However, the B-58 was delayed, and in accordance with General Curtis LeMays prescient worries that the B-52 force would simply fall apart, Boeing began development of a new variant of the B-52, the B-52G. In June 1972 General Brown assumed command of the 416th Bombardment Wing at Griffiss Air Force Base, N.Y. But, right before the first man could bail, the pilot had realized they had marginal control over the aircraft. Three crewmen died in the crash. Some were torn down. If you can make it, even for an hour, we will be glad to have you! The population suffered as well. The worst building on base is the hospital. While the B-52Hs remained on nuclear alert standby, the G models were used in the conventional bombing role after the first few nights of cruise missile strikes; at first, this was done at low altitude, but switched to high altitude later onnot because of the threat of Iraqi air defenses, which had been badly degraded, but of the psychological effect. Blytheville was the only two engine training base in Arkansas. I took this from the back seat of the P-51 Mustang Gunfighter. Blytheville Air Force Base was a United States Air Force base from 1942, until it closed in 1992. The airfield was used as the Southeastern Training Command's flight training school, which closed in October 1945 after the Second World War ended. Movie Theater. The airplane dismantler used most of the tarmac we were using and we havent been back since before covid. Was the first KC-135E conversion in 1982. Compared to hose style fueling systems, flying booms of KC135s are very unforgiving to errors. Grow your brand authentically by sharing brand content with the internets creators. It was immediately assigned to the 72nd Bombardment Wing (Heavy) at Ramey AFB, Puerto Rico. Some of the land has since been declared a National Historic Landmark. Once more, however, the B-52G was called upon for the conventional role during Operation Desert Storm against Iraq in 1991. . The model is on a 1/72 scale with a 26" wingspan. After a brief hiatus of less than a decade, the facility reopened as the Blytheville Air Force Base. Have history here? Doors and numerous truckloads of metal were being hauled off the alert pad. I never earned Air Force Wings, the wings that appear in the photo are those of the Commemorative Air Force of which I am a member. This has been an ongoing project for over a year. 732 of the aircraft were specifically aerial tankers. View allAll Photos Tagged Blytheville Air Force Base. New in 1960. When Castle closed in 1995, 57-6486 was retired and sent to AMARG in Arizona; it was scrapped soon thereafter as part of the START arms reduction treaty. I hope they can save this base so that it doesnt get destroyed. (For some reason, this "Hotshot" never got eyes.). Setting near the base is a memorial bench for Army Spc Christopher Stark killed in Afghanistan Feb 28 2011. In 2020, both Arkansas senators proposed a bill to designate the museum in Blytheville. Photo Credit: The National Cold War Center. Loved it. Photographs are from numerous people and I encourage you to send me your photos if you want to add to the Blytheville collection. No photo description available. Transferred from the 97th Bomb Wing at Blytheville Air Force Base, Arkansas, this aircraft was flown to the Museum in November 1978. The B-52 Stratofortress force had always been intended to be supplemented by newer designs, allowing older types and eventually the B-52 itself to be retired. Deactivated at the close of the conflict, the base was reactivated in the 1950s as Blytheville Air Force Base and was renamed Eaker Air Force Base in 1988 . The project mainly serves to save the best buildings and bring buildings in the worst shape down for safety purposes. The aircraft remained there until November when it was reassigned to the 320th Bombardment Wing (H) at Mather AFB, California. On January 23rd, 2022, it was announced that the former dorms would be demolished. Since 1955, the B52 Stratofortress has been Americas go-to long-distance strategic bomber. In 1972, all of the bombers were temporarily moved to Guam before being returned to Blytheville AFB, at which time the installation resumed normal functions. Since its organization on 21 March 1946, SAC had continuously used C-47s or Gooney Birds as they were usually called, for support and administrative purposes. By that time, the B-52G had already been tested in combat, with mixed results. Fill out the form and sign up to help us protect: By signing up, you are not committing to anything, you are simply subscribing to be notified of upcoming volunteer dates. ADM-20 Quail Decoy used to produce a fake B-52 signature on radar making a single B-52 appear to be as many as eight B-52s causing the Soviets to waste their SAMs chasing the Quails. Jun 