USN COLD-WAR MISSILES; the MRASM
The Medium-Range Air-to-Surface Missile was a joint Navy-Air Force program to develop an air-launched missile with a 250nm range for delivering submunitions against runways. Originally to be a (shortened) variant of the Tomahawk, during early development significant changes were made to most components, reducing the commonality with Tomahawk. The Navy’s interest in MRASM was minimal while the Air Force’s position was divided: The Tactical Air Command (TAC) had limited interest while the Strategic Air Command (SAC) envisioned the MRASM as a useful weapon for the B-52G strategic bomber. The situation was further complicated by the Department of Defense's decision in 1983 to retire 90 of the approximately 150 available B-52G bombers.
The MRASM program was terminated by Congress in 1983. Other weapons that could be adopted to the MRASM role at that time included the Air Force BGU-15, an air-launched glide bomb, and the Navy’s Harpoon, while the Air Force Advanced Cruise Missile (ACM), a “stealth” weapon, could be used by strategic aircraft. Also being planned is an Army-Air Force effort to develop a common Joint Tactical Missile System (JTACMS) that could be ground-launched and carried by strategic and tactical aircraft for “deep attack.”
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The reason that the American Army does so well in wartime, is that war is chaos, and the American Army practices chaos on a daily basis.
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