{"id":141068,"date":"2026-04-29T02:22:00","date_gmt":"2026-04-28T20:52:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/aviationa2z.com\/?p=141068"},"modified":"2026-04-29T01:43:25","modified_gmt":"2026-04-28T20:13:25","slug":"usaf-seeks-affordable-missiles-launch-from-cargo-aircraft","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/aviationa2z.com\/index.php\/2026\/04\/29\/usaf-seeks-affordable-missiles-launch-from-cargo-aircraft\/","title":{"rendered":"Largest Air Force in the World Seeks Affordable Missiles Launch From Cargo Aircraft"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

WASHINGTON, D.C.-<\/strong> The United States Air Force (USAF)<\/a> has issued a Request for Information (RFI) for a new class of affordable, long-range air-to-surface missiles that cargo aircraft can launch in high-volume salvos.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The program, called Family of Affordable Mass Missiles \u2014 Beyond Adversary’s Reach (FAMM-BAR), targets production of 1,000 to 2,000 missiles per year over five years.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

FAMM-BAR focuses initially on an anti-ship variant with a minimum range of 1,000 nautical miles and a speed of at least Mach 0.7 (533 mph).<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The USAF plans to deploy these weapons from pallets loaded aboard cargo aircraft such as the Boeing C-17 Globemaster III and the Lockheed Martin<\/a> C-130 Hercules, building on the Rapid Dragon palletized munitions concept tested with the C-17A and EC-130J in recent years.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The fiscal 2027 budget requests $300 million<\/strong> in mandatory and $55 million<\/strong> in discretionary funds to purchase 1,000 FAMM missiles.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Photo: By Allied Joint Force Command Brunssum – 20151026_christian.timmig_TO_and_Landings_04, CC BY-SA 2.0, https:\/\/commons.wikimedia.org\/w\/index.php?curid=44823685<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

USAF Seeks Missile Launch from Cargo Plane<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

The USAF’s stated goal with FAMM-BAR is to streamline combat operations by developing a single, common air-to-surface munition that is affordable, adaptable, and capable of significant standoff range.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The RFI identifies the primary target set as slow-moving maritime vessels, positioning the missile as a tool for anti-surface warfare in scenarios such as a potential conflict in the Indo-Pacific region.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Five key attributes define FAMM-BAR. The missile must achieve a range of at least 1,000 nautical miles, fly at a minimum speed of Mach 0.7, support palletized delivery from cargo aircraft, receive mid-course navigation updates, and be produced at a rate exceeding 1,000 rounds per year. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

These requirements place the weapon in a similar performance class to the Raytheon BGM-109 Block V Maritime Strike Tomahawk, but at a fraction of the cost and with cargo-aircraft delivery capability.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The program also explores multi-platform compatibility. The RFI asks contractors whether their designs can support lugged mounting on fighters and bombers, with specific mention of long-range employment on fighter aircraft.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The USAF recently tested the FAMM-Lugged (FAMM-L) variant for compatibility with the General Dynamics F-16 Fighting Falcon<\/a>, using Zone 5 Technologies’ Rusty Dagger Extended Range Attack Missile (ERAM), Defense News<\/a> flagged.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Photo: Lockheed Martin<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Multi-Service Potential Across Army, Navy, and Air Force<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

FAMM-BAR extends beyond the Air Force. The RFI asks contractors to detail whether their missile design is suitable for surface-to-surface employment by the United States Army and United States Navy (USN).<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Respondents must explain how they will manage the aerodynamic and physical constraints of a weapon designed for both internal and external lug mounting on fighters and bombers, palletized deployment from cargo aircraft, and maritime operations aboard Navy ships.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Air Force, however, has clarified that this multi-service inquiry is strictly for information gathering. The RFI states that it does not represent a demand signal from other service branches, and contractors are not expected to modify their current designs to satisfy Army or Navy requirements.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Resistance to GPS jamming is another consideration highlighted in the document. As adversaries develop increasingly sophisticated electronic warfare capabilities, the USAF wants assurance that the missile can maintain navigation accuracy in GPS-denied environments.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Photo: USAF (For Illustrative purpose only)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

FAMM Program Variants and Budget Allocation<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

FAMM-BAR is the longest-range addition to a growing family of affordable cruise missiles. The existing FAMM-Palletized (FAMM-P) and FAMM-Lugged (FAMM-L) variants have shorter ranges of 250 to 500 nautical miles.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

