Family of Affordable Mass Missiles (FAMM)

Grey Havoc

Grey Havoc

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The Air Force will begin procurement of Family Affordable Mass Missiles, or FAMM, a new type of cost-effective, subsonic cruise missile that can strike at long range and can be produced en masse. While the service has been fairly tight-lipped about the FAMM program so far, it is slated to get underway in fiscal 2026 alongside the development of Long Range Anti-Ship missiles and Joint Air to Surface Standoff Missiles with extended range, according to budget documents.
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Grey Havoc said:
https://www.defensenews.com/air/202...gets-seek-to-boost-weapons-cut-civilian-jobs/
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From the first link in the excerpt:

FAMM​

Another new item in the munitions portfolio is the Family of Affordable Mass Missiles, about which the Air Force did not offer any background. The program is set to include 3,010 weapons for $656.3 million, all provided by reconciliation. That translates to a per-unit cost of $218,000 per cruise missile. Anduril Industries has been promoting its “Barracuda” low-cost cruise missile, as has Lockheed Martin, which last fall rolled out its “Common Multi-Mission Truck” cruise vehicle which could carry a variety of payloads.
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It appears CoAspire RACCM was chosen for FAMM-L, for “lugged”. This will equip fighters and bombers. Another weapon will be chosen for palletized deployment (FAMM-P?) and apparently the program downselected to Zone 5 Rusty Dagger and Anduril Baracuda 500.

These are both separate from the ERAM program that is delivering both Rusty Dagger and RACCM to Ukraine.

https://aviationweek.com/defense/mi...ce-quietly-selected-low-cost-missile-december
 
exclaimedleech8 said:
A chicken in every pot and a missile in every garage
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When Lawn Darts aren't quite dangerous enough....

I can just see the 1950's commercials....with Mr. Upward Lee Mobile...his wife Trendy (warm Mecca) and their 2.5 children Millicent, John-John, and Rover.

Oops, a face-plate slipped.
 
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https://www.airandspaceforces.com/air-force-5-year-plan-12b-28000-cheap-cruise-missiles/

The Air Force wants to pump more than $12 billion over the next five years into its new affordable long-range missiles program and recently asked industry to push the flights of some of those munitions beyond 1,200 miles.

In budget documents released earlier this month, the service outlined plans to spend $12.6 billion on multiyear contracts to procure nearly 28,000 units under its Family of Affordable Mass Munitions program.
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Procurement is set to start relatively slowly for FAMM, with Air Force planners requesting $355 million for 1,000 missiles in the 2027 budget.

But the Future Years Defense Program, which projects five years out, shows dramatic increases coming:

  • 2028: $1.85 billion for 5,300 missiles
  • 2029: $2.3 billion for 5,920 missiles
  • 2030: $4.03 billion for 7,700 missiles
  • 2031: $4.13 billion for 7,990 missiles
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An April 20 notice from the the Air Force Life Cycle Management Center seeks information from industry on an affordable cruise missile capable of traveling more than 1,200 miles to hit slow-moving ships, dubbed FAMM-Beyond Adversary Reach.

The center is interested in a weapon that can fly at least 537 mph and receive midcourse navigation updates, according to the notice. Contractors would need to produce 1,000 to 2,000 missiles annually.
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10,000 Low-Cost Cruise Missiles In Three Years Procurement Plan Laid Out By Pentagon (Updated)​

https://www.twz.com/sea/10000-low-c...e-years-procurement-plan-laid-out-by-pentagon

New Pentagon Missile Program Could Pair with Air Force’s Affordable Munitions Push​

https://www.airandspaceforces.com/pentagon-missile-program-air-force-affordable-munitions/
All four companies selected for LCCM already have cruise missiles in development:

Leidos: “Black Arrow,” designated AGM-190A by the Air Force
CoAspire: “GHOST” or Rapidly Adaptable Affordable Cruise Missile-Extended Range, RAACM-ER
Anduril: “Barracuda”
Zone 5: “Rusty Dagger”
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fightingirish said:
The Air Force Special Operations Command has officially named the Leidos AGM-190A low-cost cruise missile "Havoc Spear".
Link:
https://www.afsoc.af.mil/News/Artic...oduces-havoc-spear-its-newest-cruise-missile/
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More on that:

https://www.defenceconnect.com.au/a...gnates-new-long-range-cruise-missile-agm-190a
According to the company, the AGM-190A is a 200-pound-class cruise missile designed to deliver precision effects at long range while remaining significantly cheaper and more flexible than traditional cruise missile systems.

