Block 2 and 3 Tomahawks land attack missiles. "We're looking at a number of things to replenish the inventory. One option is to convert Block 2D missiles with bomblet dispensers to Block 3C configuration, which is a much more preferred weapon," says Rear Adm Jack Shenevey, cruise missile programme executive officer.
Source: Flight International
