Lockheed Martin Continues Development of AGM-158D Extreme-Range GPS-Guided Stealth Cruise Missile
Date: April 4, 2025
The AGM-158D, weighing 5,000 pounds, is set to nearly double the operational range of the JASSM-ER missile to 1,200 miles, while carrying a powerful 2,000-pound warhead. This initiative comes as part of a $208.1 million contract awarded to Lockheed Martin to enhance the capabilities of air-to-ground precision-guided missiles.
Eglin Air Force Base in Florida is home to the U.S. Air Force Life Cycle Management Center, which has tasked Lockheed Martin’s Missiles and Fire Control division in Orlando with the development, testing, and integration of the AGM-158D advanced version of the Joint Air-to-Surface Standoff Missile (JASSM).
About the JASSM Series
The JASSM, in active service since 2009, is a precision air-to-ground missile designed for high-value, well-defended targets. The original JASSM has a range of 230 miles, while its extended version, JASSM-ER, reaches up to 620 miles.
The new AGM-158D version will leverage improved wing designs, advanced missile control systems, updated paint for better radar evasion, an electronic safe and arm fuze, and a secure GPS receiver to extend its reach significantly. The first units are anticipated to be delivered in January 2024.
In comparison, the JASSM-ER, weighing 2,250 pounds, incorporates a 1,000-pound penetrator and explosive fragmentation warhead, capable of operating effectively in various weather conditions.
Advanced Features
What sets the JASSM apart is its stealth capabilities, allowing it to maintain considerable standoff ranges to protect aircrews from enemy defenses, while its design makes it hard to counteract. Lockheed Martin emphasizes the stealthy design of the JASSM as a major advantage.
The AGM-158B JASSM-ER uses preplanned routes to reach its targets, guided by GPS and an internal navigation system, featuring an infrared seeker for final guidance. The missile can be deployed from numerous aircraft, including B-1, B-2, B-52, F-16, F/A-18E/F, and F-15E variants, with international users including Australia, Finland, and Poland.
Lockheed Martin is also focused on extending the missile’s compatibility with U.S. and allied F-35 Lightning II fighter jets.
Completion of the current contract work is expected by December 2027. For more details, visit Lockheed Martin Missiles and Fire Control at www.lockheedmartin.com or the Air Force Life Cycle Management Center at www.aflcmc.af.mil.
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