18, 2016 - blytheville afb photos | Blytheville Air Force Base, Blytheville . Today it is 14,011. Airwomen were tasked with testing electronics of aircraft, testing aircraft by means of flights, and ferrying aircraft. Coupled with the more regulation bound USAF of the 1950s, almost no B-36s or B-52s carried nose art, despite a larger "canvas" than the B-29 or B-17. Constructed on former agricultural land, the site was originally activated as the Blytheville Army Airfield in 1942. The Air Force packed up and left. On January 11th, during Agile Combat Employment training exercises performed by the U.S. Air Force at Eaker Air Force Base, work had begun on the restoration process of Building 1225. Did you serve with BLYTHEVILLE AIR FORCE BASE? As a kid in nearby Jonesboro, our cub scout pack got to visit what was then Blytheville AFB. . [1] Other aircraft stationed at Blytheville AFB included: KC-97 refueler, B-52G bomber, KC-135A tanker, T-33 jet fighter, and the T-37 traineramong others. Art flourished in some units (namely F-105 wings) and was banned in others. Located on the former Eaker Air Force Base (also known as Blytheville Air Force Base), a few blocks inside the west gate. Formerly the site of family housing for Eaker Air Force Base, Westminster Village is a non-profit community. Merged with: Blytheville herald-news (non-extant), to form: Blytheville courier news. Part of the reason was the USAF's adoption of "Combat Warrior," which was meant to instill a sense of history among its pilots and airmen, requiring the study of the USAF/USAAF historical record. Though it is referred to these names, the airport officially goes by Arkansas Aeroplex. 58-0183 joined the USAF and the 4135th Strategic Wing, based at Eglin AFB, Florida; the 4135th oversaw several B-52 squadrons dispersed over the American Southeast to lessen their chance of being caught on the ground by a Soviet nuclear strike. Retired from service in December 2019, MD-88 N907DL is stored at the former Blytheville (Eaker) Air Force Base, now Arkansas International Airport, in Blytheville, Arkansas. 27 items. It was renamed Eaker Air Force Base in 1988, in honor of General Ira Eaker, an aviation pioneer and second . The first of 12 model aircrafts that were once housed at the Blytheville Air Force Base (later Eaker Air Force Base) was delivered on Wednesday to the exhibition building. Learn how your comment data is processed. Use code: FLICKR10, International Air Tattoo 1987 - RAF Fairford. In the late 1980s, the government, under congress had begun inspections on Air Force Bases. In its prime, it housed over 3,000 service members, and a whole fleet of Strategic Air Command B52 BUFF Stratofortresses. 18 (Feb. 26, 1904). We share a body likeness and dress and I had an orange helmet but most of the time I wore my Easy Rider Flag helmet. Jun 18, 2016 - blytheville afb photos | Blytheville Air Force Base, Blytheville . 3 items. Electrical work and flood damage repair have begun. 1950's. Janet Austin - Duplessis. Blytheville AFB experienced a great deal of activity throughout the Cold War era, when for instance, the 97th Bombardment Wing went on airborne alert on 22 October 1962, during the Cuban Missile Crisis. Thanks VetFriends. Abandoned Arkansas had noticed while touring the base, the former base bank had been torn down the week prior to January 1st, 2022. I don't have a clue who captured or created this image but this is it is an excellent computer generated image of a Pre-Vietnam War SAC Paint Scheme with a North American AGM-28 Hound Dog Missile. The Blytheville Air Force Base Alert Center and Alert Apron constructed as part of a national expansion of Strategic Air Command Facilities across the United States and its Territories, to help in creating a "program to safeguard nuclear deterrence" through the SAC Alert program. B52 for his quick thinking, response to a crisis, and heroic duties. After any major war, surplus equipment and property is sold to the general public and agencies. Ritz. BX and Cafeteria. The base contributed greatly to the economic and . The facility now operates as the Arkansas Aeroplex and Arkansas International Airport. The nose art of the B-52 version is a faithful reproduction of the B-17 version--one of the many Varga Girls that decorated World War II-era aircraft. In December 1972, after being repaired, it flew four additional missions over North Vietnam. A B52 with a full nuclear payload, is the seventh most powerful country in the world.. Five feet of water was pumped out of the basement of the building. In order to understand why Eaker Air Force Base closed, one has to dive into foreign, political, and socioeconomic issues of the late 1980s and early 1990s. Photo Gallery. These three 97th BW aircraft were stationed and flown out of Anderson