The U.S. Air Force has revealed for the first time that its B-2A Spirit stealth bomber is capable of using the AGM-158C long-range anti-ship missile, after the weapon was featured in a recent sinking exercise.
The U.S. Air Force Pacific Air Forces (PACAF) Command announced that the B-2A Spirit recently participated in Live Fire Sinking Exercise (SINKEX). What sets this SINKEX apart from past ones that have already seen B-2 engagement is that its integration on the stealth bomber will use the new, previously undisclosed AGM-158C Long Range Anti-Ship Missile (LRASM).
The bomber is already cleared to carry the similar AGM-158 Joint Air Support Missile (JASSM), further expediting integration. As previously explained here aeronauticsBoth weapons share the same base airframe, with the differences primarily being internal.
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SINKEX was part of the ongoing Valiant Shield 2026 exercise in the Philippine Sea, with the specific event held at the Mariana Island Range Complex on June 27, 2026. The weapon reportedly hit a maritime vessel, but this was not confirmed through press releases or captions attached to images.
However, images released on the DVIDS network show that the vessel in question is the decommissioned Austin-class amphibious transport USS Juneau (LPD 10). The caption, matching that of the B-2, states that SINKEX was conducted on June 27 in the Mariana Islands Range Complex, more than 200 nautical miles off the coast.
A Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force submarine and the USS George Washington (CVN 73) aircraft carrier also participated in this exercise. Photos captured before the Japanese torpedoes were launched show that the USS Juneau had already been hit by at least three weapons, one of which may have been an LRASM fired by a B-2.
B-2’s participation
This is not the first time the B-2A Spirit has participated in SINKEX. For example, the bomber participated in the sinking of the retired Tarawa-class amphibious assault ship USS Tarawa (LHA-1), engaging the 2,000-pound QUICKSINK weapon during RIMPAC 2024.
QUICKSINK is a variant of the Joint Direct Attack Munition (JDAM) modified for maritime strike, featuring a dedicated seeker for this role. The weapon has been described as “a new low-cost airlift capability to defeat maritime threats.”
More recently, stealth bombers have used QUICKSINK as their primary weapon in the maritime strike role. The addition of the AGM-158C LRASM gives the B-2 Spirit the ability to reach maritime targets in farther and more heavily defended areas.
The photo shows a B-2 carrying an actual LRASM at Whiteman Air Force Base, Missouri, on June 22 in preparation for training. The bomber was later deployed to Andersen Air Force Base, Guam, where it took off for SINKEX on June 27.
“The B-2’s impressive performance highlights the U.S. military’s commitment to adaptability and flexibility as it faces new security challenges,” said Gen. Kevin B. Schneider, commander of Pacific Air Forces. “By prioritizing anti-maritime strike operations, we can maintain a decisive advantage over our adversaries, protect our national interests, and ensure a free and open Pacific that supports global security.”
PACAF describes the deployment of the B-2 Spirit’s LRASM as a major step in countering maritime threats. In the caption, the command added that this “demonstrates flexibility globally and puts ships at sea at risk.”
AGM-158C LRASM
The AGM-158C LRASM, based on the AGM-158B JASSM-ER (Joint Air-to-Surface Standoff Missile – Extended Range), is a new low-observable anti-ship cruise missile developed by the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) for the U.S. Air Force and U.S. Navy. NAVAIR describes the weapon as a defined near-term solution to the Offensive Anti-Ship Warfare (OASuW) air launch capability gap that will provide flexible, long-range, advanced anti-surface capabilities against high-threat maritime targets.
NAVAIR says the weapon reduces reliance on intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance (ISR) platforms, network links and GPS navigation in an electronic warfare environment. In fact, once launched, LRASM uses a GPS guidance system to guide it to an initial point and uses onboard sensors to locate and identify targets and provide terminal guidance. Semi-autonomous guidance algorithms allow you to pinpoint specific targets in contested areas using less accurate target signal data.
There are currently three variants that make up the OASuW Increment 1 program, designated LRASM 1.0, LRASM 1.1, and LRASM C-3. The LRASM 1.0 variant, with initial operational capability in 2019, has already been integrated into the B-1B Lancer and F/A-18E/F Super Hornet.
The latest LRASM 1.1 variant was deployed in 2023 and is undergoing initial operational testing and evaluation, according to a report from the Director of Operational Test and Evaluation. This weapon is also being integrated into the P-8A Poseidon.
For the future LRASM C-3 adding extended range capabilities, the program planned a ground strike capability as part of the LRASM C-3 upgrade, but later decided to continue focusing on a surface warfare capability. The missile operational concept and system requirements were completed last year, including a focus on anti-surface warfare operational envelope and updating the missile target threat library compared to LRASM 1.1.
The Navy plans LRASM C-3 early operational capability (EOC) in the fourth quarter of fiscal year 2026. Meanwhile, the Department of Defense continues to plan to develop OASuW Increment 2 through a fully open competition, with EOC expected in FY29 and initial operational capability expected in FY31. The Navy funded LRASM C-3 to bridge the gap until the OASuW Increment 2 program of record was established.
