Skip to content
Magazine
Friday, August 1, 2025
SUBSCRIBE
  • About Us
  • Belgium News
    • Belgium Police News
    • Brussels News
  • EU Institutions News
    • European Commission News
    • European Parliament News
    • European Council News
  • Europe News
  • World News
  • Belgium Business News
  • Culture and Society News
  • In Depth
    • Ambassador’s Corner
    • The American Angle
    • Sustainable Perspective
    • Europe With Transparency
    • Place de la Bourse
    • The Macro-Economist
    • Southeast Europe
  • About Us
  • Belgium News
    • Belgium Police News
    • Brussels News
  • EU Institutions News
    • European Commission News
    • European Parliament News
    • European Council News
  • Europe News
  • World News
  • Belgium Business News
  • Culture and Society News
  • In Depth
    • Ambassador’s Corner
    • The American Angle
    • Sustainable Perspective
    • Europe With Transparency
    • Place de la Bourse
    • The Macro-Economist
    • Southeast Europe
SUBSCRIBE

AGM-158 JASSM: Specifications & Recent Use in Warzone

Helen Critchley by Helen Critchley
2 April 2024
in World News
AGM-158 JASSM attached to fighter jet

Brussels, (Brussels Morning Newspaper) – The 2,000-pound AGM-158 JASSM is a stealthy, low-cost GPS/IIR-guided cruise missile. It attacks well-defended targets without exposing its carrier aircraft to modern long-range surface-to-air missile systems. Reliability difficulties have plagued JASSM’s development. Poor test results threatened its termination in 2005. By May 2009, the show looked to be nearing cancellation again after a roller coaster in 2007. The USAF resumed manufacturing after Lots 7 and 8 in FY 2010, thanks to test findings, and the missile is already receiving export orders. Let’s learn more about the AGM-158 JASSM.

What is the AGM-158 JASSM?

The JASSM series of missiles are guided by a mix of GPS and INS locations while in flight and Imaging Infrared (IIR) for precise targeting at their ultimate destination. They travel at a subsonic speed and have a body form that was meant to have a very low radar profile. On board, they contain a dual-mode penetrator and a blast fragmentation warhead.

The United States military plans to acquire more than 5,000 missiles from this family. This includes 2,400 JASSMs and 2,978 JASSM-ERs. It seems that manufacturing of the AGM-158 JASSM will end around the fiscal year 2021, while orders for the AGM-158B JASSM-ER will keep the production line operating into the late 2020s and potentially even beyond that. Our customers include countries such as the United States of America, Australia, Finland, the Netherlands, and Poland.

Finnish Air Forces successfully test fired AGM-158 JASSM A2G missiles in the #USA.

First two F-18s modified to fire the new missiles will return to #Finland during May.

For the first time Finland will have a long range missile system to support it's deterrent.@20committee pic.twitter.com/VPeewl2pg5

— Petri Mäkelä (@pmakela1) March 10, 2018

AGM-158 JASSM Specifications

The JASSM-ER has a range of roughly 1,000 kilometres, which is much more than the normal JASSM’s range of 370 kilometres. Because their airframes are similar, it is impossible to differentiate between the two weapons based on their look. The key changes include a bigger internal fuel tank and a much more efficient turbofan engine. The airframe has an angular shape, much like the Taurus KEPD 350, although more rounded and flowing. When the missile is carried by aeroplane, the fins and wings fold into a more compact configuration. These configurations are then released from their folded state using tiny explosive charges.

Both versions have a length of 4.26 meters, a diameter of 0.55 meters, a height of 0.45 meters, an expanded wingspan of 2.7 meters, and a launch weight of 1,023 kilograms. The JASSM is equipped with a 432-kilogram WDU-42/B warhead of the penetrating and explosion fragmentation type. The ER variation of the missile is propelled by a turbofan engine, in contrast to the turbojet engine that powers the standard weapon version. In addition to an infrared seeker for terminal guidance, the missile is directed by an INS/GPS unit originally designed for the JDAM and JSOW bombs. Additionally, it features three-dimensional targeting simulations of the desired targets, with the capacity to store eight of these models inside each missile. According to the Air Force, the missile has a level of accuracy within 3 m CEP.

Read More: All Out Destruction: How Will Nuclear War kill You?

Additional Specifications

The B-1B Lancer, the B-2 Spirit, the B-52H Stratofortress, the F-15E Strike Eagle, the F-16C/D, the F/A-18C/D, and maybe even the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter in the future will all be equipped with the JASSM. The B-1B and the F-15E can be armed with the improved JASSM-ER.

