Not at posted coordinates! Be sure to check the logbook for the bonus codes!
The AGM-86/B Air Launched Cruise Missile has a conventionally-armed cousin, the AGM-86C/D Conventional Air Launched Cruise Missile (CALCM). Identical in many respects to its nuclear-capable cousin, the CALCM features GPS satellite navigation in addition to its inertial terrain contour-matching guidance system, making it exceptionally accurate. The CALCM can be armed with either a 3,000-lb-class high explosive warhead (C-model) or a 1,200-lb penetrator warhead (D-model) to destroy hardened targets at standoff ranges. The conventional modification made the missiles heavier and reduced their range to between 600 and almost 1,100 miles.
As far back as 1986, over 600 AGM-86Bs were converted into C-variants. Flight tests were conducted in 1987 and the missiles operational in 1988. Its mere existence was entirely hush-hush until the first Gulf War, when 35 were employed against Iraqi targets. The whole mission and the weapons were highly classified under codename Senior Surprise, but crews who were “briefed in” called it Secret Squirrel. Recall, only those with strict need-to-know would be briefed into Secret Squirrel. Back in 1990-1991, Barksdale would still be standing ground Alpha alert for Single Integrated Operations Plan (SIOP—nuclear) missions. When 7 other aircraft with strangely configured loads appeared on the flight line, it further challenged secrecy. The Secret Squirrel crews were on similar Sierra alert for their CALCM mission.
On 16 January 1991, the seven Secret Squirrel B-52Gs from Barksdale (the weapons’ sole location) loaded with between 39 total mission-capable missiles departed for the Middle East. Their mission was planned to the minute; commercial and military air traffic was deconflicted, strict radio silence and flight rules of engagement were enforced to minimize the exposure of seven BUFFs flying with what the world would certainly have thought to be nuclear weapons aboard. The times over target and launch times were choreographed to have all 39 missiles strike their targets simultaneously and to avoid any missiles colliding with another. The targets were high-value telecommunications and public utilities in Iraq. With the GPS navigation, the missiles were very accurate—one even snapped its telephone pole aim point in half! You might note 39 missiles were loaded and 35 were used; that is correct; only mission-capable missiles were launched that night. Four missiles had communication issues and were not launched. Any “duds” would have to be found, safeguarded or destroyed to avoid the highly-classified missiles from being exploited by the enemy. The mission set a long-time record for the longest combat mission: 34.5 hours and 14,000 miles in length!
The CALCM was also used in other combat missions: 16 in 1996 against Iraq; 90 in 1998 against Iraq; 200 in 1999 against Serbia and Kosovo; and 153 in 2003 against Iraq. The missiles have been retired as of 2019, as the AGM-158 Joint Air-Surface Standoff Missile has superseded the CALCM.
To find this cache, calculate the coordinates from the information in this listing.
N 48° 17.ABC W 101° 19.DEF
A= Weight class of AGM-86/C conventional warhead, N,XXX lbs, A=(N+5)
B= Approximate maximum range of CALCM, X,NXX miles, B=(N+7)
C= Quantity of AGM-86Bs converted into C-variants, NXX missiles, C=(N/2)
D= Year in which CALCM flight tests began, XXNX, D=(N-8)
E= Quantity of Secret Squirrel B-52Gs flying the 16 January 1991 sortie from Barksdale, N B-52Gs, E=(Nx1)
F= Total miles in then-longest combat mission, NN,XXX miles, F=(NN/2)
Dorr, R. & Peacock, L. (1995). Boeing’s Cold War Warrior: B-52 Stratofortress. London, UK; Osprey Aerospace.
Lake, J. (2004). B-52 Stratofortress Units in Operation Desert Storm. Osprey: University Park, IL.
https://www.af.mil/About-Us/Fact-Sheets/Display/Article/104612/agm-86bcd-missiles/
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/AGM-86_ALCM
https://www.boeing.com/history/products/agm-86b-c-air-launched-cruise-missile.page
https://missilethreat.csis.org/missile/alcm/