AFB, Guam, as part of the 72nd Strategic Wing (Provisional). Tin Roof. Building 1225 is currently registered on the National Register Of Historic Places and is quoted as being the crown jewel of the National Cold War Center campus. Though Phase Two of the project is underway (as of February 2022), there have been no announcements of when the museum will officially open. Marker is at the intersection of Memorial Drive and Chestnut Drive, on the right when traveling east on Memorial Drive. The B52 Stratofortress was the answer to all the problems found in the Convair B36 Peacemaker and the B24. During the second World War, the United States needed more areas to train pilots, and launch aircraft to respond to the threat on the Eastern front. My 1972 Suzuki looked exactly like the one in the brochure. From an extreme case of having to be boarded up like a top secret quarantine, to simply being an old tool shed that never got used. Boards are the best place to save images and video clips. The exhibits are impactful and tell the story of Base history. Link to the fact sheet on the museum's web page: www.hill.af.mil/library/factsheets/factsheet.asp?id=5714, Link to the other B52s I remember: www.youtube.com/watch?v=leohcvmf8kM&feature=related. Currently, there is a restoration program working to rebuild and reuse buildings that arent disappearing. Though it is currently in a rough shape as an Air Force Base it doesnt have to be that way. In 1988, the facility was renamed Eaker Air Force Base in honor of World War II General of the Eighth Air Force, Ira C. Eaker. The crew started to lose control of the plane and went to bail out. By August 1973, they had flown 126,615 combat sorties with 17 B-52s lost to enemy action. Notice my Mustang has what appears to be a trailer hitch. The communication building of the 97th Bombardment Wing is in terrible condition as well. Owners of said buildings had big ambitions to renovate and repurpose the old buildings, but either plans never took off or money was tight. The Ritz Theater from the outside circa. The base closed in December 1992 and has re-opened as a general aviation/commercial airport and industrial park known as the Arkansas Aeroplex. As part of Operation Secret Squirrel, "Valkyrie" would be part of a record setting 34-hour bomb mission from Barksdale to Iraq and back again. This would determine if the base could go on operating in the future, or if it was deemed unnecessary to continue service. The B52 Stratofortress had solved every issue the Air Force ran into with earlier bombers. As I recall, crew members were typically on alert for 10 days of every month. After Eaker Air Force Base was B.R.A.C.d, multiple buildings on the base were put up for sale, but never put to use properly. The majority of the bases housing is still in use, a few buildings are in use, and the tarmac is now the Arkansas Aeroplex. The Future of Eaker Air Force Base and the National Cold War Center/BAFB Exhibition, https://abandonedar.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/12/YouCut_20220127_115729032.mp4. In selected cases, due to ground water table conditions, the moleholes were built fully aboveground, with the lower story earthen bermed for semi-hardening. Base Closure What happened to Blytheville, Arkansas? B.R.A.C. The Strategic Air Command had reached the end of the road. If the alert force had not received that second "stand down" code, they would have taken off; and (as we saw it, back then) if that happened, very soon, we would have been in the midst of a nuclear war. In May 1962 the aircraft returned to the Boeing factory in Kansas for wing modification and strengthening to counteract the fatigue cracks occurring in the B-52 fleet. BLYTHEVILLE, Ark. The hospital is also a very large (plan wise) building, so it is very possible to get lost inside the building without a map. Its' soft start" with hours on Friday's and Saturday from about 12:00pm to 4:00pm, will take some trip planning. When I arrived in July 1972, Blytheville Air Force Base's B-52s, KC-135s, pilots, navigators, electronic warfare officers, tail gunners and many . The exhibit is on the old air base, which is now an FBO for the new steel and other corporations that fly in there, along with other airplane related functions. Blytheville, Arkansas was selected as a training location due to its proximity to the Mississippi River, where supplies could easily be shipped to and from the site. Altus AFB ACTIVE Need photos: Location: Altus, Oklahoma. My last 8 months of service I was the NCOIC of the Repair Cycle Unit "DIFM Control", KC-135A - 61-0267 - 97th BW, Blytheville Air Force Base, N503DN Delta Air Lines | Airbus A350-941 | Arkansas International Airport. The War Assets Administration officially closed down the installation in 1946, at which