(United States)

The ACM supplements the AGM-86 against better-defended targets. It has an advanced “stealth” shape to hide it from radar, and an exhaust diffuser to mask it’s IR signature. The terrain-following system substitutes a highly-advanced mapping laser for the AGM-86’s TERCOM radar, eliminating even that small ESM signature. Guidance is assisted by a GPS fix in the terminal phase. Estimated range is almost double that of the AGM-86.

Flight tests actually began in July 1985, under the highest secrecy. The weapon was not publicly unveiled until late 1990. Initially 2500 were ordered, to equip the B-1B Lancer. B-2 Spirit, and B-52H Stratofortress. After Desert Storm this was scaled back to 1460 to equip just the B-1 and B-52 force, and in 1993 production ended at only 460 missiles for B-52’s only. The B-52 carries them externally, six under each wing.

There are rumours of a “AGM-129B”; some sources state it is a bunker-busting “mini-nuke”, others that it has a conventional warhead, and still others that it was a cancelled follow-on.