The U.S. Air Force has announced plans to convert C-17 Globemaster III and C-130 Hercules transport aircraft into cruise missile launch platforms…
Under the Dragon Cart programme, the system is expected to become operational in 2027, significantly expanding the U.S. Air Force’s strike capabilities without relying solely on bombers and fighter aircraft.
Dedicated deployment platforms allow transport aircraft to launch large numbers of cruise missiles directly from their cargo compartments.
Once released from the aircraft by parachute, the platform deploys the missiles individually in mid-air, where they ignite their engines and proceed towards their designated targets.
The Dragon Cart programme is being carried out under the Affordable Mass Munitions (FAMM) initiative.
The FAMM-P variant, developed for launch from transport aircraft, is expected to have a range of 400 to 800 kilometres.
The unit cost of the FAMM-P missile is targeted at approximately one-tenth that of the AGM-158 JASSM cruise missile.
The U.S. Air Force has allocated $355 million for the procurement of 1,000 FAMM missiles, while plans call for approximately 28,000 additional missiles to be procured over the following five years, backed by $12.6 billion in funding…