Doomsday Missile: B-52 Bomber Spotted in the US With New LRSO Nuclear Cruise Missile

Spotters photographed a B-52 bomber carrying a cruise missile over California. The missile resembles renders of the new stealthy AGM-181A Long-Range Standoff (LRSO) missile for the US Air Force.

The Aviationist reported the sighting.

Aerial photographer Ian Recchio took the photo. Close-ups show an inverted T-shaped tail with three surfaces, folding wings under the fuselage, and wedge-shaped nose and tail sections — features that match official images of the LRSO missile.

The aircraft was recorded during a flight over Owens Valley, California.

According to US Air Force plans, the AGM-181A LRSO is intended to replace the aging stock of nuclear-armed ALCM missiles, version B.

The ALCM has been in service with the Air Force since the 1980s as part of the nuclear triad and the US nuclear deterrent.

Raytheon is developing the new LRSO missile, and key technical details remain classified. Official images are deliberately generalized. The missile will be integrated with B-52 and B-21 Raider bombers.

Its warhead is a modernized W80-4. The timeline for operational readiness is closely tied to the missile’s development schedule. Ahead of a planned production decision in fiscal year 2027, testing activity has increased, as evidenced by the recent appearance of a B-52 carrying the missile.