It's important to note that the number you saw was for air-launched cruise missiles (AGM-86C, Conventional Air Launched Cruise Missile - CALCM). These are former nucs remanufactured to carry an HE warhead. There was a very limited number in the arsenal around Desert Storm and they have been built up from retired nucs over the past few years. Point is we've never had many. There is now a funded initiative to remanufacture something like 380 over the coming year. This is only intended as a stop-gap until the next generation of air-launched cruise missiles begins coming on line @ 2002 (AGM-158, Joint Air to Surface Standoff Missile - JASSM).
The other type of cruise missile, the Tomahawk Land Attack Missile - TLAM, is sub or ship launched and although also now in short supply more are in the pipeline. They were more widely produced than CALCM to begin with and production of new mods (as well as remanufacture of older ones) has continued.
In both cases, shortage of cruise missiles is NOT the most pressing issue. The real shortage brought on by the Allied Force operations was in the new generation of precision and near precision weapons. Munitions like JDAM, JSOW, AGM-130, etc. were only coming on line in limited numbers anyway and the information coming out of EUCOM and Commander Allied Forces Southern Europe says that these munitions were central to Operation Allied Force. Furthermore, shortages of these munitions SEVERLY constricted operations.
Sorry to be so long but the granular view matters in this issue so that we can hold our congressmen accountable for getting the gals and guys in uniform the toys they need to do the job.
Best,
- jawper
