If the US decides to transfer JASSM missiles to Ukraine, it will significantly expand the capabilities of the already provided F-16s, as well as those aircraft that will be delivered to Ukraine in the future.
These planes will not only fight the superior numbers of Russian aircraft in air battles and strengthen air defense during massive missile attacks but will also independently deal devastating blows to enemy ground targets.
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Ukraine’s Air Force has repeatedly proven the effectiveness of using such air-launched cruise missiles. Storm Shadow missiles provided by Britain have destroyed Russian Black Sea Fleet ships and even command posts.
But Russia still has an advantage in the number of aircraft and air defense systems, so it is difficult to imagine that Ukraine will use its F-16s to launch bomb attacks on the front line.
The allies are also interested in the military success of Ukraine and the preservation of the transferred F-16s, understanding the strategic importance of these fighters to the war.
Under these conditions, Ukraine needs to provide the aircraft with the latest means of protection and armament.
Ukraine critically needs JASSM cruise missiles, because they will allow it to maximize the safety of Ukrainian pilots who have already been trained on the Western aircraft, and to minimize the risks for the F-16s themselves.
The availability of these missiles will significantly increase the effectiveness of combat operations and allow the destruction of important strategic targets from a safe distance, without flying into the area of operation of Russian air defense.
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The AGM-158 JASSM is a high-precision American all-weather air-to-ground cruise missile designed to destroy important, highly protected targets from a safe distance, beyond the range of enemy air defense systems. Its main purpose is to provide the ability to deliver devastating strikes on critical targets, while remaining unreachable for enemy air defense.
The JASSM development program began in 1995 when the technical tasks and requirements for the new missile were defined, as it had to meet the latest needs of the US Army. As part of this project, two leading defense manufacturers – Lockheed Martin and McDonnell Douglas (now Boeing) – were tasked with creating two prototypes of missiles to meet the criteria of low visibility, high accuracy, and the possibility of launch from areas where enemy air defense would not be able to reach the carrier aircraft. In 1996, these companies were awarded contracts for the initial stage of development, and their projects were named AGM-158A and AGM-159A, respectively.
In April 1998, Lockheed Martin won the contract for the engineering design and industrial development of JASSM missiles. Flight tests of the AGM-158A with the engine began in November 1999, while tests of the improved missile with the deficiencies removed took place in January 2001. In December 2001, the production of a small batch of the missiles was approved, and in mid-2002, the JASSM program officially entered the operational test and evaluation phase.
The missile was certified for operation in October 2003. Initially, B-52 strategic bombers carried JASSM missiles, but later they were integrated into the arsenal of most US Air Force strike aircraft, including the F-15E, F-16, F/A-18, F-35, B-1B, B-2, and B-52.
The F-16s transferred to Ukraine will be able to carry two JASSM missiles at the same time. The carrier aircraft serves as an air platform that provides the necessary altitude and speed of the missile before its launch. After launch, the missile’s jet engine is turned on and its wings open, ensuring a stable flight to the target.
Like the British-based Storm Shadow missile, the American AGM-158 JASSM uses stealth technology. Carbon-based composite materials widely used in the missile significantly reduce its reflectivity, making it difficult for enemy radars to detect it.
The analogy with the Storm Shadow is quite appropriate, since in practice stealth technology used in this missile has already proven its effectiveness in the war against Russia. Russian air defense systems often have serious difficulties in detecting and subsequently intercepting Storm Shadow missiles. The Russians will have similar problems when Ukraine receives JASSM missiles.
JASSM modifications
During its operation, the JASSM has had several modifications. The AGM-158A was the basic version of the missile, which has been manufactured since 2003. The maximum range of the first JASSM is 360 km (224 miles). The missile has a combined navigation system, including inertial navigation combined with GPS, which allows for adjustment of the missile’s trajectory. To achieve maximum accuracy, the AGM-158A is equipped with infrared homing activated at the final stage of the flight, allowing it to autonomously identify targets. It weighs 1,020 kg (2,249 pounds).
The next modification, AGM-158B, has an improved, more economical engine and larger fuel tanks. The missile has an increased fuel supply thanks to a change in the layout of its internal components. These improvements increased the maximum range up to 980 km (609 miles).
The JASSM warhead has not undergone any changes since its creation. Its weight is 450 kg (992 pounds), and its case, made of tungsten alloy, carries 109 kg (240 pounds) of high-performance explosive. The dimensions of the warhead allow it to penetrate the soil to a depth of 24 meters (79 feet) and pierce reinforced concrete slabs up to 2 meters (7 feet) thick, which makes it effective for destroying even fortified underground facilities.
The development of the newest version of the JASSM missile – AGM-158 Extreme Range – began in 2018. According to its planners, the missile was to have a longer range – up to 1,900 km (1,181 miles). In order to increase the flight range, the designers also increased the dimensions of the missile itself and its fuel tanks. Its weight was raised to 2,300 kg (5,071 pounds), and the warhead doubled to 910 kg (2,006 pounds). In addition, the missile has improved on-board electronics and navigation systems, which increased its accuracy and effectiveness in hitting targets. Due to the larger size, the design of the wings also underwent significant changes, which improved the aerodynamic characteristics, while the new coating made it less observable, complicating its detection by enemy radars. The production of the first small batch of these missiles began in 2021.
What missiles will Ukraine receive?
Ukraine may receive AGM-158A JASSM or AGM-158B JASSM-ER missiles. This is a real scenario, because the United States already supplies Ukraine with ATACMS ballistic missiles, which have almost the same range as the AGM-158A. Both models can be launched from F-16 aircraft, and the US Army has quite a lot of them.
The transfer of these missiles to Ukraine will open up new strategic opportunities for hitting military targets, in particular, in Crimea. Russian air defense systems and ballistic missile launchers, which Russia uses for strikes against Ukraine, will be under the threat of destruction. This will weaken its ability to attack civilian and military targets in Ukraine.
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