The US Department of War (Pentagon) intends to acquire about 28,000 FAMM-P and FAMM-L cruise missiles over the next five years, according to Canadian independent military analyst Colby Badhwar.

The respective production rate is expected to increase sharply from 2030, exceeding 7,000 per year. To achieve this figure, the US Air Force has already requested more than $350 million in the 2027 budget to begin producing the first thousand test missiles.

The goal of the FAMM initiative is to create a new generation of precision weapons. They should be significantly cheaper than such classical options as the Tomahawk or JASSM, whose unit price reaches millions of dollars, which forces them to be used sparingly. Their massive use is a rather large burden on the US budget. In addition to reducing costs, the program is aimed also at supporting allies and creating new opportunities for arms exports.

In the very first days of the operation against Iran, the Pentagon launched 1,100 JASSM-ER units and about 1,000 Tomahawk cruise missiles, according to The New York Times. If we add to this the cost of Patriot systems and HIMARS missiles, the amount will reach $5.5 billion. But according to independent experts, this conflict has cost the US from $28 to $35 billion.

The US Air Force has set quite strict conditions for the participants in the program. Accordingly, the cost of one missile should not exceed $200-300 thousand, and thousands of samples should be produced annually. One of the main requirements is that the missile should be able to accurately hit a target at a distance of more than 460 km, even when the satellite connection is disrupted. In order to keep the self cost low, it is allowed to use 3D printing and common parts available on the market. And the 45-100kg weight chosen for the warhead is considered by experts to be the most effective solution.

Both industry giants and ambitious startups have joined this technological race. Moreover, the US Air Force may choose not one, but several winners, since each project has its own unique advantages.