AFSOC has publicly introduced the AGM-190A “Havoc Spear,” a small cruise missile developed to give US forces a low-cost weapon that can be produced and fielded quickly.
Air Force Special Operations Command (AFSOC) has publicly introduced the AGM-190A “Havoc Spear,” a small cruise missile developed to give US special operations forces a low-cost weapon that can be produced and fielded quickly.
The announcement marks a milestone in AFSOC’s Enhanced Precision Effects modernization effort, which aims to expand the use of adaptable long-range weapons capable of delivering both kinetic and non-kinetic effects.
Designed as a modular and mission-adaptable cruise missile, AFSOC commander Lt. Gen. Mike Conley said the weapon allows commanders more standoff strike options against a range of threats.
Havoc Spear was developed in partnership with industry under a cooperative research and development agreement.
“The technology was there, what we needed was the venue to move fast and take calculated, manageable risks,” US Special Operations Command Commander Admiral Frank Bradley said. “It is that exact DNA — that operator-to-engineer feedback loop — that is now scaling across the Joint Force.”
According to AFSOC, the missile moved from development to combat evaluation in under three years, significantly faster than the typical five- to seven-year acquisition cycle for new weapons systems.
Why ‘Havoc Spear’?
Secretary of the Air Force Troy Meink selected the name “Havoc Spear” in November 2025 to reflect the system’s intended capabilities of delivering widespread destruction through mass attacks and conducting precise long-range targeting.
The command plans to integrate the weapon into broader all-domain operations supporting both US Special Operations Command and conventional air force missions.
AFSOC said the missile is intended to support distributed operations and create operational dilemmas for adversaries through long-range precision attack capability.
