America's Best Bomber Can Now Launch America's Best Anti-Ship Missile
Northrop Grumman B-2s firing AGM-158Cs are at the center of Pacific war strategy
The U.S. military’s AGM-158A/B Joint Air-to-Surface Strike Missile and its maritime-optimized cousin, the AGM-158C Long-Range Anti-Ship Missile, are the twin keys to America’s strategy for winning a war with China.
The U.S. Air Force’s heavy bombers—19 Northrop Grumman B-2As, 44 Boeing B-1Bs and 75 (76 once the service replaces a bomber that crashed recently) Boeing B-52Hs—are the keys to successfully deploying the one-ton missiles. But until recently, the Air Force had only confirmed that one type, the B-1B, could carry both the anti-ship JASSM and the land-attack LRASM.
That changed on Monday, when U.S. Global Strike Command made a surprise announcement. “The Pacific Air Forces successfully conducted a live-fire Sinking Exercise using the B-2 Spirit north of the Mariana Islands,” the command stated. “The B-2 deployed the Long Range Anti-Ship Missile, demonstrating enhanced ability to achieve strategic objectives within range of potential threats.”
“With the deployment of the LRASM from the B-2 Spirit, the Pacific Air Forces takes a major step forward in countering maritime threats.”
