‘City-destroying' nuclear missile unveiled by US after years of secret flights – it's 10x deadlier than Hiroshima bomb
The AGM-181A Long-Range Standoff (LRSO) nuclear cruise missile can evade electronic jamming attacks and features stealth capabilities.
Advertisement
4
An artist's rendering of the AGM-181A Long-Range Standoff (LRSO) nuclear cruise missile
Credit: SWNS
4
The nukes will be used by the B-21 Raider - a sixth-gen warfighter
Credit: SWNS
It will unleash thermonuclear warheads on enemies.
Military chiefs released an artist's concept pic to give a glimpse of the AGM-181A Long-Range Standoff (LRSO) nuclear cruise missile.
It is being developed in answer to the rapid growth of China's nuclear arsenal.
America's next-generation nuclear cruise missile has a range exceeding 1,500 miles.
Advertisement
It is also expected to have an adjustable nuclear yield from five to 150 kilotons.
That's a blast ten times more powerful than the bomb dropped on Hiroshima in August 1945.
By comparison, deadly Tomahawks have a range of 1,500 miles, and the intermediate-range cruise missiles are equipped with a 1000-pound conventional warhead.
The nuclear-armed cruise missile will arm America's warfighter B-21 - part of the Air Force strategic bomber fleet - and its famous combat bomber, the B-52.
Advertisement
Most read in The US Sun
The United States has secretly been testing the new nuclear weapon for years.
Once operational in battle, it'll be hard for the enemy to spot - and destroy - thanks to its 'low-observable design' according to defense and security experts at
Watch Trump intel chief Tulsi Gabbard warn of nuclear 'annihilation' & slam 'elites with bomb shelters' in puzzling vid
And the missile's development is rapidly progressing ahead of schedule.
The AGM-181A will replace the 40-year-old AGM-86B Air-Launched Cruise Missile.
Advertisement
Air Force officials have confirmed that the nuke has already undergone a series of successful flight tests, and it is set for frontline service by 2030.
The weapon offers stealth characteristics, jet propulsion, a range exceeding 1,500 miles, and an adjustable nuclear yield from five to 150 kilotons.
4
The LRSO is set to replace the Cold War-era AGM-86B, above
Credit: SWNS
4
A B-21 Raider seen taking off at Edwards Air Force Base, California
Credit: SWNS
Advertisement
But mystery remains, as few facts have been released about the LRSO's capabilities - the program remains highly classified.
What is known - according to defense experts - is that it will be able to blast enemy targets well over 1,500 miles away.
It's also expected to have subsonic missiles - which fly at a speed lesser than that of sound.
Plus it will have the ability to navigate in any tough environment.
Advertisement
TOP SECRET
"This highly secretive nuclear cruise missile is expected to offer a low-observable design meant to limit chances of intercept.
"The LRSO's total range, top speed, and estimated radar return all remain classified," said 1945.
The artist's pic reveals a sleek, stealthy weapon designed to evade modern air defences.
The nuke's high-tech features mean it'll be perfect against electronic warfare, as it can be used when GPS jamming is carried out.
Advertisement
What are the features of the AGM-181A Long-Range Standoff (LRSO)?
An artist's rendering shows a first glimpse of the AGM-181A Long-Range Standoff (LRSO) nuclear cruise missile
What the nuke will offer the U.S. military:
An adjustable nuclear yield between 5–150 kilotons, allowing uses ranging from tactical effect to destroying cities
The ability to navigate in any environment
Subsonic missile - flies at a speed lesser than that of sound
Perfect for electronic warfare as they can be used where GPS jamming is carried out
Will feature the updated W80-4 thermonuclear warhead - a type of nuclear warhead carried on air-launched cruise missiles
Greater range than its predecessors - its stand-off range is expected to be more than (1,500 miles (2,500 km)
It's pegged to replace America's only nuclear-armed cruise missile in operation today, which has served since the start of the Cold War - and are becoming obselete.
Defense experts at
STEALTH MODE
Commenting on the first unclassified image, TWZ said the AGM-181A features an inverted tail.