During recent flight tests conducted from a Lockheed Martin C-130 Hercules transport aircraft, the AGM-190A demonstrated a stand-off range exceeding 400 nautical miles (approximately 740 kilometres). The tests highlight the missile’s ability to be launched from aircraft that are not traditionally used as strike platforms, expanding the number of assets capable of delivering precision attacks.
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A key feature of the AGM-190A is its modular architecture, which allows the missile’s hardware and software to be adapted quickly for different mission requirements.
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Also related:
https://www.secretprojects.co.uk/threads/lockheed-ac-130.42452/post-910726
 
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If you read the above document, a number details pop out about the missiles themselves. The companies and their products are obscured for some reason in the PowerPoint that the post uses, but it is evident they are referring to the ETV program in one slide and ERAM in another. The Four ETV down selects that flew are easily discernible by their characteristics:

The first is carbon fiber, which is Zone5s rusty dagger. From here we learn its 500# and uses a PBS engine, a Czech company I was not previously aware of. The ERAM slide also refers to this weapon, and from that we learn it uses a radar altimeter for terrain following and also uses stored terrain maps to fix its location, a kinda of TERCOM. Unclear if that RF sensor plays a role in terminal guidance but I would think it would not be hard to pick out a highly reflective metal vehicle against a less reflective background.

The second uses an Anduril V100/125 engine, which makes it clearly Andurils Barracuda 500. Interesting traits: composite glass construction with aluminum, and also 500#. I had assumed this was all aluminum stamping.

The next is aluminum and 300#, and we see this weight corresponds with the ERAM slide which adds the detail of 3D printed aluminum, so it is CoAspire RAACM. The ERAM slide indicates its optical sensor confirms its location as a check against GPS - unclear if this is functioning as DSMAC or just using target recognition for terminal guidance to adjust for any navigation errors. Engine is jet at 550.

The last is just 200# and only has a 50# warhead, so it is clearly the Leidos black arrow/Havoc Spear.
 
Josh_TN said:
it uses a radar altimeter for terrain following and also uses stored terrain maps to fix its location, a kinda of TERCOM. Unclear if that RF sensor plays a role in terminal guidance but I would think it would not be hard to pick out a highly reflective metal vehicle against a less reflective background.
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There's a big difference between a radar altimeter and MMW radar.
 
DWG said:
There's a big difference between a radar altimeter and MMW radar.
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My thought was that whatever frequency range the RF sensor uses, a vehicle target would still have the highest reflectivity against most backgrounds. So not a MMW image quality target view that allowed for identification but just a bright spot that provided directionality. But the ERAM requirement was only a <10m CEP in a GPS denied environment, so radar mapping against a database of precise information should provide that without any terminal homing. The photo of the AGM-188 test seemed to have it directly hitting the target, which made me think maybe the RF sensor had some role to play in end game.
 
Josh_TN said:
My thought was that whatever frequency range the RF sensor uses, a vehicle target would still have the highest reflectivity against most backgrounds. So not a MMW image quality target view that allowed for identification but just a bright spot that provided directionality.
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Radar altimeters just point straight down, they need a narrow field of view so they're measuring the height below the aircraft, not to the side and they don't point forward like any kind of targetting sensor would need.
 
DWG said:
Radar altimeters just point straight down, they need a narrow field of view so they're measuring the height below the aircraft, not to the side and they don't point forward like any kind of targetting sensor would need.
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Is there any reason an AESA could not be used to provide directionality for both? There appears to be some kind of sensor on the bottom of the nose at roughly a 45 degree angle to the direction of travel. Could be unrelated.
 
