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Air launched cruise missiles (ALCMs) are an important complement to but no substitute for manned penetrating bombers.
CENTERFORSECURITYPOLICY: Roundtable Discussion On The B-2 Bomber
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Both sea-launched and air-launched cruise missiles (SLCMs and ALCMs) should incorporate, to the extent possible, stealth technology and offer nuclear and conventional variants.
CENTERFORSECURITYPOLICY: Center for Security Policy | An Assessment Of Future Requirements For US Strategic Forces And Strategic Arms Control
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In the face of unconstrained and ever more competent Soviet defenses, large numbers of ALCMs have become essential to the continued viability of the B-52 fleet.
CENTERFORSECURITYPOLICY: Center for Security Policy | A Schizophrenic Policy Toward The USSR: Hard Line On Defense Cuts; Soft Line In Arms Talks
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The United States is uniquely dependent upon its air-launched cruise missiles (ALCMs) to ensure the effectiveness of the most flexible component of its strategic deterrent the manned bomber force.
CENTERFORSECURITYPOLICY: Center for Security Policy | A Schizophrenic Policy Toward The USSR: Hard Line On Defense Cuts; Soft Line In Arms Talks
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Even ALCMs employing stealth technology are constrained by their lack of flexible, in-flight retargeting capability, their smaller ordnance payload, and the absence of a means of recalling them once they are launched.
CENTERFORSECURITYPOLICY: Roundtable Discussion On The B-2 Bomber
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Today, this will likely permit the United States to field no more than 1800 ALCMs, down dramatically from the 4400 such weapons envisioned by the Reagan Administration when it initially proposed the so-called 50% reductions START Treaty.
CENTERFORSECURITYPOLICY: Center for Security Policy | A Schizophrenic Policy Toward The USSR: Hard Line On Defense Cuts; Soft Line In Arms Talks
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Worse still, the Soviets are demanding a different approach in START, one that would have the effect of limiting the United States to perhaps as few as 900 ALCMs. They are also determined to lower sharply the range at which air-launched cruise missiles would become START-accountable from the present American position of 1500 nautical miles.
CENTERFORSECURITYPOLICY: Center for Security Policy | A Schizophrenic Policy Toward The USSR: Hard Line On Defense Cuts; Soft Line In Arms Talks