Skybolt ultimately failed several key tests, while the US Navy's UGM-27 Polaris offered the same advantages and more. The Soviet Union moved their strategic force directly to Intercontinental Ballistic Missiles. The only other major force relying on strategic bombers was the Royal Air Force, who also selected the Skybolt to arm their V bomber fleet. Air Force began development of the GAM-87 Skybolt missile with range on the order of 1,150 miles (1,850 km). After testing several experimental designs as part of the WS-199 efforts, the U.S. The ALBM concept was studied in the US as a way to ensure the usefulness and survivability of their large bomber fleet. By the early 21st century capable, dedicated, ABM systems from several nations had been deployed in significant numbers (with examples including upgraded MIM-104 Patriot and S-300, THAAD, SM-3, and S-400), spurring further innovation in hypersonic glide vehicles to penetrate such systems and keep ballistic missiles capable. However, by the 1990s surface-to-air missile technology had innovated to the point of allowing the interception of such weapons (especially in their terminal phase) from road mobile systems, albeit at a lower PoK. This combination of features allowed a strategic bomber to present a credible deterrent second-strike option in an era when improving anti-aircraft defences appeared to be rendering conventional bombers obsolete. Historically, once launched the missile was essentially immune to interception due to a lack of capable anti-ballistic missiles, with those few that did exist being limited to known static positions. An ALBM allows the launch aircraft to stand off at long distances from its target, keeping it well outside the range of defensive weapons like anti-aircraft missiles and interceptor aircraft. Experimental weapon GAM-87 Skybolt AGM-183 ARRW under the wing of a B-52Īn air-launched ballistic missile (ALBM) is a ballistic missile launched from an aircraft.
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