The Biden administration is taking steps in the next phase of “F-16 for Ukraine” Initiative focused on supplying stealth munitions that could support Kyiv’s efforts to push back Russian forces in temporarily occupied territories. American experts suspect that Joint Air-to-Surface Standoff Missiles (JASSM) could be on the list for possible delivery to Ukraine.

The White House’s decision is pending, but the outlook for Ukraine is optimistic. This represents a significant shift, especially as Washington considers sending a modern technological marvel rather than Cold War-era weapons for the first time since the Russian invasion in 2022.

Nevertheless, the so-called F-16 challenge remains, as the JASSM was not originally designed to integrate with that aircraft. As Peter Suciu explained, these modern air-launched cruise missiles could provide Ukraine with significant long-range strike power, although integrating the JASSM with the F-16 could be difficult.

What do experts in Washington think about the situation? According to Thomas Newdick, the United States “open” to supply the AGM-158 Joint Air-to-Surface Standoff Missile (JASSM) to Ukraine. This discussion follows reports from Washington about six months ago when Ukrainian officials announced they would receive an unspecified type of air-launched cruise missile with a range of up to 300 miles for their F-16s.

The F-16s delivered to Ukraine are of the F-16 AM/BM standard and have gone through the Mid-Life Update (MLU) program. However, it is important to note that none of these jets currently use the JASSM. Currently, only the US Air Force and Poland, which have more modern versions of the F-16, use this missile. It is plausible that the MLU jets support, or perhaps already have, the necessary software for the JASSM. However, activation or certain hardware modifications may be required, which could lead to limitations.

While a final decision is reportedly still pending, a Biden administration official told Politico that details of the handover are being worked out, including how the missile’s sensitive technologies will be handled. This development suggests that the conversation is moving from “If” To “When.”

For the first time, there are official discussions about the possibility of equipping Ukrainian F-16s with JASSM missiles. Until recently, this idea was pure speculation, but it seems that the analysis was spot on. Earlier this summer, Tyler Rogoway boldly suggested that it would be logical to equip Ukrainian F-16s with JASSM. “The biggest joker of all”, Rogoway noted and emphasized the importance of this particular cruise missile.

So what will Ukraine get if DC approval is granted? The Joint Air-to-Surface Standoff Missile (JASSM) is a long-range, precision-guided missile developed by Lockheed Martin for the U.S. military. It is designed to attack high-value, well-defended targets from a safe distance, minimizing the risk to the launching aircraft.

Radar visibility in missile numbers refers to the missile’s ability to evade detection by enemy radar systems. The JASSM is equipped with low visibility technology that makes it difficult for enemy radars to detect and track the missile, increasing its survivability and effectiveness in contested environments.

The JASSM is equipped with a variety of sensors to ensure accurate target acquisition and navigation. This includes an infrared seeker for guidance, which enables the missile to track the target with high precision even in adverse weather conditions or in the presence of countermeasures.

The JASSM’s avionics include advanced navigation systems such as GPS and an inertial navigation system (INS). These systems work together to provide precise course guidance and ensure that the missile stays on its planned trajectory to the target.

The JASSM’s guidance systems include a combination of GPS, INS and an infrared seeker. This multi-modal guidance system enables the missile to navigate precisely over long distances and adjust its course as needed to hit the desired target with high precision.

The types of optics in the JASSM mainly refer to the infrared seeker used for target guidance. This seeker provides high-resolution images so that the missile can identify and lock on to the target in the final phase of flight, ensuring a high probability of successful engagement.

The JASSM is equipped with a penetrating fragmentation warhead. This type of warhead is designed to penetrate hardened structures such as bunkers or reinforced buildings before detonating to maximize damage to the target.

The range of the JASSM varies depending on the variant. The base variant of the JASSM has a range of about 370 kilometers, while the extended range variant, JASSM-ER, can reach distances of up to 925 kilometers.

JASSM missile targets include a variety of high-value objects such as enemy air defense systems, command and control centers, communications nodes, and other critical infrastructure. Their precision and long range make them an effective means of neutralizing strategic targets deep inside enemy territory.

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