IAFM - Next Generation Cruise Missile (NGCM)
Much focus today is on hypersonic and ballistic, long-range munitions. However there is still a significant need for a large number of boring, subsonic cruise missiles, especially to fill VLS cells. The Tomahawk cruise missile has performed well in this role, but it's getting long in the tooth. It has three major shortcomings, It has no RCS shaping to speak of, which makes it vulnerable to enemy IADS. It doesn't have sufficient range to allow ships to operate in "safe" waters when an enemy has a extensive A2AD system and hold at risk more depth of enemy territory. It only carries a 1,000lb warhead. This limits its ability to strike hardened and deeply buried targets, as well as large infrastructure targets like bridges. (which can require 10 or more 2,000lb class warheads) To fill these gaps, I propose we build a Next Generation Cruise Missile (NGCM). The notional requirements are as follows, Fits in a Mk57 VLS cell Carries either a Mk84 or BLU...