According to Politico, the White House is "open" to providing Ukraine with the AGM-158 Joint Air-to-Surface Standoff Missile (JASSM), which would give Ukrainian F-16 fighter jets greater combat range.
A Biden administration official, speaking anonymously, told Politico that while no final decision has been made, the administration is working through complicated details. These include reviews of sensitive technology transfers and ensuring Ukraine's jets can launch the 2,400-pound (1,000+ kg) missile carrying a 1,000-pound (450+ kg) warhead.
The potential transfer of JASSMs would give Ukraine a capability possessed by only a handful of other nations: the ability to launch a cruise missile over 320 km from a US-made fourth-generation fighter plane. However, the administration official warned that there is plenty of work to do before any missiles could be delivered to Ukraine.
Ukrainian parliamentarians and advisers to President Volodymyr Zelenskyy have been pressing US officials and lawmakers for the JASSM in recent months.
Related:
- US Senators Blumenthal and Graham endorse retired NATO F-16 pilots for Ukraine’s Air Force
- The Economist: Limited F-16 numbers in Ukraine hinder immediate effect on battlefield
- Ukraine receives F-16 fighter jets with early missile warning systems
- Zelenskyy confirms the delivery of F-16s and congratulates troops on the Air Force Day
- Ukraine reportedly receives 10 F-16 fighter jets in the first batch
- US sends cutting-edge AIM-9X air-to-air missiles for Ukraine’s new F-16 fighters
- The Times: Ukraine receives first F-16 fighter jets from Netherlands
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