It also noted, "The missile looks like it has a trapezoidal fuselage cross-section design with a wedge-like nose.
Advertisement
"We see no air inlet in the concept rendering, which could be for security reasons, considering the inlet design is often a closely guarded feature on stealthy flying machines - or it could be located on the top of the missile."
BUILT IN U.S.
The experts warned, though, that the concept pic could well be inaccurate, as "some features will be omitted or even misleading for an initial public release."
They described it as a "critical tool" for American's nuclear triad - hoped to avert a "nuclear holocaust."
It's being built by major American aerospace and defense firm Raytheon, with production slated for 1,020 units, according to 1945.
Advertisement
The nukes will be carried by both the forthcoming £585 million B-21 Raider and upgraded B-52 Stratofortress bombers.
The AGM-181s are expected to replace the AGM-86B missiles by 2030, added TWZ, quoting a
We stand here today closer to the brink of nuclear annihilation than ever before
US intelligence chief Tulsi Gabbard
The Pentagon's 2022 acquisition estimates the program will cost $16 billion for 1,020 missiles.
And unit costs are currently projected to be around $14 million.
Advertisement
"With the aging Air-Launched Cruise Missile nearing obsolescence and no other nuclear cruise missile currently in service, the AGM-181A LRSO will fill a crucial gap in US deterrence strategy."
WAR TURMOIL
Its development comes during one of the most violent periods since the end of the Second World War.
US intelligence chief Tulsi Gabbard warned on Tuesday, after a trip to
Advertisement
She posted a video of grisly footage from the world's first nuclear attack, and said, "A single nuclear weapon today could kill millions in just minutes.
'As we stand here today closer to the brink of nuclear annihilation than ever before, political elites and warmongers are carelessly fomenting fear and tensions between nuclear powers.'
These include ongoing threats from Iran, China, North Korea and Russia.
U.S. TARGETS
Iran today threatened to target U.S. military bases in the region if conflict breaks out.
Advertisement
Meanwhile, evil despot Vladimir Putin has his brutal ambitions set on invading Nato, warned Bruno Kahl, head of Berlin's Federal Intelligence Service.
And just last October, the U.S. and its allies said they were 'alarmed' by North Korea's nuclear and missile threats.
An opinion piece in
It cited Defense Secretary
Advertisement
Read more on the Irish Sun
The Hill said, 'The Chinese regime, which is mobilizing all of society for war, is now unstable. It is not clear who, if anyone, is in charge. Therefore, the regime could take us by surprise.
'Given all the turmoil in the Chinese military, America and its partners need to focus on more than just Taiwan. In fact, the main island of Taiwan might be the least likely target.'
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Irish Independent
15 hours ago
- Irish Independent
Letters: World leaders must strive to prevent repeat of Hiroshima and Nagasaki
In recent times, nuclear sites were hit in Iran by American B-52 bombers carrying bunker busters. Vladimir Putin and his associates in the Kremlin are sabre-rattling about using nuclear weapons as the war in Ukraine drags on. US president Donald Trump and his generals have moved a number of nuclear-armed submarines closer to Russia in an effort to force Putin to the negotiating table, which could happen in the coming days. We can only hope that cooler heads will prevail in the weeks ahead and that a ceasefire will be the outcome in this unfortunate war in Europe. The nuclear rhetoric of recent months must be put to bed. There are approximately 12,000 nuclear warheads across the world as we speak. One of these warheads is 2,000 times more powerful than the ones that fell on the two cities in Japan, 80 years ago this month. Many years ago, America and Russia signed a pact that neither country would use these hugely destructive weapons of war in any conflict. That agreement runs out in a matter of months. Surely the time has come that all nations with nuclear weapons should assemble – led by the US, Russia, China, India, France, the UK and others – to put a new agreement in place in the immediate future. This would guarantee the safety of our beautiful planet for many years to come, and stave off World War III, and the end of life on earth as we know it. Tom Towey, Cloonacool, Co Sligo Leaders like Netanyahu and Trump fail to value the magnificence of life Betty Purcell's reasonable humanitarian questions ('War in Gaza will produce big questions that require proper answers from West', Irish Independent, Letters, August 