Josh_TN said:
Is there any reason an AESA could not be used to provide directionality for both?
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Possibly, but then you're no longer talking about a radar altimeter, and it might be problematic for the TERCOM algorithms because you're going to be talking about sudden variations in the distance to the measured points (consider the scenario as you approach the crest of a hill or ridgeline- the distance to the reflection point suddenly jumps anything up to several kilometres). Working around that isn't impossible, it's all trig and transforms, but not really what a low cost, rapid development programme wants to get into.
 
Well it looks like the Russians are starting to be on the receiving end of the AGM-188A, from Wes O'Donnell:


The AGM-188A Rusty Dagger ERAM may be in use in Ukraine!
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Russian forces pulled debris from a strike site in Ukraine and photographed components that don't match anything Ukraine has publicly received. Not ATACMS, not Storm Shadow, not a domestic drone. The component that triggered the identification is a specialized anti-jamming GPS antenna tied to Zone 5 Technologies; one of the companies developing the AGM-188A Rusty Dagger, America's first operational missile under the Extended Range Attack Munition program.​
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Ukraine was approved to receive 3,350 of them. A test batch may have gone in as early as October 2025. In this video: what the debris chain actually proves and what it doesn't, why the CRPA antenna detail matters more than the name, and why ERAM's entire strategic logic isn't about hitting one target perfectly, it's about hitting Russia's rear area often enough that nothing back there feels safe anymore.​
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Video Sources:
https://docs.google.com/document/d/1o...https://www.youtube.com/redirect?event=video_description&redir_token=QUFFLUhqblJTVHNWSjVpNUdWMEhiSm9uM3B3eWxtdl9tZ3xBQ3Jtc0ttMFJKSVNSTDVjd25MMy12dDFTa3hlVzFWLTBRc1RZWVdtNTNTWktvUDloR21NQnpBNER1MG16VjNrQ1dGY2dWTndVbmt5ZnRtZW1TbWtFWUEwcnhSWWl0OW9UTDk0a29uTGlUSTZWNnlodzZTRlNTYw&q=https://docs.google.com/document/d/1oAnEu-jxTuWbD8DwNnDUMXm-kz7mwkJTTRZI2-FhsCE/edit?usp=sharing&v=u_LylA5_z4c
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https://www.youtube.com/redirect?event=video_description&redir_token=QUFFLUhqblJTVHNWSjVpNUdWMEhiSm9uM3B3eWxtdl9tZ3xBQ3Jtc0ttMFJKSVNSTDVjd25MMy12dDFTa3hlVzFWLTBRc1RZWVdtNTNTWktvUDloR21NQnpBNER1MG16VjNrQ1dGY2dWTndVbmt5ZnRtZW1TbWtFWUEwcnhSWWl0OW9UTDk0a29uTGlUSTZWNnlodzZTRlNTYw&q=https://docs.google.com/document/d/1oAnEu-jxTuWbD8DwNnDUMXm-kz7mwkJTTRZI2-FhsCE/edit?usp=sharing&v=u_LylA5_z4c
#Ukraine #Russia #UkraineWar #usa #News #CruiseMissile #ERAM #militarytechnology #WesODonnell
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FAMM related?

"The execution of this accelerated test demonstrated ability of AEDC to respond to urgent warfighter needs and deliver mission-critical results with speed and collaboration, said Sabat, previous commander of the 716th Test Squadron at Arnold Air Force Base, headquarters of AEDC. Earlier this year, the 96th Test Wing at Eglin Air Force Base, Florida, submitted a high-priority test request to the 716 TS. Wing officials called for the 716 TS to conduct a loads test characterizing the integrity of F-16 Fighting Falcon flight envelope with a new weapon system in carriage. This data, Sabat said, was vital in assessing the structural integrity of the new system and ensuring warfighter safety during its wartime employment."

