Friday, March 29, 2024

Pentagon awards Lockheed Martin nearly $1 billion for new air-launched cruise missiles

The Pentagon awarded Lockheed Martin $818,2 million for the defense giants’ Joint Air-to-Surface Standoff Missile Extended Range, or JASSM-ERs, the Defense Department announced Wednesday.

The multi-million dollar award is provided for 360 Lot 17 JASSM-Extended Range (ER) missiles; 40 Lot 17 Foreign Military Sales (FMS) JASSM-ER missiles; and 390 Lot 18 JASSM-ER missiles.

JASSM is a long-range, conventional, air-to-ground, precision standoff missile for the U.S. and allied forces. Designed to destroy high-value, well-defended, fixed and relocatable targets, JASSM’s significant standoff range keeps aircrews well out of danger from hostile air defense systems.

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As to the JASSM-ER, this missile is integrated on the B-1B, the F-15E and is currently completing integration for the internal bay and wings of the B-52H, F-35 Lightning II and F-16C/D. Internationally, JASSM is carried on the F/A-18A/B and the F-18C/D aircraft.

The company’s website said that with superior performance and affordable price, JASSM and JASSM-ER offer the best value of any weapon in their class.

Low rate production of JASSM-ER was authorised in January 2011. The US Air Force successfully completed the initial operational test and evaluation (IOT&E) flight testing of JASSM- ER in May 2013.

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Executive Editor

About author:

Dylan Malyasov
Dylan Malyasov
Dylan Malyasov is the editor-in-chief of Defence Blog. He is a journalist, an accredited defense advisor, and a consultant. His background as a defense advisor and consultant adds a unique perspective to his journalistic endeavors, ensuring that his reporting is well-informed and authoritative. read more

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