8) should rock irresponsible politicians of the world to the core. Excuse after excuse has accompanied a deafening silence in defence of the innocent victims of Gaza. One of those excuses is that we can ill afford to offend Israeli prime minister Benjamin Nethanyahu or Donald Trump. The greatest reason for the inaction from global leaders, and the continuing carnage in Gaza, is lack of personal reflection on the magnificent gift of life, or, that there is a personal responsibility to mankind that comes with power. Greek philosophers of old argued over what continued to exist upon the body's death: the soul or the intellect? If the latter, there is complete and utter accountability for one's actions in life. Declan Foley, Melbourne, Australia 'Creative experts' charged Irish taxpayers €4,500 for tautology in children's hospital name Apparently it cost €4,500 for the Department of Health to get 'creative experts' to suggest names for the new National Children's Hospital. So, on the naming of the new National Children's Hospital, Health Minister Jennifer Carroll MacNeill is quoted as saying: 'When a parent is getting off a train and getting a taxi for their child's appointment they'll be able to say, 'Take me to the National Children's Hospital Ireland' and there will be no doubt about where they're going.' With both National and Ireland in that moniker, I wonder how confused would they be if they dropped Ireland from this mouthful – and radical as it seems – continue to call it the National Children's Hospital? And, I could be misinformed, but I don't think there are two such children's hospitals in Ireland. Perhaps they've secretly built another hospital and that might go some way to explaining the final cost – with one called the 'National', the other 'Ireland's'. Due to the straitened finances in both the national and Irish coffers I'm willing to forgo my €4,500 for that creative opinion. Tomás Finn, Ballinasloe, Co Galway Catholic education started earlier in Ireland, and yes, O'Connell was pivotal to it Permit me to add a correction and small addition to part of the letter in the Irish Independent ('In honouring 'Liberator', let us reflect on what he did for this country', August 6). The relevant part reads: 'Catholic emancipation in 1829 ended many of the restrictions on Irish Catholics under British penal laws. Irish Catholics could now receive an education.' This is not quite correct with regard to Catholic education. The Jesuit Fathers' Clongowes Wood College in Co Kildare was founded in 1814 and, yes, I understand that Daniel O'Connell helped in the establishment of this college. Micheál O'Cathail, Dún Laoghaire, Co Dublin GAA's children's activity day at Croker wouldn't happen over in Wembley The GAA occasionally comes in for criticism – whether over the naming of its grounds or clubs, or its stance on issues like the wearing of skorts – but credit where it's due: I have to commend the association for the Under-12 activity day it recently promoted in Croke Park. Members of my own club, Tullysaran O'Connell's, were lucky enough to attend, and I have a friend who is the proud mother of a young lad who got to hurl on the hallowed turf just days after the All-Ireland final. I genuinely can't imagine that happening in any other sporting code, and I've certainly never heard of anything like it taking place in Wembley Stadium. Although, interestingly enough, I do know that the very first ball ever kicked on the newly built Wembley was an O'Neills football. A friend of mine from Donegal, along with a colleague of his from Roscommon – both working on the construction site at the time – took the opportunity to christen the pitch in proper Irish fashion. It's little moments like these that remind us how deep-rooted and far-reaching the GAA's influence really is. Enda Cullen, Tullysaran Road, Armagh There have been a few 'curiosities' in our Dáil zoo – even at cabinet level John Fitzgerald writes eloquently in relation to the demise of many species in Ireland crucial to our biodiversity, (Irish Independent, Letters, August 8). His Victorian reference in relation to the Dead Zoo as 'a cabinet of curiosities' got me thinking – it describes many governments we have had over the years quite well. Stephen O'Hara, Carrowmore, Co Sligo
Irish Independent
3 days ago
- Irish Independent
Hiroshima marks 80th anniversary of atomic bombing in Japan
A minute's silence was held while a peace bell rang at 8.15am local time, to mark when a US B-29 dropped the bomb on the city. Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba, the city's mayor and other officials laid flowers at the cenotaph. Dozens of white doves - a symbol of peace - were released after the mayor's speech.
