Washington, — The U.S. Naval Air Systems Command (NAVAIR) plans to integrate the AGM-158C Long-Range Anti-Ship Missile (LRASM) onto the U.S. Air Force’s B-52H Stratofortress strategic bombers, expanding their long-range maritime strike capabilities.
According to a presolicitation notice issued on October 7, NAVAIR intends to award a sole-source contract to Lockheed Martin Missiles and Fire Control under an existing basic ordering agreement. The proposed Cost Plus Fixed Fee delivery order will cover missile software updates, integration testing, test asset repairs and failure review boards. The response deadline is October 22, 2026.
B-52H to Gain Long-Range Anti-Ship Capability
The B-52H can already carry up to 20 AGM-158 Joint Air-to-Surface Standoff Missiles (JASSM), the land-attack missile from which LRASM was developed. The two weapons share similar dimensions and hardware characteristics, providing a basis for integration, although software updates and testing will still be required.
Naval News first reported the possibility of integrating LRASM onto the B-52 in 2019, but the effort did not advance for several years. Lockheed Martin is the intended contractor because it designed, developed and manufactures the missile and holds the technical data required for integration.
The subsonic, stealth-oriented LRASM is designed to attack surface vessels, including moving ships, from long distances. Its integration would give the B-52H another option for maritime strike missions, particularly in the Indo-Pacific, where the United States is preparing for potential contingencies involving China’s expanding naval fleet.
Retired U.S. Air Force Col. Mark Gunzinger, a former B-52 pilot and director of future concepts and capability assessments at the Mitchell Institute for Aerospace Studies, said a small number of B-52s could deliver more weapons against maritime targets over longer ranges than Navy carrier-based aircraft could in a day. Operating from airbases farther from contested areas could also reduce the need to expose aircraft carriers to hostile threats.
B-2 Has Already Employed LRASM
In June 2026, a B-2A Spirit stealth bomber used an LRASM against the decommissioned Austin-class amphibious transport ship USS Juneau (LPD-10) during Exercise Valiant Shield in the Philippine Sea, north of the Mariana Islands. The event marked the first public acknowledgment by the U.S. military of the B-2’s use of the missile.
The development follows earlier LRASM milestones. DARPA and the U.S. Navy launched the programme in 2009. In 2012, DARPA cancelled the supersonic LRASM-B concept and focused on the subsonic LRASM-A, based on the JASSM-ER. Lockheed Martin conducted the first successful air-launch flight test from a B-1B in 2013, and the Pentagon designated the weapon AGM-158C in 2015.
Low-rate production began under a 2017 contract. The Air Force achieved Early Operational Capability on the B-1B in 2018, followed by the Navy on the F/A-18E/F Super Hornet in 2019. The Navy completed four-missile salvo testing and began F-35C flight testing in 2024, with initial testing expanding to the F-35B in 2025.
Missile Production and New JASSM-FLEX Concept
Pentagon acquisition reports published in July 2026 stated that Lockheed Martin had delivered 5,348 JASSMs to the Navy and Air Force as of April. Production capacity was approximately 600 missiles annually, with plans to increase it to 860 per year. Lockheed Martin plans to invest $8 million to $9 million through 2030 to expand production, while the Air Force allocated $200 million in fiscal year 2025 to develop a second-source engine for LRASM and JASSM-ER.
A Center for a New American Security report estimated that the Air Force used approximately one-quarter of its JASSM inventory during Operation Epic Fury, highlighting the need to replenish stocks.
In September 2026, Lockheed Martin unveiled the AGM-158 JASSM-FLEX concept at the Air, Space & Cyber conference. Its modular design features interchangeable nose sections and boat tails, allowing payloads, sensors and launch configurations to be changed for different missions, including land attack and anti-ship operations.
Lockheed Martin spokesperson Scott Swofford declined to provide specific details about the B-52 integration and referred questions to the Pentagon. He described LRASM as a precise, stealthy and survivable cruise missile offering flexible capabilities for offensive anti-surface warfare.
The October 7 notice outlines the planned integration rather than confirming that the work has been completed. If the effort proceeds, it will expand the U.S. bomber fleet’s options for long-range maritime strikes and build on the B-52H’s existing compatibility with JASSM-family weapons.
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