point control and responsibility for the land was transferred to the city of Blytheville. Property is disposed of, and the government cleans up after itself. "Valkyrie" would fly a few more missions during the war, the only time she would drop bombs in anger. There were VIP transports (designated VC-47A/B) and there were SC-47s used as search and rescue aircraft. It has the exact same problems as the hospital, though both buildings trade off on extremities. Arkansas had six Army airfields. It was also a B-52 that made the first airborne hydrogen bomb drop over Bikini Atoll on May 21, 1956. They could go out of the facility to visit family, go to a movie or the BX, but the whole crew had to go everywhere together. Many times I stopped what I was doing and watched the full power, roaring and smoke trailing takeoffs. action, the base has sat mostly dormant. Today the base is mostly in a decrepit state of disrepair. Find the perfect adversary concept stock photo, image, vector, illustration or 360 image. The plane . In 1988, the facility was renamed Eaker Air Force Base in honor of World War II General of the Eighth Air Force, Ira C. This article was made possible by the help of Barrett Harrison, President of the Arkansas Aeroplex, Technical Sergeant Robert Charles, curator of the BAFB Exhibit, many Air Force veterans and the National Cold War Center. These jets were flown from 1969 to Feb 1974 when they were retired due to the oil crisis. Below is my Blytheville Air Force Base token collection. The alert force aircraft remained parked just outside this facility (on a ramp, over to the left); there were armed airmen patrolling the ramp at all times. Eaker AFB was selected for closure under the Base Realignment and Closure (BRAC) round of 1991. In the early 1950s, the Strategic Air Command (SAC) approved a plan to convert the former airfield into an airbase, which officially opened in 1955 as Blytheville Air Force Base. Eaker Air Force Base was complete with swimming pools, tennis courts, a grocery store, a dental office, a nine hole golf course, a theater, multiple clubs, visitation centers, a gym, and on-base housing for military families. Blytheville Air Force Base (BAFB) Exhibition, Blytheville: See 8 reviews, articles, and 21 photos of Blytheville Air Force Base (BAFB) Exhibition, ranked No.1 on Tripadvisor among 6 attractions in Blytheville. On January 31st, 2022, the Arkansas Aeroplex officially announced that work had been started on restoring Building 1225. machine guns in tail plus up to 43,000+ lbs. Operated by the 97th Bombardment Wing based at Eaker AFB, Blytheville AR. I single had a wonderful time on my motorcycle that summer when I arrived at Blytheville Air Force base and my motorcycle was a major reason for my fond memories of a carefree time in my youth. Businesses have come and go, but the wear and tear of Mother Nature and Father time have taken their toll on many buildings on base. Honorable Discharged at the rank of E5 Staff Sgt. . The National Cold War Center at the former Eaker Air Force Base in Blytheville announced Monday that it had received a $400,000 grant from the Division of Arkansas Heritage Cultural Institutions Trust Fund.A spokesperson said the money would be used to . The pictures and history lesson accompanying are amazing. The current BAFB Exhibit is housed in the former B52 crew briefing building, and will continue to be an exhibit. As a CAP cadet 1966-1969 the lore of this base was discussed often. [1] It was located 3 miles (4.8km) northwest of Blytheville, Arkansas. Buy None was a no notice operational exercise conducted in 1989. The B-52 had 8 engines but the two AGM-28 engines could also be used for take off and getting up to altitude. I had a great time and intend to go again next year. The original, one-of-a-kind model was created by P.J. Sign up and get notified about upcoming volunteer events! Blytheville Air Force Base aka Eaker Air Force Base. Washington -- Today, Representatives Crawford, Hill, Westerman, and Womack, along with Senators Boozman and Cotton, introduced legislation to name the Blytheville/Eaker Air Force Base located in Blytheville, Arkansas, the "National Cold War Center." The Eaker base opened in 1942 as a World War II advanced pilot training school, and later became an alert center during the Cold War. Far in the northeast corner of Arkansas, five miles west of the Mississippi River, the city of Blytheville remembers a prosperous past while hoping for a bright future. . Of the 3,778 acres the base is comprised of, two thirds of the land is abandoned. Blytheville Air Force Base, Arkansas. CENTCOM commander H. Norman Schwartzkopf demanded continual B-52 strikes-- eventually forty percent of all ordnance expended--and the results were devastating. VetFriends.com helps reunite