Netherlands Orders JASSM-ER Missiles

The United States and the Netherlands formalized a Letter of Offer and Acceptance (LoA) agreement on Monday to purchase Lockheed Martin’s Joint Air-to-Surface Standoff Missile Extended Range (JASSM-ER).

The value of the contract has not been revealed. In February 2024, the U.S. State Department approved the sale to Netherlands of 120 AGM-158B/B-2 JASSM-ER missiles and related equipment and support. The estimated total cost is $908 million, according to the Pentagon.

The latest generation of JASSM-ER stealthy air-launched cruise missiles includes enhancements to hardware and software. The standard JASSM has a range of 370 km, while the JASSM-ER can reach 1,000 km. Both variants measure 4.26 meters in length and weigh 1,023 kg at launch, equipped with a 450 kg WDU-42/B penetrating warhead.

The JASSM-ER includes hardware and software enhancements, providing increased capabilities and more flexible options to adapt to evolving mission requirements. The JASSM weapon system is designed to destroy high-value, well-defended targets from a standoff range, keeping aircrews out of reach of hostile air defense systems without compromising lethality or reach.

Production began in 1998, and the missile was declared operational by the U.S. Air Force in 2003. An extended-range version, the AGM-158B JASSM-ER, was developed alongside the standard variant and entered service in 2014.

The JASSM is deployed on various U.S.A.F. aircraft, including the B-1B Lancer, B-2 Spirit, and F-15E Strike Eagle, among others.