“In my 45 years of testing at AEDC, I have only seen one other effort similar to this and that was in support of Desert Storm,” Sellers said. “For that test, I only had four weeks to get the F-15 and F-16 ready to test a new store, both aerodynamic and separation, with completion on Christmas Eve. We succeeded then also, but this effort was in another league.”
 

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Do you have the original source or was this an interview you did? The object on the model looks like Rusty Dagger, which I thought was tested very early this year. If so, the rush testing might have been due a desire by Ukraine to start using the system; they are supposed to be buying this and RAACM as part of the ERAM program. Alternatively the USAF might have wanted to use it in Iran, though this has not been reported yet AFAIK.
 
Very little info in that vid. Also as far as I can tell, Anduril’s “hyperscale” business model is just designing its systems around the simplest tools and materials so semi skilled labor can easily be trained for assembly. If anything they seem like a very low tech company in terms of their hardware production doctrine.
 
https://twitter.com/x/status/2075876636851855365
View: https://x.com/Defence_blog/status/2075876636851855365?s=20


US Air Force built a cheap cruise missile in record time
https://defence-blog.com/us-air-force-built-a-cheap-cruise-missile-in-record-time/
Points
  • USAF and Zone 5 Technologies moved Rusty Dagger, designated AGM-188A, from contract to production in 14 months and live-fire testing in under 16 months.
  • AEDC engineers built and tested an F-16 scale model carrying the missile in under three days, delivering data to the 96th Test Wing in 67 hours.
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Pentagon Announces Multiyear Deals to Buy Thousands of Affordable Cruise Missiles​

https://www.airandspaceforces.com/p...-buy-thousands-of-affordable-cruise-missiles/
The Pentagon expects to receive a total of 8,000 missiles annually once production ramps up for its three selections—Anduril’s Barracuda; CoAspire’s Rapidly Adaptable Affordable Cruise Missile, or RAACM; and Zone 5 Technologies’ AGM-188 Rusty Dagger.
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In its 2027 budget request, USAF is targeting $355 million for procurement of 1,000 FAMM missiles, according to budget documents. Budget projections show plans to acquire 28,000 FAMM missiles over the next five years, with a price tag of $12.6 billion:
  • 2028: $1.85 billion for 5,300 missiles
  • 2029: $2.3 billion for 5,920 missiles
  • 2030: $4.03 billion for 7,700 missiles
  • 2031: $4.13 billion for 7,990 missiles
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While FAMM-P and FAMM-L are the focus for now, the Air Force wants to keep pushing the technology’s capabilities while keeping it relatively affordable.
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The Air Force Life Cycle Management Center posted an April 20 notice seeking information from industry on an affordable cruise missile capable of flying more than1,200 miles and striking slow-moving ships, dubbed FAMM-Beyond Adversary Reach.
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According to the notice, the center wants a weapon capable of speeds of at least 537 miles per hour and receiving midcourse navigation updates. And the service wants companies capable of delivering 1,000 to 2,000 missiles annually.
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Embraer, Anduril pursuing Barracuda missiles on C-390​

Embraer and Anduril signed an MOU on the Barracuda missile, though no timeline for a first test was available.
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https://breakingdefense.com/2026/07/embraer-anduril-pursuing-barracuda-missiles-on-c-390/
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https://twitter.com/x/status/2079892843435339972
View: https://x.com/beverstine/status/2079892843435339972?s=20

US Navy Awards CoAspire $70M to Develop CHAOS Cruise Missile for Coalition Allies​

https://www.navalnews.com/naval-news/2026/07/us-navy-coaspire-chaos-cruise-missile-raacm-er/
The end-use Foreign Military Sale (FMS) customers are allies and coalition partners needing an affordable yet highly effective maritime strike weapon that can be easily manufactured at scale. CoAspire’s solution uses the RAACM-ER, combined with a booster and launcher system, to create RAACM-ER Ground-Launched. CoAspire’s’ RAACM-ER Ground-Launched—adapted for the specific requirements of CHAOS—is comparable to the RAACM‑ER GHOST variant used in the OUSW R&E and U.S. Army PAE Fires-funded Low-Cost Containerized Munition (LCCM) program.
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