The Netherlands has signed a Letter of Offer and Acceptance (LoA) agreement with the United States to purchase Lockheed Martin’s Joint Air-to-Surface Standoff Missile Extended Range (JASSM-ER) becoming JASSM’s fifth international customer.
“We’re honored to partner with the U.S. Government to provide the Netherlands Armed Forces with the combat proven and mission effective weapon system to meet their ever-evolving strategic defense needs.” said Scott Redmerski, JASSM program director at Lockheed Martin Missiles and Fire Control.
Lockheed Martin was awarded a contract worth USD 908 million in February to provide the Netherlands with 120 JASSM-ER missiles and associated equipment for use on its F-35A aircraft.
The AGM-158 JASSM is a low-detection, standoff air-launched cruise missile developed by Lockheed Martin for the United States Air Force Force (USAF). It is a stealthy long-range weapon with a 1,000-pound (450 kg) armour-piercing warhead. The missile completed testing and entered service with the USAF in 2009 and has also been purchased by Australia, Finland, and Poland.
In 2014, an extended-range version of the missile, the AGM-158B JASSM-ER entered service, as well as an anti-ship derivative called the AGM-158C LRASM (Long Range Anti-Ship Missile) in 2018.
The combat-proven weapon system is designed to destroy high-value, well-defended targets from significant standoff range, keeping aircrews well out of danger from hostile air defence systems without compromising lethality or reach.