veterans from the Air Force daily. I was an army brat and a military wife along with an army civilian off and on over the years. Unit of Service: 311th Tactical Airlift Squadron; Air National Guard. The nine surviving jets are scattered from coast to coast most of them restored and on display. The small gold Hap Arnold Wings that appear just below my name tag was a gift from the widow of a deceased WWII USAAF pilot. Streamline your workflow with our best-in-class digital asset management system. Due to the high amount of asbestos flying around in the air, and the safety concerns. On January 10th, 1964, a B52H loaned to Boeing by the USAF was testing the structural integrity of, and new technology for the aircraft. Known as Operation Secret Squirrel, this 34-hour mission was at the time the longest aerial mission ever flown, and was not surpassed until the strikes on Afghanistan in 2001. I saw this jet fly Oct 25 1972 at the Blytheville AFB air show. [3] Unfortunately, Eaker Air Force Base topped the Strategic Air Command's list of base closures in 1991 and with the Cold War coming to an end, the installation was officially chosen; in March 1992, the last aircraft left the base. He arranged the trade of my old piece of crap Harley, arranged the financing so I could just get on my new motorcycle and drive away. Most of the Gs ended their days sliced into pieces in the Arizona desert. As the Cold War ended, "Valkyrie" was assigned to her last duty station with the 2nd BW at Barksdale AFB, Louisiana, but she would have one last mission. About Press Copyright Contact us Creators Advertise Developers Terms Privacy Policy & Safety How YouTube works Test new features Press Copyright Contact us Creators . https://nuke.fas.org/guide/usa/bomber/kc-135.htm#:~:text=The%20KC%2D135%20can%20haul,transferable%20for%20global%20refueling%20missions. . I grew up on Army bases overseas. Communism had shriveled in the world. Certain buildings are worth saving. It seemed like every morning at 5:00 AM the flight line maintenance crews would fire up some of the airplanes engines. Blytheville AFB: See Eaker AFB: Bolling AFB ACTIVE: Location: Washington, DC . When Operation Linebacker and especially Linebacker II taxed the Southeast Asia-based B-52D fleet to the limit, President Richard Nixon authorized the G models to be deployed to Vietnam as well. Like the Arc Light strikes of Vietnam, Iraqi forces on the ground could not hear or see B-52s before they struck. Transferred from the 97th Bomb Wing, Blytheville Air Force Base, Ark., this aircraft was flown to the museum in November 1978. Community Profile: Blytheville, Ark., Spreads Its Wings after Air Force Base Closing. Serial Number 61-0023 landed safely in Blytheville. This is the alert facility, or "mole hole," where bomber and tanker aircraft crew in the Strategic Air Command (SAC; USAF) lived while they were pulling alert duty during the Cold War. Pictures, photos and images from Blytheville, AR. Wing Headquarters. By October of the same year the aircraft was moved to Robins AFB, Georgia. Gosnell reported losing over half its students. Gosnell appears right center of the photo.. Today it is the headquarters for the group that runs the old base for civilian use and the aircraft are: I was promoted to Staff Sergeant after 37 months of active duty plus 5 months delayed enlistment program. 1942-1946, 1953-1992. (KAIT) - Members of the United States Air Force in Little Rock and Louisiana landed aircraft on the Arkansas Aeroplex on the morning of . Since then, there have been only 744 aircraft built by Boeing. The Blytheville Air Force Base SAC alert area is located east of the southern end of the runway, situated at the center of the fenced area long the alert parking area. About ten years ago a group of old 97 OMS troops made a trip to see the old place. It worked very well and it was how I towed my new 1972 Suzuki GT750J from my parent's home in Alma the 300 miles to Blytheville Air Force Base. Jul 1999. This Abandoned Air Force base is located three miles Northwest of Blytheville, Arkansas. Beechcraft AT-10, and Curtiss-Wright AT-9s. The KC135 Stratotanker, as most other notary aircraft, was born out of necessity. Links: Thule AFB . At the height of the Cold War, Eaker Air Force Base was home to the 97th Bombardment Wing, the 42nd Air Division, the 97th Air Refueling Squadron, the 97th Supply Squadron, the 97th Organizational Maintenance Squadron, the 820th Medical Group, and many more. Renamed Eaker Air Force Base in 1988 honoring Gen. Ira Eaker, the entire facility closed in 1992. Only ten B-52Gs survive today as museum pieces. The Southeast Asia War section of the Modern Flight Gallery at the National Museum of the United States Air Force (www.nationalmuseum.af.mil/). The National Cold War Center will be an entirely brand new building itself. In order to give the property on which the base was located back to the local authorities, the USAF hired a cultural resource management firm to conduct a survey of the archeological sites on the base property (Cande and Lafferty 1991). 