These programs already have multiple industry participants, including Anduril with its Barracuda-500, Lockheed Martin with its Common Multi-Mission Truck (CMMT), Zone 5 Technologies with the Rusty Dagger, and CoAspire with the Rapidly Adaptable Affordable Cruise Missile (RAACM).<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The fiscal 2027 budget significantly increases missile procurement spending. The USAF’s overall missile procurement request stands at $11.36 billion, nearly triple the $3.7 billion<\/strong> allocated in fiscal 2026, with projections reaching $16 billion by fiscal 2029<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The reconciliation package known as the One Big Beautiful Bill Act separately allocated $656.3 million for 3,010 FAMM weapons<\/strong>, with an additional $355 million requested<\/strong> in the fiscal 2027 budget.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Future FAMM increments will be defined based on operational demand. Planned upgrades include Beyond Line-of-Sight (BLOS) communications, Extended Range (ER) capability, Long-Range Kill Chain (LRKC) communications, different payloads, and additional sub-systems or employment options.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Photo: Marc-Lautenbacher | Wikimedia Commons\nhttps:\/\/commons.wikimedia.org\/wiki\/File:Boeing_C-17_Globemaster_III_military_transport_aircraft.jpg<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Rapid Dragon Heritage and Cargo-Based Strike Capability<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

The FAMM-BAR concept builds on the Rapid Dragon program, which demonstrated the ability to launch cruise missiles from pallets dropped out of standard military cargo aircraft.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In a December 2021 live-fire test, a Rapid Dragon system deployed from a C-17A received target data in flight, uploaded it to a JASSM-ER missile, and successfully destroyed a naval target in the Gulf of Mexico.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Rapid Dragon system allows a single C-130<\/a> to launch up to 12 cruise missiles and a C-17 to deploy up to 45 missiles per sortie. This approach converts transport aircraft into standoff bombers without permanent modification, providing combatant commanders with a flexible strike capacity that can scale rapidly during a conflict.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

However, the AGM-158 JASSM family that Rapid Dragon was designed around costs roughly $2.5 million per missile for the JASSM-ER variant.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

FAMM weapons aim to cost approximately $218,000 per missile, making mass procurement feasible and enabling the high-volume strike capacity the Pentagon considers essential for a peer conflict.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Photo: Israel Missile Defense Organization<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Missile Stockpile Concerns and Strategic Urgency<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

The FAMM-BAR RFI arrives during a period of significant concern over U.S. missile inventory levels. The ongoing military operations in the Middle East have consumed precision weapons at rates that Pentagon officials consider unsustainable. The United States struck more than 13,000 targets in the first five weeks of Operation Epic Fury alone.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Defense analysts warn that continued expenditure of cruise missiles and precision-guided munitions in the Middle East could leave the United States with insufficient stockpiles to defend Taiwan or respond to a high-end conflict in the Indo-Pacific. Experts estimate the United States may need the capacity to strike more than 100,000 targets in a major peer conflict with China.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

This strategic reality drives the urgency behind FAMM-BAR and the broader FAMM family. An affordable, mass-produced cruise missile that cargo aircraft can deliver in large salvos would substantially increase the volume of weapons available to combatant commanders while reducing the cost burden that currently limits stockpile growth.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Photo: Repman | Goodfon<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Industry Competition Heats Up<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

The low-cost, long-range strike missile market is becoming increasingly competitive. At the Sea-Air-Space 2026 exposition near Washington, D.C<\/a>., CoAspire unveiled the RAACM-ER (Extended Range), a variant of its 3D-printed cruise missile that advertises a range exceeding 1,000 nautical miles. The original RAACM is already in production and has completed flight tests.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Other contenders include Anduril’s Barracuda-500, designed for cargo-launched palletized use; Lockheed Martin’s CMMT in both glide (CMMT-D) and powered (CMMT-X) configurations, with the CMMT-D expected to cost just $150,000; Zone 5 Technologies’ Rusty Dagger ERAM; and Global Technical Systems, which has unveiled a project for a 1,200-nautical-mile cruise missile with an anti-ship warhead.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Leidos is also developing the Black Arrow Small Cruise Missile, designated AGM-190A by the Air Force, as a low-cost palletized munition.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The RFI response deadline is April 29, 2026, after which the Air Force will evaluate industry submissions to shape the next phase of the FAMM-BAR program.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Stay tuned with us. Further, follow us on social media for the latest updates.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Join us on\u00a0Telegram Group\u00a0<\/a>for the Latest Aviation Updates. Subsequently, follow us on\u00a0Google News<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Largest Air Force in the World Eyes New Affordable Attack Missile<\/a><\/blockquote>