Thursday, November 20, 2008

AGM-86

IOC: 1982
Total Production: 1,739
Total Program's Cost: USD$1.7 billion

AGM-86C CALCM

IOC: 1988
Unitary Cost: USD$1.2 million

Also Known As
Conventional Air Launched Cruise Missile

Origin
United States of America

Contractor/s
Boeing

Applications
B-52H Stratofortress

Family Members
AGM-86B ALCM
AGM-86D CALCM

Description: The AGM-86 is an air launched subsonic cruise missile developed to increase effectiveness of B-52 bombers during the Cold War. It entered active service in the US Air Force in 1982 and 1,739 AGM-86s were produced through September 1986. The conventional AGM-86 missile was used in combat for the first time in Operation Desert Storm in 1991. Afterward it was tested in Operation Desert Fox, Desert Strike, Allied Force, Enduring Freedom and Operation Iraqi Freedom.

The AGM-86 is the longest range conventional armed missile in the US Air Force inventory and provides the B-52 with the capability to accurately strike nearly any target in the world, without the support of bases located outside the continental United States.

The AGM-86C CALCM (Conventional Air Launched Cruise Missile) employs a GPS coupled with an Inertial Navigation System (INS) to achieve its mission. This navigation system allows the missile to guide itself with pinpoint accuracy. A single B-52H is able to carry and deliver up to 20 CALCMs. CALCMs are a modification of existing ALCMs instead of new production missiles. They have been procured under 3 batches known as Block 0, Block 1, and Block 1A and featuring different improvements, specially accuracy and warhead.

The AGM-86C is provided with a conventional blast/fragmentation warhead. The US Air Force plans to convert further ALCMs to CALCM configuration.

Specifications
Dimensions: Diameter 620 mm, Length 6.3 m, Width 3.7 m

Weights: Max Weight 1,475 kg (3,252 lb), Warhead 907 kg (2,000 lb)

Engine/s Performance: Thrust 600 lb (272 kg)

Performance: Max Range 1,100 km (594 nm), Top Speed 223 mps (Mach 0.67)

News
Boeing Delivers First Production Cruise Missile Test Instrumentation Kit

Operators

United States of America / 468

Image Gallery

Notes
(*) lead contractor
IOC: Initial Operating Capability
FOC: Full Operating Capability
CEP: Circular Error Probable
Comm: Commissioning Date
Meters (m) Kilometers (km) Nautic Miles (nm) Inch (in) Yard (yd) Foot (ft) Millimeter (mm)
Pound (lb) Kilogram (kg) kN (KiloNewton) Ton (t)
Meters per Second (mps) Kilometers per Hour (kph) Knot (kt) Miles per Hour (mph)
Liter (l) Galon (gl)
Year (yr) Minutes (min) Second (sec)
Shaft-Horse-Power (shp)

Last Updated: Saturday, October 25, 2008

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