#RAACM Rapidly Adaptable Affordable Cruise Missile #HASC Directive Report Language

RAACM was highlighted as Directive Report Language by the HASC in the FY24 NDAA Report. Here is the language:

Development of the Rapidly Adaptable Affordable Cruise Missile

The committee continues to support the expansion of the cruise missile production industrial base. The committee is encouraged by the Air Force’s use of the Small Business Innovative Research (SBIR) program to contract with a small business to design an innovative Rapidly Adaptable Affordable Cruise Missile (RAACM).

The RAACM will be a Weapon Open System Architecture design, Government Reference Architecture compliant family of weapon systems developed in parallel with a digital model. This use of digital engineering technologies and fasttrack to production concepts like determinant manufacturing allows for the rapid development and production of cost-effective, air-launched cruise missiles.

This speed to field a family of affordable weapons capacity is required to deter peer and near-peer threats now, by providing aircrews a capable weapon in the quantities needed to overwhelm an enemy’s defenses. The committee notes that RAACM does not have an identified future funding path in fiscal year 2024, or in the Future Years Defense Program (FYDP). Without a defined plan, it is challenging to quickly execute this vision of providing affordable capacity in time to deter peer threats. For small businesses investing in the people, parts, and test equipment needed to develop, test, fly and ultimately produce at rate a weapon like RAACM, instability in future funding is a risk that makes development inefficient, slow, and more expensive.

Therefore, the committee directs the Secretary of the Air Force to provide a briefing to the House Committee on Armed Services not later than December 1, 2023, that explains in detail the Air Force’s RAACM development and acquisition strategy to include: (1) threshold and objective performance characteristics provided in the initial System Performance Specification delivered by the contractor; (2) draft schedule for future production and how that will increase the draft schedule for future production and how that will increase the missile industrial base; (3) streamlined test and evaluation plan that takes into account commercial-off-the-shelf and previously developed SBIR technology; (4) proposed funding profile across the FYDP; and, (5) issues for consideration and planning related to transitioning the program from prototype to production activities.

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