US Air Force to Retire Advanced Cruise Missile
The U.S. Air Force has decided to retire the Advanced Cruise Missile, the most modern and capable nuclear cruise missile in the U.S. arsenal, according to information obtained by the Federation of American Scientists.
The decision affects approximately 400 ACMs (AGM-129A) currently deployed at Minot Air Force Base in North Dakota and Barksdale Air Force Base in Louisiana. Each missile carried a W80-1 warhead with a yield of 5-150 kilotons. The ACM is earmarked for delivery by B-52H strategic bombers.
FAS analyst Hans Kristensen noticed elimination of funding for the ACM in the Air Force’s FY2008 budget request, and a subsequent email to the Air Force confirmed the decision to retire the weapon system. The Air Force has not announced when the retirement will be completed, but it appears to be imminent.
The decision to retire the ACM is part of the reduction of strategic nuclear warheads under the 2002 SORT agreement (Moscow Treaty), which limits U.S. and Russian operationally deployed strategic nuclear warheads to a maximum of 2,200 by 2012. To meet the treaty limit, the United States has already reduced the number of nuclear warheads on sea-launched ballistic missiles and is in the middle of a download of warheads from land-based ballistic missiles. Confirmation of the ACM retirement is the first public statement about a reduction of warheads on the bomber force.
In addition to the 400 ACMs, the Air Force has an inventory of approximately 1,300 Air Launched Cruise Missiles (AGM-86B), which also carry the 80-1 warhead. The Air Launched Cruise Missile (ALCM) has just completed a life-extension program, and funding continues through 2013. It is estimated that ALCM force will be reduced by two-thirds under SORT.
The Air Force has not decided what to do with the ACM airframes, but it exploring alternative uses such as converting them to carry conventional warheads or use in missile tests.
The United States currently has total stockpile of nearly 9,900 nuclear warheads, of which roughly 4,800 are operationally deployed. Approximately 2,000 warheads are in the Responsive Force, a reserve of extra warheads available to increase the operational force if necessary. The remaining 3,000 warheads are scheduled to be dismantled.
Source: Aron Jeff, FAS.org > Federation of American Scientists
