US close to supplying Ukraine with long-range cruise missiles - Reuters

It is expected that the inclusion of Joint Air-to-Surface Standoff Missiles (JASSM) in the weapons package will be announced this fall, according to three anonymous sources, although a final decision has not yet been made.

Officials say that sending JASSM missiles to Ukraine could significantly change the strategic landscape of the conflict, as a large part of Russia's territory would be within the range of these powerful precision-guided munitions, a major concern for the Biden administration.

Military analysts have suggested that the introduction of JASSM missiles, which are low-observable and can strike farther than most other missiles in Ukraine's arsenal, could push Russian concentration areas and supply depots hundreds of miles away.

This would greatly complicate Russia's ability to conduct offensive operations and could potentially give Ukraine a strategic advantage.

Launching them from points near Ukraine's northern border with Russia could allow strikes on military targets as far as the Russian cities of Voronezh and Bryansk. In the south, dropping them near the front lines could enable strikes on airfields or naval facilities in Crimea.

JASSM is currently integrated only into US-designed aircraft. Eventually, Ukraine will operate several dozen F-16s, each capable of carrying two cruise missiles.

One US official said there had been attempts to make the missile compatible with Ukraine's non-Western fighter jets, a fact not previously reported. Although the official did not provide additional details about which aircraft the JASSM could be used, Ukraine operates Soviet-era MiG-29, Su-24, and Su-27 aircraft.

Necessity of long-range missiles

Ukraine's need for more and more powerful weapons is growing as the country continues to face intense pressure from Russian forces along its eastern front.

Older models of the JASSM, manufactured by Lockheed Martin Corp, range from about 370 km. The approximately 4-meter-long missiles are designed to be somewhat stealthy, making them difficult to detect on radar. They can also fly close to the ground and can be programmed to follow evasive routes, avoiding air defenses.

There is also a longer-range JASSM missile that can fly over 750 km. Reuters could not immediately determine which of the two types Washington was considering, but providing the shorter-range missiles would place less strain on US stockpiles.

Providing JASSM missiles to Ukraine would also increase pressure on Washington to lift restrictions on Ukraine's use of American weapons, as their effectiveness would be limited if they were not allowed to be used against targets in Russia, said a Congressional staffer working on the issue.

The US has been reluctant to supply weapons capable of hitting targets deep inside Russia, fearing it could escalate the conflict. Kyiv's allies have provided weapons but with restrictions on how and when they can be used within Russia due to fears that such strikes could provoke retaliatory actions that might draw NATO countries into the war or trigger a nuclear conflict.

Each JASSM has a large warhead weighing 400 kg. Still, unlike the Storm Shadow and SCALP missiles already provided to Kyiv by the UK and France, it is not specifically designed to penetrate fortified bunkers. The latest versions cost about $1 million each.

Global Positioning System (GPS) signals and an inertial navigation system provide guidance. As it approaches its target, an infrared imaging seeker helps guide it to the impact point with an accuracy of about 3 meters.

George William Herbert from the Middlebury Institute of International Studies in Monterey, California, believes that while older models may be less resistant to electronic warfare than the current JASSM version, the infrared seeker will help it find its target even in heavy jamming conditions.

It should be noted that in August, Politico reported that the Biden administration was open to transferring JASSM missiles to Ukraine.