The U.S. government has recently authorized the potential sale of additional JASSM-ER cruise missiles to equip the F-15J and F-35A/B fighter jets of the Japan Air Self-Defense Force (JASDF). This approval was outlined in a notification submitted by the U.S. Department of State to Congress as part of the Foreign Military Sales (FMS) program.

According to a statement published on January 15 by the Defense Security Cooperation Agency (DSCA), the Japanese government requested the purchase of an additional batch of AGM-158B/B-2 JASSM-ER cruise missiles for the JASDF’s aircraft. The approved package includes sixteen (16) missiles, along with containers, training missiles, support, and associated equipment, at a total cost of $39,000,000, with Lockheed Martin as the main contractor.
The Department of State indicated that, “The proposed sale will enhance Japan’s ability to address current and future threats by providing a standoff strike capability through advanced long-range strike systems to be employed on JASDF combat aircraft, including but not limited to the F-15J and F-35A/B. Japan will have no difficulty incorporating these items and services into its armed forces.”


This new package of additional JASSM-ER missiles complements a prior authorization granted to Japan in 2023. At that time, the Department of State approved the sale of 50 missiles, which was later confirmed by the Japanese government in 2024 with the signing of the Letter of Offer and Acceptance (LOA) in July.
In recent years, Tokyo has been outlining a roadmap to strengthen the air-to-surface combat capabilities of the Japan Self-Defense Forces. While the primary platform for employing these missiles will be the F-15J, the stealthy F-35A and future F-35B fighters have also been mentioned. This is significant, as the F-35B variant will eventually be deployed from the Izumo-class helicopter carriers of the Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force, which are being modified to support the operation of these fifth-generation aircraft.


Lastly, the AGM-158 JASSM-ER is a U.S.-manufactured extended-range cruise missile with an effective range of 1,000 kilometers. It is currently used by the U.S. Air Force (USAF) and the Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF). The missile features a fragmentation/penetration explosive warhead and is employed on platforms such as the B-1B, B-2, and B-52 bombers, as well as the F-16 and F-15E fighter jets. More recently, it has also been integrated for launch from stealth fighters like the F-35.
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