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Missiles of the World > The United States > JASSM / JASSM ER
JASSM / JASSM ER
Last Updated July
July 30, 2021
JASSM Development
The JASSM’s manufacturing and production started in 1998 and the Air Force
certified it operational in 2003.2 The JASSM-ER was first tested in 2006, and the first
lot of missiles delivered to the USAF in March 2014.3
In 2018, the USAF initiated development of a further extended variant designated the
AGM-158D. Known as the JASSM-XR, or “Extreme Range,” it can range approximately
1,800 km. Deliveries are planned to start in January 2024.5
Specifications
The standard JASSM has a range of 370 km, whereas the JASSM-ER has a range of
approximately 1,000 km. Their airframes are identical, so the weapons cannot be
distinguished merely by appearance. The primary differences lie in a larger internal
fuel tank, and a more efficient turbofan engine.6 The airframe itself can be described
as angular, similar to the Taurus KEPD 350, although more rounded and fluid. When
the missile is carried by aircraft, the fins and wings are folded, and then unfolded by
small explosive charges after released.7
Both variants measure 4.26 m long, 0.55 m in diameter, 0.45 m in height, 2.7 m in
extended wingspan, and 1,023 kg in launch weight. The JASSM carries a 432 kg class
WDU-42/B penetration and blast fragmentation type warhead.8 The missile is
powered by a turbojet engine, while the ER variant is powered by a turbofan engine.9
The missile is guided by INS/GPS unit developed for the JDAM and JSOW bombs, and
also a IR seeker for terminal guidance. It also incorporates three-dimensional
targeting models of the intended targets, of which eight can be stored in each
missile. The Air Force indicates that the missile is accurate within 3 m CEP.10
The JASSM is fitted to the B-1B Lancer, B-2 Spirit, B-52H Stratofortress, F-15E Strike
Eagle, F-16C/D, F/A-18C/D, and possibly later the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter. The B-1B
and F-15E can also equip the upgraded JASSM-ER.
Service History
The USAF has purchased over 2,000 JASSMs and plans to buy as many as 10,000.14
Outside of the United States, Australia, Finland, the Netherlands, and Poland have
deployed or are on contract to deploy JASSM.15
In June 2017, the United States deployed more than 10 Joint Air-to-Surface Standoff
Missiles (JASSM) to South Korea for use by U.S. Air Force F-16 fighters.16
In April 2018, the United States used JASSM in combat for the first time, targeting
Syria’s Barzah Research Development Center, which manufactured chemical
weapons for the Assad government. The strike included 19 JASSM-A missiles.17
In October 2019, the United States fired multiple JASSM-ER missiles against ISIS
leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi’s hideout, as part of a larger decapitation strike.18
Footnotes +
Missile Defense Project, "JASSM / JASSM ER," Missile Threat, Center for Strategic and International
Studies, October 6, 2016, last modified July 30, 2021, https://missilethreat.csis.org/missile/jassm/.
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