The US Air Force has struck a secretive deal with weapons manufacturers Lockheed Martin Corp and Raytheon to develop a new cruise missile capable of delivering nuclear payloads.
Under the contract, the two companies would receive around $900 million apiece to work on the Long Range Standoff weapon, or LRSO, over the course of a 54-month technology maturation and risk reduction phase, the USAF said Wednesday.
Due to the project’s highly confidential nature, the force refused to shed more details.
The LRSO is slated to replace the ageing AGM-86B air-launched cruise missile, commonly known as the ALCM. Despite their 10-year lifespan, the USAF says the 80s-era missiles are still safe to use.
However, the US military feels it needs more advanced weapons to use against the enemy’s modernized defenses.
“This weapon will modernize the air-based leg of the nuclear triad,” US Air Force Secretary Heather Wilson said in a statement….