In late January, the U.S. Air Force announced that it had tested the new ERAM missile that will equip the Ukrainian-operated F-16 fighter fleet, a milestone carried out at the Eglin Test and Training Range less than sixteen months after the program’s initial contract award. According to the service, the test was successfully completed across all evaluated aspects, including full warhead detonation, yielding an important set of data crucial to the weapon’s development.
Expanding on some details, the evaluations were conducted on 26 January as a joint event involving units from the Air Force Life Cycle Management Center’s Armament Directorate, the 96th Test Wing, and industry partners participating in the project. In addition, a group of engineers and technicians operating from Eglin’s Central Control Center were responsible for mission planning and the subsequent analysis of the data collected.
Referring to the test, Brigadier General Robert Lyons III, who serves as the Program Executive Officer for Weapons Acquisition, stated: “Going from contract to a live-fire demonstration in under two years shows we can deliver a lethal, cost-effective capability at the speed of relevance. This is how we rebuild our military—empowering our teams and industry partners to cut bureaucracy and provide the tools our warfighters need to win.”
It is worth recalling that the weapon recently evaluated is a new air-launched cruise missile designed with an approach that enables large-scale production while keeping costs affordable, allowing inventories to be expanded rapidly. While the U.S. Air Force did not provide further technical details in its official release about the test, previous reports indicate the missile would have a minimum range of around 250 miles and the ability to operate even in environments where electronic jamming equipment has been deployed.
Finally, recalling the key features of the agreement that will allow Ukrainian pilots to employ the new ERAM missiles in combat, it includes a total of 3,350 missiles in exchange for roughly US$825 million, part of which would be financed with support from Kyiv’s allies. With U.S. State Department approval granted since August, the package also includes an identical number of GPS and INS systems and Selective Availability Anti-Spoofing Modules (SAASM), as well as various associated items necessary for their employment.
Image credits: U.S. Air Force – Ukrainian Air Force
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