AGM-129A Advanced Cruise Missile

Full Specifications

The AGM-129A Advanced Cruise Missile represents a pinnacle of late Cold War-era U.S. strategic deterrence technology. Developed as a low-observable, air-launched standoff weapon, it was designed to penetrate sophisticated air defenses and deliver precise strikes against high-value, heavily defended targets. With its stealth features and extended range, the missile enhanced the survivability of U.S. strategic bombers by allowing attacks from well outside enemy radar coverage.

Manufacturer:

Originally developed by General Dynamics (Convair division), with production and later support handled by Raytheon Missile Systems (now part of RTX).

Speed and Range:

The AGM-129A is subsonic, cruising at high subsonic speeds (approximately 500 mph or Mach ~0.8). Its operational range exceeds 2,000 miles (over 3,200 km, with some sources indicating up to ~2,300 statute miles or more depending on profile), significantly surpassing earlier cruise missiles like the AGM-86B.

Cost/Price: Unit costs were high due to advanced stealth features, limited production, and sustainment challenges—estimated at around $4–7 million per missile in 1990s dollars (equivalent to roughly $10–15 million adjusted for inflation today), though exact figures varied with procurement cuts.

AGM-129A Advanced Cruise Missile

The AGM-129A Advanced Cruise Missile (ACM) emerged during the 1980s as a response to evolving Soviet air defense networks. Intended primarily for nuclear deterrence, it provided the U.S. Air Force with a highly survivable, long-range option for strategic bombers.

The missile’s primary purpose was to serve as a stealthy, standoff nuclear delivery system, complementing and eventually superseding aspects of the AGM-86 ALCM family. Key capabilities include low radar cross-section achieved through careful shaping (including forward-swept wings), radar-absorbent materials, and buried engine inlet/exhaust design. Navigation relies on an inertial system augmented by terrain contour matching (TERCOM) and laser Doppler velocimeter updates for exceptional accuracy.

Powered by a Williams International F112-WR-100 turbofan engine (thrust >700 lbs), it achieves efficient long-endurance flight. The warhead is the W80-1 variable-yield thermonuclear device (selectable 5–150 kt), enabling flexible response options against hardened or dispersed targets.

The AGM-129A entered service in 1990 and was deployed exclusively on the B-52H Stratofortress (up to 12–20 missiles per aircraft externally or in the bay). Production totaled around 460 units after initial plans for 1,500 were scaled back post-Cold War. It saw no combat use but contributed to U.S. nuclear posture until retirement in 2012 due to high maintenance costs, arms control considerations (e.g., START treaty impacts), and prioritization of the remaining AGM-86B inventory.

Its stealth and precision made it one of the most advanced cruise missiles of its time, though sustainment proved challenging compared to simpler predecessors.