Image Courtesy: Keith Thornburgh

The U.S. Air Force has developed and tested a new low-cost cruise missile in a fraction of the time normally required, marking one of the fastest weapons acquisition efforts in the service’s history. Designated the AGM-188A Rusty Dagger, the missile was created under the Extended Range Attack Munition (ERAM) program to provide aircraft with a long-range precision strike capability while keeping them outside the reach of enemy air defenses.

Built by Zone 5 Technologies, the missile progressed from contract award to production in just 14 months, far faster than traditional weapons programs that often take years to reach operational status. The rapid development effort was driven by urgent military requirements and relied on streamlined testing and close collaboration between the Air Force and industry partners, according to Defence Blog.

One of the most remarkable milestones came at the Arnold Engineering Development Complex (AEDC) in Tennessee, where engineers completed critical aerodynamic testing at record speed. After receiving an urgent request from Eglin Air Force Base, teams produced a scale model of the missile in less than 48 hours using multiple manufacturing approaches, including traditional machining and 3D printing.

Lt. Col. Joe Sabat, former commander of AEDC’s 716th Test Squadron, said engineers delivered finished test data in under three days, calling the turnaround unprecedented. Wind tunnel testing began just 46 hours after the request arrived, and preliminary results reached Air Force engineers only 67 hours later, despite an unexpected equipment issue during testing.

The Air Force quickly followed with F-16 integration tests conducted in March, confirming the missile could be safely carried and operated by the fighter aircraft. Officials said the tests validated loading procedures and compatibility with onboard systems, while separate operational evaluations were conducted by the 53rd Wing.

Brig. Gen. Robert P. Lyons III told lawmakers that Rusty Dagger represents “a new class of affordable, low-cost munitions” and praised its unprecedented development timeline. By comparison, the AGM-158B JASSM-ER required roughly eight years to enter service after its first flight, while the AGM-179 Joint Air-to-Ground Missile took around 12 years from initial testing to operational deployment.

The Air Force says the program demonstrates a new approach to rapidly fielding affordable precision weapons for future conflicts. Although reports have claimed Rusty Dagger may have already been used in combat by Ukraine, neither U.S. nor Ukrainian officials have confirmed those claims.