AGM-131 SRAM II
Encyclopedia
The SRAM II was a nuclear
air-to-surface missile
intended as a replacement for the AGM-69 SRAM
, but it was cancelled by President George H.W. Bush for geopolitical reasons just as the first flight-test missile was delivered.
The mission of the SRAM family is to deliver the warhead
to the target without the need for the penetrating bomber
to directly overfly the target. The SRAM family of weapons had an extremely small radar signature and were near-impossible to counter. SRAM ensured the airborne leg of the US nuclear triad (the others being land-based ICBMs and SLBM) and was the penetrating airlaunched strategic nuclear weapon for the B-1 Lancer
and B-2 Spirit
.
In 1977, the USAF planned to develop an upgrade of the SRAM for the forthcoming B-1A bomber as AGM-69B SRAM B. When the B-1A was cancelled in 1978, the AGM-69B was dropped, too. After the resurrection of the B-1 program (as B-1B) in 1981, it was decided to develop an entirely new weapon, the SRAM II.
In 1986, Boeing
was finally awarded a development contract for the AGM-131A SRAM II. The AGM-131A was planned to have only about 2/3 the size of an AGM-69A, so that 36 missiles could be carried by the B-1B, as compared to 24 AGM-69As. The final design of the SRAM II ended up with the "II" version roughly equal to the "A" version in size and about 80% of the weight. One new feature of SRAM II was a lighter, simpler, and more reliable two-pulse solid rocket motor designed by Hercules for increased range and age stability.
The SRAM II was slated to use the newly developed W89
thermonuclear warhead, which being much newer, was also much safer to operate than the W-69 of the AGM-69. The W89 had a 200 kiloton design yield,
Initial Operational Capability for the AGM-131A was planned for 1993, but before flight tests could take place, the program was cancelled in 1991.
thermonuclear warhead and was to be carried by the F-15E.
Stated reasons were political (nuclear arms reduction in the face of a disintegrating Soviet Union
) and technical difficulties with the rocket motor.
Nuclear weapon
A nuclear weapon is an explosive device that derives its destructive force from nuclear reactions, either fission or a combination of fission and fusion. Both reactions release vast quantities of energy from relatively small amounts of matter. The first fission bomb test released the same amount...
air-to-surface missile
Air-to-surface missile
An air-to-surface missile is a missile designed to be launched from military aircraft and strike ground targets on land, at sea, or both...
intended as a replacement for the AGM-69 SRAM
AGM-69 SRAM
The Boeing AGM-69 SRAM was a nuclear air-to-surface missile designed to replace the older AGM-28 Hound Dog stand-off missile....
, but it was cancelled by President George H.W. Bush for geopolitical reasons just as the first flight-test missile was delivered.
The mission of the SRAM family is to deliver the warhead
Warhead
The term warhead refers to the explosive material and detonator that is delivered by a missile, rocket, or torpedo.- Etymology :During the early development of naval torpedoes, they could be equipped with an inert payload that was intended for use during training, test firing and exercises. This...
to the target without the need for the penetrating bomber
Bomber
A bomber is a military aircraft designed to attack ground and sea targets, by dropping bombs on them, or – in recent years – by launching cruise missiles at them.-Classifications of bombers:...
to directly overfly the target. The SRAM family of weapons had an extremely small radar signature and were near-impossible to counter. SRAM ensured the airborne leg of the US nuclear triad (the others being land-based ICBMs and SLBM) and was the penetrating airlaunched strategic nuclear weapon for the B-1 Lancer
B-1 Lancer
The Rockwell B-1 LancerThe name "Lancer" is only applied to the B-1B version, after the program was revived. is a four-engine variable-sweep wing strategic bomber used by the United States Air Force...
and B-2 Spirit
B-2 Spirit
The Northrop Grumman B-2 Spirit is an American heavy bomber with low observable stealth technology designed to penetrate dense anti-aircraft defenses and deploy both conventional and nuclear weapons. The bomber has a crew of two and can drop up to eighty -class JDAM GPS-guided bombs, or sixteen ...
.
In 1977, the USAF planned to develop an upgrade of the SRAM for the forthcoming B-1A bomber as AGM-69B SRAM B. When the B-1A was cancelled in 1978, the AGM-69B was dropped, too. After the resurrection of the B-1 program (as B-1B) in 1981, it was decided to develop an entirely new weapon, the SRAM II.
In 1986, Boeing
Boeing
The Boeing Company is an American multinational aerospace and defense corporation, founded in 1916 by William E. Boeing in Seattle, Washington. Boeing has expanded over the years, merging with McDonnell Douglas in 1997. Boeing Corporate headquarters has been in Chicago, Illinois since 2001...
was finally awarded a development contract for the AGM-131A SRAM II. The AGM-131A was planned to have only about 2/3 the size of an AGM-69A, so that 36 missiles could be carried by the B-1B, as compared to 24 AGM-69As. The final design of the SRAM II ended up with the "II" version roughly equal to the "A" version in size and about 80% of the weight. One new feature of SRAM II was a lighter, simpler, and more reliable two-pulse solid rocket motor designed by Hercules for increased range and age stability.
The SRAM II was slated to use the newly developed W89
W89
The W89 was an American thermonuclear warhead design intended for use on the AGM-131 SRAM II air to ground nuclear missile.What was to become the W89 design was awarded to the Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory in the mid-1980s. It entered Phase 2A technical definition and cost study in...
thermonuclear warhead, which being much newer, was also much safer to operate than the W-69 of the AGM-69. The W89 had a 200 kiloton design yield,
Initial Operational Capability for the AGM-131A was planned for 1993, but before flight tests could take place, the program was cancelled in 1991.
SRAM-T
The SRAM II air vehicle was also the basis for a tactical nuclear variant - the SRAM T which employed a different warhead, the W91W91
The W91 was an American thermonuclear warhead intended for use on the SRAM-T variant of the AGM-131 SRAM II air to ground missile.What was to become the W91 design entered into a Phase 2 design competition between the various nuclear weapons laboratories in November 1988...
thermonuclear warhead and was to be carried by the F-15E.
Cancellation
Both SRAM II and SRAM T were cancelled in September 1991 by President George H.W. Bush, along with the W89 and W91 warheads.Stated reasons were political (nuclear arms reduction in the face of a disintegrating Soviet Union
Soviet Union
The Soviet Union , officially the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics , was a constitutionally socialist state that existed in Eurasia between 1922 and 1991....
) and technical difficulties with the rocket motor.