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Stealthy Cruise Missiles for Polish F-16s
September 15, 2015 (by
Lieven Dewitte) -
Lockheed Martin has won a contract to supply AGM-158 JASSMs to the Polish Air Force. The cruise missiles will be fitted onto the 48 F-16C/D Block 52s that are currently in Polish service. This makes the country the third international JASSM customer following Australia and Finland.
The JASSM is a large, semi-stealthy long-range weapon of the 2,000 pounds (910 kg) class. The missile has been in US service since 2009 and as of 2014 it entered foreign service in Australia and Finland.
Armed with a penetrating blast-fragmentation warhead, JASSM is a stealthy, precision-guided cruise missile. JASSM employs an infrared seeker and enhanced digital anti-jam Global Positioning System, and is integrated on the US Air Force's B-1, B-2, B-52, F-16 and F-15E. Internationally, JASSM is carried on the F/A-18A/B and the F-18C/D aircraft.
There is also an extended range version of the missile, the AGM-158B JASSM-ER (Joint Air-to-Surface Standoff Missile-Extended Range), which entered service in 2014.
The contract covers an initial batch of 40 missiles, estimated to value approximately $500 million, including test and training missiles, aircraft upgrades and support services.
Until today, more than 1,700 JASSM cruise missiles have been delivered.
An F-16 (#88441) from the Eglin Test force carrying the AGM-158 Joint Air-to-Surface Standoff Missile [USAF photo]
Armed with a penetrating blast-fragmentation warhead, JASSM is a stealthy, precision-guided cruise missile. JASSM employs an infrared seeker and enhanced digital anti-jam Global Positioning System, and is integrated on the US Air Force's B-1, B-2, B-52, F-16 and F-15E. Internationally, JASSM is carried on the F/A-18A/B and the F-18C/D aircraft.
There is also an extended range version of the missile, the AGM-158B JASSM-ER (Joint Air-to-Surface Standoff Missile-Extended Range), which entered service in 2014.
The contract covers an initial batch of 40 missiles, estimated to value approximately $500 million, including test and training missiles, aircraft upgrades and support services.
Until today, more than 1,700 JASSM cruise missiles have been delivered.
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- Poland receives final three F16's (2008-12-16)
- JASSM successful in flight test (2005-03-05)
- JASSM gets USAF approval for full rate production (2004-03-11)
- JASSM Extended Range missile contract for Lockheed Martin (2003-07-16)
- JASSM proves deadly accurate in first development test flight (2001-01-31)
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