The Biden administration is considering supplying Ukraine with Joint Air-to-Surface Standoff Missiles (JASSM), a move that could significantly enhance Kyiv's air combat capabilities, Politico reports.
According to sources familiar with the matter, the White House is "open" to the idea, though no final decision has been made.
"The administration is working through the complicated details now," a Biden administration official told Politico on condition of anonymity. The considerations include "reviews of the transfer of sensitive technologies and ensuring Ukraine's jets can launch the 2,400-pound missile that carries a 1,000-pound warhead."
The potential transfer of JASSMs comes as Ukraine's recent ground assault inside Russian territory enters its second week, reportedly forcing Vladimir Putin to redirect troops from the Ukrainian battlefield. This development has pressured the Biden administration to provide more advanced weaponry to Kyiv.
If approved, the JASSM would give Ukraine the ability to launch cruise missiles over 200 miles from US-made fourth-generation fighter planes, a capability possessed by only a handful of nations. However, the Pentagon declined to comment on whether it had approved the transfer, stating, "We consider a range of options to meet Ukraine's security assistance requirements, however we have no information to provide."
The debate surrounding the JASSM transfer is part of a broader trend of supplying increasingly sophisticated weapons to Ukraine.
Ukrainian officials have been pressing for the JASSM in recent months, with the request reaching National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan during a visit by Ukrainian parliamentarians to Washington in July. The push for these missiles comes as Ukraine seeks to counter Russia's use of fighter planes launching glide bombs at Ukrainian cities from within Russian territory.
However, the potential transfer faces technical challenges. The administration is working to ensure that Ukraine's existing Soviet-era planes and newly delivered F-16s can launch the missile effectively. Additionally, current restrictions on the use of US-supplied weapons inside Russia remain in place, limiting Ukraine's ability to strike targets deep within Russian territory.
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