The B-1B is regarded as the beginning point platform since it can carry a maximum of 24 missiles. The B-2 and the B-52H can carry missiles, although the B-2 can carry up to 16 while the B-52H can carry 12. Although it is possible for fighter aircraft to carry one missile under each wing, the United States Air Force equipped an F-15E with five JASSMs in May of 2021. If the F-35 were to get certification to carry the JASSM, the weapon would have to be carried externally on the aircraft since it is too large to fit in the F-35’s primary internal weapons bay.

AGM-158 JASSM Use in Warzone

The United States Air Force (USAF) has already acquired over 2,000 JASSMs and might purchase up to 10,000 more. JASSM has been deployed or is under contract in Australia, Finland, the Netherlands, and Poland. U.S. F-16 fighter jets were equipped with more than ten Joint Air-to-Surface Standoff Missiles (JASSM) in June 2017 for deployment in South Korea.

The United States first used JASSM in a combat situation in April 2018, when they struck a Syrian facility used to produce chemical weapons for the Assad regime. The attack used 19 JASSM-A missiles. As part of a bigger decapitation attack, the United States launched several JASSM-ER missiles in October 2019 towards the hideaway of ISIS leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi.

Conclusion

As part of a proof-of-concept exercise at Eglin Air Force Base in Florida, five AGM-158 JASSM were installed in an F-15E Strike Eagle fighter plane for the first time. The plane has not yet been to the skies with the five stealthy cruise missiles loaded, but more testing is planned with the intention of more than tripling the Strike Eagle’s previous JASSM load.

Related News:

  • AGM-88 HARM: Specifications & Recent Use in Ukraine Russia War
  • FGM-148 Javelin: Specifications, Buyers & Recent Use in Warzones
  • Waterbus transported significantly more cyclists in recent pandemic years
  • Affordable Sunday Rates: Recent Month’s Best Deals
Next Post
Global nuclear war as portrayed in Terminator

What Nuclear War Looks Like From Space?

Latest post

EU-elections-UK

EU elections: UK looks on from the “outside”

1 year ago
Galeries-Royales-Saint-Hubert

What Makes Galeries Royales Saint-Hubert an “Institution”?

1 year ago

Most Read

    Follow Brussels Morning
    Facebook Twitter Youtube Linkedin

    Browse Important News

    Belgium News
    Brussels News
    Culture and Society News
    Economy News
    EU Institutions News
    European Commission News
    European Council News
    European Parliament News
    Europe News
    Health And Fitness News
    Southeast Europe News
    Sustainable Perspective
    World News
    Diplomacy News
    US Elections News

    About Us

    Brussels Morning is a daily online newspaper based in Belgium. BM publishes unique and independent coverage on international and European affairs. With a Europe-wide perspective, BM covers policies and politics of the EU, significant Member State developments, and looks at the international agenda with a European perspective.

    More Info

    • About Us
    • Advertise With Us
    • Contact Us
    • Cookies Policy

    Join Our Newsletter

    Brussels Morning Newspaper – All Rights Reserved © 2024

    No Result
    View All Result
    • Home
    • About Us
    • Belgium News
      • Belgium Police News
      • Brussels News
    • Brussels Bubble
      • European Parliament News
      • European Commission News
      • European Council News
    • Wider Europe
      • Member States
    • World News
    • Business & Society
    • Europe With Transparency
    • Culture & Society
    • Policy Talks
      • Place de la Bourse
      • The Macro-Economist
      • Sustainable Perspective
      • Ambassador’s Corner
      • The American Angle
      • Southeast Europe
    • Print Magazine

    Brussels Morning Newspaper - All Rights Reserved © 2020

    We use cookies on our website to give you the most relevant experience by remembering your preferences and repeat visits. By clicking “Accept”, you consent to the use of ALL the cookies.
    Cookie settingsACCEPT
    Privacy & Cookies Policy

    Privacy Overview

    This website uses cookies to improve your experience while you navigate through the website. Out of these cookies, the cookies that are categorized as necessary are stored on your browser as they are essential for the working of basic functionalities of the website. We also use third-party cookies that help us analyze and understand how you use this website. These cookies will be stored in your browser only with your consent. You also have the option to opt-out of these cookies. But opting out of some of these cookies may have an effect on your browsing experience.
    Necessary
    Always Enabled
    Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly. This category only includes cookies that ensures basic functionalities and security features of the website. These cookies do not store any personal information.
    Non-necessary
    Any cookies that may not be particularly necessary for the website to function and is used specifically to collect user personal data via analytics, ads, other embedded contents are termed as non-necessary cookies. It is mandatory to procure user consent prior to running these cookies on your website.
    SAVE & ACCEPT