Air‑to-surface JASSM missiles to bolster Ukraine's defensive might

JASSM missiles, carried by aircraft such as the F-16, have been earmarked for transfer to Ukraine for months. The American administration has begun preparations for the transfer of these missiles, which will enable Ukraine to target locations up to 230 miles away.

Western long-range weapons provide invaluable support for Ukraine. Kyiv has received British Storm Shadow missiles and their French equivalent, SCALP-EG. With these weapons, they have successfully attacked various targets, including ships in the port of Sevastopol and the command centre at the Belbek airbase.

To use such missiles, the Ukrainians had to modify their Su-24 aircraft by attaching suspension beams from Tornado aircraft. Despite numerous requests from Ukraine, Germany has not agreed to hand over its Taurus missiles. However, Ukraine will soon receive other valuable weapons – JASSM air-to-surface missiles.

This aid is particularly significant as this type of weapon can be carried by F-16 aircraft. The first tranche of these aircraft – confirmed in August 2024 – has already been transferred to Ukraine, although it is unclear whether these specific units have been adapted to carry JASSM missiles.

The JASSM missile transfer announcements initially surfaced in the public domain in the spring of 2024 as general declarations. After several months, these plans are beginning to take concrete shape.

According to Ukrainian sources, the American administration is preparing to transfer JASSM missiles to Ukraine, supported by senators from both major political parties. Although the decision has not been officially made, formal and technical preparations are already underway.

JASSM missiles - AGM-158 Joint Air-to-Surface Standoff Missile – are designed to strike targets beyond the range of anti-aircraft defences. The rocket is 14 feet long, weighs just over a ton, and can carry a 1,000-pound warhead over approximately 230 miles. It flies at subsonic speeds, and its stealth features make detecting and destroying difficult.

JASSM missiles entered service with the US Air Force in 2003. Since then, developmental versions have appeared, such as the AGM-158B JASSM ER, which has an extended range of 620 miles, and the anti-ship variant AGM-158C LRASM.

A "palletised" variant, the Rapid Dragon launcher, allows missiles to be launched by transport aircraft. Work is also underway on the AGM-158D JASSM-XR variant, which will have an extended range of up to 1,180 miles.

It is worth noting that the actual value of American aid to Ukraine depends on the technical capabilities of the transferred weapons and the restrictions imposed for political reasons.

At this stage, it is unclear whether the missiles with a range of 230 miles will be restricted to targets within Ukrainian territory or if they will be permitted – which would be a significant development – to strike targets in Russian territory as well.