US to create new cruise missile capable of carrying nuclear charge

Baku. 24 August. REPORT.AZ/ The US Air Force signed $ 1.8 billion two contracts with Lockheed Martin and Raytheon to develop new cruise missiles.

Report informs citing the Interfax.

New cruise missiles capable of carrying a nuclear charge will be developed specifically for long-range bombers.

Each of the companies will receive 900 mln USD and for the theoretical development they have 4.5 years.

After that, the authorities will select a contractor from Lockheed Martin and Raytheon, who will manufacture a thousand such missiles, and not all of them will be equipped with nuclear weapons. It is planned to spend about $ 10 billion for this batch.

The new missiles expected to be introduced by 2030.

It is assumed that they will replace the AGM-86B missiles currently in use, which were produced in the early 1980s.