US nearing to supply Ukraine with long-range cruise missiles for targeting Russia – Reuters

The United States of America is nearing a decision to provide Ukraine with long-range cruise missiles that can reach Russian territory. However, Kyiv will have to wait a few months as the US works through technical issues before shipment.

Reuters reports this.

According to three unidentified sources, the weapons package is anticipated to include Joint Air-to-Surface Standoff Missiles (JASSM) and will be officially announced in the upcoming fall season. However, a final determination has not been made yet.

Officials say that the deployment of JASSM missiles to Ukraine could have a significant impact on the ongoing hostilities, as it would put most of Russia's territory within reach of highly accurate munitions. This poses a considerable challenge to the current administration under Joe Biden.

Native military analysts have proposed that implementing JASSM missiles in Ukraine's arsenal, which possess stealth capabilities and a more extended range than most other missiles, may potentially force Russian concentration areas and supply depots to retreat hundreds of miles away.

This will seriously hinder Russia's ability to conduct offensive operations and potentially give Ukraine a strategic advantage.

Firing them from points near Ukraine's northern border with Russia could potentially result in hitting military objectives as far as the Russian cities of Voronezh and Bryansk. In the south, releasing them near the frontline could enable attacks on airfields or naval bases in Crimea.

Currently, JASSM has only been incorporated into aircraft developed in the United States. In the future, Ukraine is expected to use numerous F-16s, each capable of carrying two cruise missiles.

According to a US official, there have been efforts to make the missile usable with Ukraine's non-Western fighter jets, a fact that had not been previously disclosed. However, the official did not specify which aircraft the JASSM can be used with. It should be noted that Ukraine currently uses Soviet-made MiG-29, Su-24, and Su-27 jets.

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The demand for additional weapons and advanced weaponry is increasing in Ukraine due to the ongoing pressure from Russian forces along its eastern border.

Lockheed Martin Corp's earlier models of JASSM have a range of approximately 370 km. These 4-meter-long missiles are designed to have some stealth capabilities, making them challenging to spot on radar. They can also fly low to the ground and can be programmed to take alternate routes to evade air defenses.

There is also a JASSM missile with a more extended range, able to fly over 750 km. It is currently unclear which type Washington is considering, but opting for the shorter-range missiles would limit the impact on their stockpiles.

Providing Ukraine with JASSM missiles 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 on Russian soil, a congressional staffer working on the issue said.

The United States has been hesitant to provide weapons with the capability of reaching deep into Russia, as they are concerned that doing so would escalate the conflict. While Kyiv's allies are providing weapons, there are limitations on their usage within Russia to avoid provoking a retaliatory response that would potentially involve other NATO nations or even lead to a nuclear conflict.

Each JASSM is equipped with a 400kg warhead, although it is not designed explicitly to penetrate fortified bunkers like the Storm Shadow and SCALP missiles, which Britain and France have already given to Kyiv. The latest models cost around $1 million each.

A combination of Global Positioning System (GPS) signals and an inertial navigation system provide guidance. At the same time, the infrared image seeker assists in directing the object toward its intended target with a precision of around 3 meters. As it nears the destination, the infrared image seeker helps pinpoint the exact point of impact.

According to George William Herbert, a faculty member at the Middlebury Institute for International Studies in Monterey, California, the older models may not be as resistant to electronic warfare as the current version of the JASSM. However, he believes that the infrared homing head will still allow it to locate a target even in the presence of extensive jamming.

It is worth mentioning that Politico reported in August that the Biden administration was considering the transfer of JASSM missiles to Ukraine.