▁cancel led ▁( to ▁be ▁later ▁res ur rect ed ▁as ▁the ▁B - 1 B ). ▁Now ▁being ▁free ▁of ▁the ▁length ▁restriction ▁of ▁the ▁B - 1 A ▁weapon ▁bay , ▁the ▁Air ▁Force ▁began ▁full - scale ▁development ▁of ▁the ▁AG M - 8 6 B ▁in ▁January ▁ 1 9 7 7 , ▁which ▁greatly ▁en hanced ▁the ▁B - 5 2 ' s ▁capabilities ▁and ▁helped ▁the ▁United ▁States ▁maintain ▁a ▁strateg ic ▁d eter rent . ▁ ▁Production ▁of ▁the ▁initial ▁ 2 2 5 ▁AG M - 8 6 B ▁miss iles ▁began ▁in ▁fis cal ▁year ▁ 1 9 8 0 ▁and ▁production ▁of ▁a ▁total ▁ 1 , 7 1 5 ▁miss iles ▁was ▁completed ▁in ▁October ▁ 1 9 8 6 . ▁The ▁air - launch ed ▁cru ise ▁miss ile ▁had ▁become ▁oper ational ▁four ▁years ▁earlier , ▁in ▁December ▁ 1 9 8 2 . ▁More ▁than ▁ 1 0 0 ▁launch es ▁have ▁taken ▁place ▁since ▁then , ▁with ▁a ▁ 9 0 % ▁approximate ▁success ▁rate . ▁The ▁miss ile ' s ▁flight ▁path ▁is ▁pre - program med ▁and ▁it ▁becomes ▁totally ▁autonom ous ▁after ▁launch . ▁ ▁In ▁June ▁ 1 9 8 6 ▁a ▁limited ▁number ▁of ▁AG M - 8 6 B ▁miss iles ▁were ▁converted ▁to ▁carry ▁a ▁high - expl os ive ▁bl ast / fragment ation ▁war head ▁and ▁an ▁internal ▁G PS . ▁They ▁were ▁red es ign ated ▁as ▁the