Overview
- Naval Air Systems Command has signaled intent to negotiate a sole‑source, cost‑plus fixed‑fee deal with Lockheed Martin to integrate the AGM‑158C LRASM on the Air Force’s B‑52 fleet.
- The planned work explicitly covers missile operational software updates, flight and separation testing, test‑asset repair, and failure review boards rather than immediate fielding.
- In October 2026 the notice and related Air Force FY2027 planning moved the effort from long‑term planning into active procurement and defined specific FY2027 technical tasks.
- If successful, a B‑52 could carry a similar LRASM loadout to its JASSM capacity—reported at roughly 20 missiles—giving the bomber large standoff strike volume but still limited by the missile’s ~200‑nautical‑mile range and the B‑52’s lack of stealth.
- The integration builds on 2025–2026 LRASM live fires and allied adoption and ties to the B‑52J modernization, yet it also raises questions about missile inventories, tanker and basing needs, and the survivability of long‑range strike missions.