B-52 bombers will increase the danger with nuclear cruise missiles

The Commander of the US Strategic Command affirmed that the B-52 squadron would not be able to carry out combat missions without the modern LRSO nuclear-powered long-range cruise missile.

B-52 bomber carrying an older ALCM missile. Photo: Military.com.

"We plan to use the B-52 bomber into the 2050s as a nuclear weapons delivery platform. However, without the nuclear-capable Long Range Standoff Missile (LRSO), they will be useless for these missions," Sputnik quoted General John Hyten, commander of the US Strategic Command (STRATCOM), as saying on September 22.

Mr. Hyten affirmed that there are "millions of reasons" to consider LRSO a must-have weapon in the US nuclear deterrent triad. This type of missile is expected to replace the AGM-86B ALCM version, which the US Air Force has criticized as antiquated, difficult to maintain and unable to operate effectively.

The US military hopes the LRSO will be one of the few weapons capable of penetrating Russia’s high-tech defenses, or the dense air defense networks of China and North Korea. Washington needs nuclear weapons that match or surpass those of potential adversaries to maintain its strategic deterrent.

According to VNE