10 free downloads. The Air Force needed a long-distance bomber that could travel all the way to the former U.S.S.R., drop a payload on a target and travel back without needing refueling. From its days as an Army Airfield until closing in 1992 as a major Strategic Air Command facility, the Blytheville Air Force Base told many stories. Armament: Four .50-cal. Would love hear your stories or your thoughts. BLYTHEVILLE, Ark. Under the command of the 326th Base Headquarters and Air Base Squadron, pilots would train in aircraft such as theBeechcraft AT-10, and Curtiss-Wright AT-9s. On the evening in question, Bruce was working for a local radio station, performing tests on their transmitters. (Some joked that the ladies might just paint hunky guys on their aircraft!). The hospital has been tightly sealed up. All photos (32) Top ways to experience nearby attractions. Arkansas Razorbacks. MEMORIES. He served active duty March 21 1972 to March 20 1976. This view also shows how well 58-0183 is preserved, and the EVS bulges beneath the B-52's nose. NCO Club. This Abandoned Air Force base is located three miles Northwest of Blytheville, Arkansas. I was stationed there from 1966-69. The boom operators on KC-135s got a laugh over it, the pilots loved it, commanding officers were horrified and eventually ordered it removed. Nearly 750 were built before production ended in the fall of 1962; 170 of these were B-52Ds. Had many good times there. In 1945 the U. S. Army Air Field was deactivated and the cemetery reverted to the City of Blytheville Arkansas. After it became operational in 1955, the B-52 remained the main long-range heavy bomber of the U.S. Air Force during the Cold War, and it continues to be an important part of the USAF bomber force today. The Cold War had come to and end. And this is a photo of the HULK 46 design that the . After extensive renovations, the "BAFB Exhibition", at the former Blytheville/Eaker Air Force Base, is open for business. Hill Aerospace Museum officially received the aircraft for static display on July 11, 1991. For the families, GI's, and community that was Blytheville AFB May be an image of text that says 'David Pride 2000' No photo description available. Several C-47s were fitted with pontoons and redesignated C-47C. The base was deactivated in 1945 at the end of World War II. It is the USAFs main aerial fueling aircraft. Suggest edits to improve what we show. Blytheville AFB became fully operational when it was equipped with a wing of three squadrons of B-57 bomber on 19 July 1955. The B-47 Stratojet was slated to be replaced by a mix of both the heavy Stratofortress and the Convair B-58 Hustler high-speed medium bomber. There was some concern that female aircrew--which were becoming far more common in the 1980s than in years previously--would object to the nose art, but no such objections materialized. Though, local organizations and legal entities constantly fight to preserve the base. Almost immediately, this was proven to be a vain hope: the only aircraft able to replace the B-52 was, it seemed, another B-52. Memphis Discovery Tour . A total of 820 KC135s have been produced since 1956. Military. Unbeknownst to the crew, over seventy percent of the vertical stabilizer and rudder assembly had been sheared off. [3] Six more men from the 97th were also lost in Vietnam, whose names are recognized on a memorial placard at the former base. Finally, again to save weight, the tail gunner position was eliminated in favor of a remote-controlled barbette, with the gunner moved forward to the crew compartment. This gallery is to showcase old photographs from Blytheville, Arkansas. Tiling soaked in stagnant water squishes under your feet, anything that could be rusted, is rusted. Enter your email address to subscribe to Abandoned Arkansas and receive notifications of new posts by email. Eaker Air Force Base was located on 3,778 acres of land between the communities of Gosnell and Blytheville in Mississippi County. Who knew that 41 years later I would have a new Mustang or even still be alive. The majority of buildings have suffered the same fate. During the Korean War, when many USAF units were based in Japan and crews lived with their families, wives got to see up close the often risque nose art their husbands painted on their aircraft--and were not pleased with what they saw. The B-52G was to return to the nuclear delivery role through the 1970s and 1980s, with the SRAM itself replaced by the AGM-86 Air Launched Cruise Missile, a truly precise cruise missile.