Overview

• Raytheon will produce 1,020 LRSO missiles armed with the W80-4 thermonuclear warhead under a $16 billion procurement plan with $7 billion earmarked for 30 years of lifecycle support.
• The AGM-181A is designed to replace the Cold War-era AGM-86B ALCM and will be carried by B-21 Raiders and upgraded B-52 Stratofortress bombers.
• Its low-observable airframe, electronic warfare resistance and autonomous threat-avoidance systems aim to penetrate advanced air defenses and strike high-value targets from standoff distances.
• Successful flight tests conducted under secrecy demonstrate steady progress toward operational readiness despite minimal public disclosure.
• Integration with space-based sensors and command-and-control networks will provide a networked strike architecture for flexible nuclear deterrence.