US Air Force Plans to Buy 28,000 Long-Range Missiles in Major $12 Billion Expansion

The U.S. Air Force plans to purchase approximately 28,000 cruise missiles and other long-range precision munitions over the next five years under the Family of Affordable Mass Missiles (FAMM) program, a major initiative designed to strengthen America's long-range strike capabilities while reducing procurement costs.

The program is valued at more than $12 billion and reflects the Pentagon's growing focus on fielding large numbers of affordable precision weapons for future high-intensity conflicts.

Pentagon Expands Affordable Long-Range Strike Capability

As part of the initiative, the U.S. Department of Defense has signed new agreements with several defense contractors to accelerate the development and large-scale production of the new weapons.

The FAMM program aims to produce missiles that combine relatively low manufacturing costs with the range and accuracy required for large-scale military operations. By expanding inventories of affordable long-range munitions, the Pentagon hopes to increase operational flexibility while reducing reliance on expensive cruise missiles that can cost several million dollars each.

Lessons From Recent Conflicts Shape U.S. Strategy

Recent wars, including those in Ukraine and the Middle East, have demonstrated how quickly stockpiles of advanced precision-guided weapons can be depleted during prolonged combat operations.

In response, the United States is seeking to build a much larger inventory of lower-cost long-range weapons capable of striking thousands of targets during a major conflict. Defense planners have placed particular emphasis on preparing for potential operations in the Indo-Pacific region, where large-scale precision strike capabilities could play a central role in future military campaigns.