Joint Air-to-Surface Standoff Missile

Joint Air-to-Surface Standoff Missile. The Joint Air-to-Surface Standoff Missile (JASSM) is a long-range, low-observable air-launched cruise missile developed by Lockheed Martin for the United States Armed Forces. Designed to destroy high-value, well-defended fixed and relocatable targets from outside enemy air defenses, it entered service with the United States Air Force in 2009. The weapon system represents a cornerstone of the American standoff strike capability, with successive variants extending its range and lethality.

Development and variants

The JASSM program originated in the mid-1990s to fulfill a joint requirement from the United States Air Force and United States Navy for a next-generation standoff weapon. Lockheed Martin won the development contract in 1998, defeating a proposal from McDonnell Douglas. Initial operational testing revealed reliability issues, leading to a contentious " probation" period and a near-cancellation by the Department of Defense in the early 2000s. The program was salvaged after a rigorous reliability improvement campaign. The baseline AGM-158A JASSM was followed by the significantly extended-range AGM-158B JASSM-ER (Extended Range), which entered production in 2014. Further development led to the AGM-158D JASSM-XR (eXtreme Range), and a dedicated anti-ship version, the AGM-158C Long Range Anti-Ship Missile (LRASM), which was accelerated into service by the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) and the United States Navy.

Design and capabilities

The JASSM is characterized by its stealthy airframe design, incorporating materials and shaping techniques to reduce its radar cross-section. It employs a GPS-aided inertial navigation system for mid-course guidance, updated by two-way secure data link, and uses a imaging infrared seeker for terminal homing to achieve a stated circular error probable of less than three meters. The missile is equipped with a 1,000-pound WDU-42/B penetrator and blast-fragmentation warhead. The JASSM-ER variant replaces the original Teledyne CAE J402 turbojet with a more fuel-efficient Williams International F107 turbofan, dramatically increasing its range. All variants are designed for internal carriage on stealth aircraft like the F-35 Lightning II and B-2 Spirit, as well as external carriage on platforms like the B-52 Stratofortress and F-16 Fighting Falcon.

Operational history

The JASSM achieved initial operational capability with the United States Air Force in 2009. It saw its first combat use in 2014 during Operation Inherent Resolve, launched from B-1 Lancer bombers against Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant targets in Syria. The missile has been employed in subsequent strikes, including the 2017 Shayrat missile strike in Syria and the 2018 Bombing of Damascus and Homs. The Royal Australian Air Force has also deployed the weapon from its F/A-18 Hornet and will integrate it on the F-35A Lightning II. The JASSM-ER is now a primary standoff weapon for the B-1 Lancer and B-52 Stratofortress fleets, with integration ongoing on the F-15EX.

Operators

* : United States Air Force, United States Navy (LRASM variant) * : Royal Australian Air Force * : Finnish Air Force * : Polish Air Force * : Japan Air Self-Defense Force (on order)

Category:Air-to-surface missiles of the United States Category:Cruise missiles Category:Lockheed Martin