Long Range Standoff Weapon

The Long Range Stand-Off Weapon (LRSO) program, managed by the U.S. Air Force under Program Element 0604932F, is a major research, development, test, and evaluation (RDT&E) effort focused on developing a survivable, long-range nuclear cruise missile. The LRSO is intended to replace the aging Air Launched Cruise Missile (ALCM) and will be integrated onto both legacy and future bomber platforms. The primary goal of the LRSO program is to ensure the United States maintains a credible strategic deterrent capability by providing a weapon system capable of penetrating advanced Integrated Air Defense Systems (IADS) and delivering nuclear effects on strategic targets from significant stand-off distances.

Long Range Stand-Off Weapon Development activities are centered on the Engineering and Manufacturing Development (EMD) phase, which includes the design, integration, and testing of the missile, payload, and associated aircraft systems. Specific objectives for upcoming fiscal years include reliability growth, manufacturability and maintainability maturation, systems engineering for reliability and manufacturing, and extensive test activities such as envelope testing and flight tests. The program also focuses on production readiness reviews, nuclear hardness testing, logistics support system development, and the use of Model Based System Engineering tools to enhance supply chain management and technical baseline ownership throughout the program life cycle.

All-Up-Round activities involve payload and platform integration, weapon design compatibility, and nuclear certification with both threshold and objective aircraft. These efforts require close collaboration with the Department of Energy (DOE) and the National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA) to ensure seamless integration of the DOE-designed warhead into the missile system. Objectives include conducting safety studies, nuclear certification, aircraft integration, and joint ground and flight activities to verify missile-warhead interface and system performance. The program also aims to meet nuclear surety, cybersecurity, and nuclear safety requirements through a unified certification strategy.

Test Support is a critical component of the LRSO program, providing the necessary resources and coordination for ground and flight test activities. The program will continue to arrange and fund government flight test support, conduct ground test phasing (including engine cell, static eject, and climatic lab upgrades), and perform design validation, verification, and nuclear certification activities. Test planning and execution will support weapon development, technical integration, warhead integration, and aircraft integration, with increased efforts planned to support expanded testing and reliability assessment.

The LRSO program's acquisition strategy emphasizes competitive selection and phased development to manage risk and ensure technical maturity. After a successful Milestone A decision, two prime contractors were competitively selected for the Technology Maturation and Risk Reduction (TMRR) phase. The program transitioned to a sole source contractor for the EMD phase, with Milestone B approval and contract award following. This strategy supports robust reliability and manufacturing approaches, integration with the nuclear warhead, and comprehensive test and evaluation activities.

Funding for the LRSO program supports a range of activities, including weapon development, aircraft integration planning, All-Up-Round activities, test support, and program management administration. Adjustments in recent years reflect congressional reductions, transfers, and increases to address advisory services and ASIC redesign. The program also allocates resources to address supply chain issues and diminishing manufacturing sources, ensuring the continuity of development and readiness for production.