From the 55th B-52G onward (58-0159), ability to carry the North American GAM-77 (later redesignated AGM-28) Hound Dog air-launched cruise missile was added. An underwing pylon was added inboard of the inner engine pods underneath each wing, one Hound Dog being carried on each pylon. Earlier B-52Gs were upgraded by 1962 with Hound Dog capability, as well as some earlier B-52s. All versions from the B-52C onward are known to have carried the Hound Dog at some time in their careers.
The AGM-28 Hound Dog was 42 feet long with a wingspan of 12 feet. It was powered by by a single Pratt & Whitney J52-P-3 turbojet engine rated at 7500 lb.s.t. It had a maximum speed of Mach 2.1, and maximum range at high altitude was about 700 nautical miles, although this was reduced to 200 nautical miles when at low level. The Hound Dog was guided by an inertial system assisted by an astrotracker. The inertial guidance system was updated by the B-52's onboard system just before launch. Since the inertial guidance system relied on no external signals, it could not be jammed. The flight path could be profiled for tree top level or for altitudes as high as 55,000 feet. The AGM-28 carried a single W28 thermonuclear warhead, with a 1 megaton yield. The J52 jet engines of the AGM-28 could be used for extra power during takeoff, and the inertial navigation system of the AGM-28 could even be used as a backup for the B-52's own system.