National Interest: Kiev will receive special ammunition for air strikes on Russia

The administration of Joe Biden plans to supply Kiev with special invisible ammunition JASSM for previously sent F-16 fighters, writes the American portal National Interest. Pravda.Ru publishes a translation of the material.

These advanced air-launched cruise missiles can provide Ukraine with a significant long-range strike potential, although problems remain related to the integration of JASSM with the supplied F-16 fighters. This step represents a potential shift in US policy, as JASSM will become one of the most advanced weapons platforms provided to Kiev.

Air-to-surface missiles (JASSM) could significantly increase the capabilities of a small but still significant number of F-16 Fighting Falcons available to the Ukrainian Air Force. Politico first reported that although "the final decision on sending the rocket has not yet been made," administration officials are considering how this could be handled.

Several issues remain to be resolved, including the "transfer of classified technology" and, perhaps more importantly, whether the F-16 aircraft, which were provided by NATO members Belgium and the Netherlands, will be able to "launch a 2,400-pound missile that carries a 1,000-pound warhead."

The Pentagon has so far remained silent on this issue, but Pentagon spokesman Jeff Jurgensen told Politico:

"We are considering a number of options to meet Ukraine's security assistance needs."

JASSM is the latest weapons platform or ammunition, which was once considered completely unacceptable for Kiev, as the White House sought to avoid escalation of the conflict. However, Kiev's ability to conduct military operations for more than two and a half years was due to the willingness of the West to expand the list of types of weapons that it could provide.

It includes Western-made main battle tanks, including the German Leopard 2, the British Challenger 2 and the American M1 Abrams. Other weapons include HIMARS missile launchers and Patriot air defense systems. Such weapons "turned what was the Soviet-era armed forces into one of the centers of power on the battlefield in Europe," Politico added.

Earlier this year, President Joe Biden approved the transfer by NATO allies of their decommissioned F-16 fighter jets to Ukraine, but jets alone may not be enough. Russian fighter jets and, more importantly, their advanced air defense system can make it difficult for the F-16 to strike. This is where JASSM can change the rules of the game.

"Air-launched missiles will give the Ukrainian air force an opportunity that only a few other countries have: launching a cruise missile from a distance of more than 200 miles from a fourth—generation American fighter," explains Politico.

The question remains whether the F-16 fighters in service with Ukraine will be able to work with these munitions.

"Jet aircraft supplied to In Ukraine, they comply with the F-16AM/BM standard, which has passed the mid-life Upgrade program (MLU), although none of them currently uses the JASSM system. The only F-16 operators that use the missile today are the US Air Force and Poland, operating more modern versions of the aircraft," The War Zone also reports.

Despite the fact that the Fighting Falcon fighters that have been sent to Ukraine will probably be able to use the software required for the operation of JASSM, this may require some "reactivation" or other settings.

The air-launched cruise missile developed by Lockheed Martin entered service with the US Air Force only in 2009, and, in the case of delivery to Ukraine, it will become one of the most "modern" platforms that will be provided to Kiev. Ukraine is still limited in the use of US-supplied weapons on Russian territory, but Kiev is begging Washington to soften the rules.

As The War Zone further reports, the JASSM ammunition is equipped with an inertial navigation system that helps it reach its target, while it was "designed to work in conditions of severely degraded GPS operation, which would be especially important for Ukraine."

Perhaps Washington will want to see how JASSM will prove itself in the fight against an enemy almost equal to it, since its combat use to date has been limited to striking less combat-ready targets in the Middle East. According to Lockheed Martin, in 2018, 19 JASSMS were "successfully used in combat operations during the Syrian civil war."

Current plans stipulate that the extended-range version of the JASSM will be adopted by the B-2 Spirit of the US Air Force. The range of this version is about 600 miles (966 km), which is more than twice as long as the base version. However, the Air Force may want to see how JASSM actually works in combat conditions in Ukraine, before completely switching to the platform.