The B-52H Stratofortress is continuous the combination exams with the AGM-181 Lengthy Vary Stand Off (LRSO) missile, the Air Power’s next-gen stealth nuclear cruise missile.
The U.S. Air Power is progressing with the integrations exams of the AGM-181 Lengthy Vary Stand Off (LRSO) missile, the service’s next-gen stealth nuclear cruise missile, on the B-52H Stratofortress bomber. The plane was noticed in flight over California with two inert LRSOs below its wings by aviation photographer Jarod Hamilton.
Curiously, Jarod additionally captured the bomber whereas flying behind one in all Edwards Air Power Base’s NKC-135R Stratotankers, identifiable by its white and grey livery, which assist the bottom’s take a look at applications. Making this much more attention-grabbing, the third plane within the formation seems to be the F-22 which was just lately noticed in flight with the brand new stealthy Low Drag Tank and Pylon (LDTP) and stealthy pods for extra gear.
“Solely at Edwards, might you discover a formation like this” pic.twitter.com/cc2X09yXJJ
— jmh.creates (@JarodMHamilton) March 21, 2026
The bomber is now being routinely noticed through the testing of the brand new weapon, suggesting that the hassle could also be ramping up. The service is anticipated to take a choice for the low-rate preliminary manufacturing of LRSO by Fiscal 12 months 2027.
Notably, the weapon was solely first unveiled final 12 months, when in June the Air Power launched the primary official rendering of the AGM-181. This was adopted by the primary images of the weapons captured in flight by Californian spotters in November.
Right here’s TORCH92 with some good jewellery. pic.twitter.com/YUBt4iWAJR
— jmh.creates (@JarodMHamilton) March 21, 2026
Each in November and now, the B-52 used for the exams was flying with the TORCH callsign, utilized by Edwards Air Power Base’s 419th Flight Check Squadron. The squadron is liable for the developmental take a look at for the B-1B Lancer, B-2A Spirit, and B-52H Stratofortress bombers.
Additionally equally to earlier events, the weapons are put in on a A number of Ejector Rack (MER), which may maintain as much as six weapons. The MER is utilized by the B-52H to hold a number of varieties of ordinance, and never solely the AGM-181.
As we noticed in our earlier protection of the AGM-181’s sightings, when extremely categorized belongings like this are seen in plain daylight, it’s typically not by coincidence. The truth that the weapon was flown at low altitude in clear situations might point out that the U.S. Air Power needed it to be seen.
The AGM-181 LRSO
The AGM-181 Lengthy Vary Standoff (LRSO) Cruise Missile is an extended vary survivable standoff weapon able to delivering deadly nuclear results on strategic targets, which is able to change the getting older AGM-86 Air Launched Cruise Missile (ALCM). The LRSO might be built-in on each the B-52 Stratofortress and B-21 Raider bomber plane.
The LRSO weapon system might be able to penetrating and surviving superior Built-in Air Protection Techniques (IADS) from vital standoff ranges to prosecute strategic targets in assist of the Air Power’s international assault functionality and strategic deterrence core perform.
The LRSO is a precedence for the Air Power because the U.S. is working to modernize its nuclear triad, and has been outlined as a crucial functionality for the B-21 Raider. The brand new stealth bomber is about to be outfitted with three nuclear weapons: the AGM-181 LRSO cruise missile and the B61-12 and B61-13 bombs, with the latter used completely by the Raider.
The B-21 Raider conducts refueling exams over California pic.twitter.com/xrjf62KKjv
— jmh.creates (@JarodMHamilton) March 19, 2026
In 2020, the Air Power chosen Raytheon because the prime contractor for this system and, a 12 months later, LRSO entered Engineering, Manufacturing, and Growth (EMD). In 2022, it was revealed that LRSO performed 9 profitable main flight exams demonstrating its capacity to securely separate from the B-52H plane, in addition to weapon flight floor deployment, engine operations, flight management actuations and managed flight.
Initially, the Air Power and Congress have additionally been discussing potential acquisition of conventionally armed variants of the missile. Nonetheless, it was later resolve to not pursue a standard warhead model of the LRSO, with the Air Power now trying to the AGM-158B JASSM-ER (Joint Air-to-Floor Standoff Missile-Prolonged Vary) and the AGM-158D JASSM-XR (JASSM-Excessive Vary) to fill the requirement for a standard air-launched cruise missile.
The Air Power talked about in its reality sheets {that a} whole of 1,715 of AGM-86B missiles had been produced, though in 2007 the service introduced the choice to scale back the stock to 528 missiles. The weapons are set to be retired by 2030, changed by approximatively 1,020 AGM-181s, based on The Struggle Zone, quoting a Pentagon acquisition report.
In late 2022, this system’s whole price was estimated in about $16 billion, with the newest estimates mentioning a price per unit of about $14 million, as a substitute of the anticipated $10 million, as reported in 2024 by Air and House Forces Journal. A low-rate preliminary manufacturing resolution is anticipated in fiscal 12 months 2027.
Thanks to Jarod Hamilton for permitting us to make use of his unbelievable photographs, you’ll find extra of his work on X/Twitter and Instagram.