Irish Examiner
4 days ago
- Irish Examiner
Hiroshima survivors mark 80 years since atomic bomb devastated city
Residents of Hiroshima have marked the 80th anniversary of the US atomic bombing of the Japanese city, with many ageing survivors expressing frustration about the growing support of global leaders for nuclear weapons as a deterrence. With the number of survivors rapidly declining and their average age exceeding 86, the anniversary is considered the last milestone event for many of them. 'There will be nobody left to pass on this sad and painful experience in 10 years or 20 years,' Minoru Suzuto, a 94-year-old survivor, said after he kneeled down to pray at the cenotaph. 'That's why I want to share (my story) as much as I can.' The bombing of Hiroshima on August 6 1945, destroyed the city and killed 140,000 people. A second bomb dropped three days later on Nagasaki killed 70,000. Japan surrendered on August 15, ending the Second World War and Japan's nearly half-century of aggression in Asia. Mayor of Hiroshima City Kazumi Matsui delivers a speech (Louise Delmotte/AP) Hiroshima mayor Kazumi Matsui warned against a growing acceptance of military build-ups and of using nuclear weapons for national security amid Russia's war in Ukraine and conflicts in the Middle East, with the United States and Russia possessing most of the world's nuclear warheads. 'These developments flagrantly disregard the lessons the international community should have learned from the tragedies of history,' he said. 'They threaten to topple the peace-building frameworks so many have worked so hard to construct.' He urged younger generations to recognise that such 'misguided policies' could cause 'utterly inhumane' consequences for their future. 'We don't have much time left, while we face a greater nuclear threat than ever,' said Nihon Hidankyo, a Japanese grassroots organisation of survivors that won the Nobel Peace Prize last year for its pursuit of nuclear abolition. 'Our biggest challenge now is to change, even just a little, nuclear weapons states that give us the cold shoulder,' the organisation said in its statement. About 55,000 people, including representatives from a record 120 countries and regions, including Russia and Belarus, were expected to attend the ceremony. A minute of silence was held while a peace bell rang out at 8.15am local time, the time when a US B-29 dropped the bomb on the city. Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba, the city's mayor and other officials laid flowers at the cenotaph. Dozens of white doves, a symbol of peace, were released after the mayor's speech. Hours before the official ceremony, as the sun rose over Hiroshima, survivors and their families started paying tribute to the victims at the Peace Memorial Park, near the centre of the nuclear blast 80 years ago. Kazuo Miyoshi, a 74-year-old retiree, came to honour his grandfather and two cousins who died in the bombing and prayed that the 'mistake' will never be repeated. 'We do not need nuclear weapons,' Mr Miyoshi said. Hundreds of people went to the Hiroshima Peace Memorial Park (Kyodo News via AP) 'There is hope,' UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres said in a statement read by Izumi Nakamitsu, under-secretary-general and high representative for disarmament affairs, noting Nihon Hidankyo's Nobel Peace Prize and countries' re-commitment to a nuclear free world in 'the Pact for the Future' adopted last year. Mr Guterres stressed the importance of carrying forward the survivors' testimony and message of peace and added: 'Remembering the past is about protecting and building peace today and in the future.' Outside the park under high security, more than 200 protesters gathered, holding posters and flags carrying messages such as 'No Nuke, Stop War' and 'Free Gaza! No more genocide' while chanting slogans. Local police said two people were arrested in separate cases near Hiroshima's iconic Atomic Bomb Dome, each on suspicion of assaulting a security guard. Wednesday's anniversary comes at a time when possession of nuclear weapons for deterrence is increasingly supported by the international community, including Japan. Some survivors said they were disappointed by President Donald Trump's recent remark justifying Washington's attack on Iran in June by comparing it to the atomic bombing of Hiroshima and Nagasaki, and the mild response from the Japanese government. 'It's ridiculous,' said Kosei Mito, a 79-year-old former high school teacher who was exposed to radiation while he was still in his mother's womb. 'I don't think we can get rid of nuclear weapons as long as it was justified by the assailant.'
