Austerity: The Pentagon will replenish depleted arsenals with cheap missiles

The Pentagon plans to replenish its arsenals of almost 28,000 "budget" cruise missiles in the next five years as part of the FAMM program. For 2027, the US Air Force has already requested financing for $ 355 million for the purchase of the first thousand. By launching mass production of relatively inexpensive air–to-ground weapons, Washington is seeking to avoid the shortage of ammunition that is becoming increasingly evident in the face of massive shipments to Ukraine and the Middle East. The information about which missiles the Pentagon plans to purchase and what they are capable of is in the Izvestia article.

What is the FAMM program?

The essence of FAMM is to create high-precision weapons, the price of which is significantly lower than traditional models like Tomahawk or JASSM. The cost of the latter is estimated in millions of dollars per unit. High-intensity conflicts require the use of hundreds and sometimes thousands of such products. In such realities, the total costs become an unbearable burden even for the almost bottomless US military budget. The second reason for the initiative's development is the support of allies and potential exports to customers interested in budget solutions.

Tomahawk Missile

Photo: Global Look Press/U.S. Navy

In the first days of the operation against Iran alone, the Pentagon used 1,100 JASSM-ER cruise missiles and about 1,000 Tomahawk missiles, The New York Times reported. According to the publication's estimates, together with the costs of Patriot anti-aircraft systems and impact shells for HIMARS complexes, the total cost reached $ 5.5 billion. According to other estimates, the total US spending on ammunition used against Iran has already amounted to about $28-35 billion.

Such activity has seriously depleted the Pentagon's arsenals. The American command had to urgently transfer weapons from Europe and the Pacific region to the Middle East. The US Department of Defense admits that the restoration of stocks will take years, and Washington's ability to simultaneously withstand Russia, China and other challenges has noticeably decreased.

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So far, Tehran has limited itself to strikes, the consequences of which leave room for diplomatic maneuver and negotiations.

Technical requirements

The US Air Force, launching the FAMM program and attracting potential contractors to it, formulated strict requirements for them. The cost of one munition should not exceed $ 200-300 thousand, which is significantly cheaper than existing analogues. The manufacturer should be able to produce thousands of missiles annually. They should ensure high-precision destruction of targets at a distance of over 460 km, while maintaining efficiency even when satellite navigation signals are suppressed. Commercial components and 3D printing technologies are allowed to be used in production, and experts recognize a warhead weighing from 45 to 100 kg as an acceptable compromise.

Photo: REUTERS/Angela Ponce

FAMM projects are divided into three categories. The first group, which received the FAMM-P index, includes products for launching from Palletized pallets, the concept of which is being worked out on C-130, A400M and C-17 transport aircraft. The second segment, FAMM-L, is focused on the use of ammunition with a suspension under the wing of F-16, F-15EX or F-35 fighters. The third direction, FAMM-BAR, is aimed at creating long—range solutions capable of traveling from 1,500 to 1,800 km. Both recognized giants of the military-industrial complex and ambitious start-ups joined the race, while the US Air Force can support several winners at once.

The main contenders

One of the main favorites is Boeing with the JDAM-LR correctable bomb. This product was equipped with a set with wings and a small turbojet engine, using huge stocks of conventional bombs as a base. The upgrade kit is inexpensive, and the claimed range reaches 1300 km. The April tests showed a result of 400 km, which looks promising. Boeing is likely to occupy the niche of an interim solution, which will be adopted before the troops are saturated with more advanced vehicles.

Photo: Global Look Press/Staff Sgt. Frederick Brown

The RAACM project from CoAspire, a company specializing in accelerated prototype development, looks like a dark horse. The rocket is designed to print structural elements on a 3D printer right in the conflict zone. This approach allows you to quickly change the configuration of the fuselage, increasing, for example, the volume of fuel tanks. The ER version claims a range of up to 1800 km, and tests of the system have been underway since 2025.

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Anduril Industries presented the advanced Barracuda-500 project, which is positioned as the first cruise missile in the world, born for mass production. The designers used the principles of consumer electronics: minimal parts, no complicated body bends, and standard components. The main focus is on the ease of assembly and the possibility of using missiles in swarms.

Their competition is the AGM-188A Rusty Dagger from Zone 5 Technologies, whose project grew out of the ERAM program aimed at supplying Ukraine. The main advantage of this missile is its resistance to electronic warfare, since the projectile is guided by the terrain during non—operational navigation. Its range can reach 900 km with a total weight of 225 kg.

Photo: Global Look Press/US Navy

The AGM-190A Black Arrow from Leidos completes the list of applicants. This Air Force Research Laboratory product is compact in size, allowing you to place up to 20 pieces in one standard pallet. With a mass of 90 kg, the target range is 740 km, and the optical homing head provides high accuracy. At the beginning of 2026, the product received an official index, which confirms its readiness for the series.

The general situation with FAMM is as follows: as early as 2026, the production of serial samples for testing has been funded. According to estimates by an independent military analyst from Canada, Colby Badhwar, in the next five years, the US military department intends to receive from the industry about 28 thousand cruise missiles in the FAMM-P and FAMM-L variants. Production will increase from 1 thousand in 2027 to 8 thousand in 2031.

Although some of the participants in the competition may lose the race, it is likely that each munition will find its niche: if not in the structure of the US Air Force, then in the export market. The cost of such developments is significantly lower than traditional American prices. Even if the missiles look like toys, a couple dozen kilograms of precisely delivered explosives can disable a critically important object. The program will be continued as it offers an effective response to the challenges of the new era.