The Netherlands is set to acquire 120 Joint Air-to-Surface Standoff Missiles Extended Range (JASSM-ER) following the US State Department’s approval of a $908-million foreign military sale.
Lockheed Martin will be the principal contractor for the deal, which includes the purchase of inert JASSMs with test kits, as well as separation, instrumented, and jettison test vehicles.
Other items to be handed over include spare parts and accessories, technical documentation, and logistics support.
The US Defense Security Cooperation Agency said the sale would help the Netherlands defend NATO allies and deter aggression, supporting US foreign policy goals.
“The proposed sale of this equipment and support will not alter the basic military balance in the region,” the announcement read.
Lockheed’s Cruise Missile
The JASSM-ER is an air-launched, stealthy, long-range missile with an operational range of up to 575 miles (926 kilometers).
It utilizes GPS, INS, and IIR tracking systems to precisely hit its targets with a 9-foot (3 meters) median error radius.
The missile’s utility in battle has made it a staple in the US Air Force since 2014, seeing action four years later in Syria.
The Netherlands joins Australia, Finland, Morocco, Poland, and the US as JASSM’s current operators. Germany and Japan are also set to acquire the weapons in the future.
