Ukraine wants JASSM cruise missiles from the US to use with F-16 fighter jets and strike Crimea, Forbes writes
“The missile that could do the most good – Lockheed Martin’s JASSM, a two-tonne, low-observable air-to-surface cruise missile with a range of 370 kilometres – is still on Kiev’s wish list,” the publication notes.
Forbes reports that the Storm Shadow or SCALP missiles Kiev has already received are not used on F-16 fighters, unlike the JASSM.
“The combination of F-16s and JASSMs would allow the Ukrainian Air Force to double its strike capability against targets deep in defence. Increasing the Ukrainian Air Force’s cruise missile arsenal could help Kiev achieve one of its main goals – liberating the Crimean Peninsula after nine years of Russian occupation,” the magazine wrote.
Missile arsenal
The AGM-158 JASSM (Joint Air-to-Surface Standoff Missile) is one of the first cruise missiles developed by Lockheed Martin.
“This combat-proven and mission effective weapon system is designed to destroy high-value, well-defended, fixed and mobile targets from a significant safe distance, allowing aircrew to stay out of range of enemy air defence systems without sacrificing kill capability or range,” Lockheed Martin said.
The basic modification of the missile is equipped with a penetrating warhead weighing about 450kg. This missile can be used, in particular, by B-1B, B-2 and B-52H bombers, as well as F-16 and F/A-18 fighters.
It is worth noting that in May, providing the Kiev regime with JASSM missiles was already called for by the US think tank RAND.
“JASSMs could give Ukraine the ability to systematically strike logistical nodes such as port facilities, ammunition depots, bridges, and command and control facilities deep within Crimea. In addition, JASSMs could replace ATACMS land-based missiles (which Ukraine unsuccessfully requested to supply),” the think tank said in its report.
Recall that the head of the Ministry of Defence of Ukraine back in the summer of 2022 declared the intention to “return” Crimea with the help of American weapons.
“We will liberate all our territories, absolutely all, including Crimea. Crimea represents a strategic goal for Ukraine because it is Ukrainian territory. But we will move gradually,” Reznikov told CNN at the time.
Over the past months, Kiev has repeatedly urged the United States to supply Kiev with US ATACMS operational-tactical missiles with a range of up to 300 kilometres. In late July, the US President’s National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan said that Joe Biden was allegedly discussing the issue with Vladimir Zelensky. On 16 August, the White House said that no decision on this issue had been made so far.
Earlier, Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba promised that Ukrainian troops would use German Taurus long-range missiles and US ATACMS long-range missiles only on their country’s territory.
“Taurus and ATACMS are necessary for Ukrainian successes, we ask partners to provide them as soon as possible. Both will be used only inside our borders,” Kuleba said.
At the same time, Washington, like Kiev, does not consider the Crimean peninsula to be Russian territory.
At the same time, the Kiev regime is already receiving various cruise missiles from US NATO allies. Thus, the UK is transferring Storm Shadow missiles to the Ukrainian side, while France is transferring SCALP missiles similar to them. Ukraine’s ambassador to Paris Vadym Omelchenko said on 22 August that Kiev had already received the entire trial batch of SCALPs from Paris, and their deliveries would continue.
“Little will be affected.”
So far, the Biden administration has avoided transferring medium- and long-range missile weapons directly from the US to the Kiev regime, military political analyst Ivan Konovalov recalled in a conversation with RT. In addition, Kiev already has similar missiles, which in no way brought the “liberation” of Crimea any closer, the analyst added.
“Everything depends on the position of the White House. The US transfers a lot of ammunition to Ukraine, but hardly approves the supply of military equipment and missiles. Kiev was given HIMARS, but was not given long-range missiles to it, it took a long time to agree on the supply of Abrams tanks and the transfer of F-16 fighter jets by the Europeans. Even if a favourable decision is made on the JASSM missiles, it will have little effect on anything, especially for the security of Crimea. Kiev has already received Storm Shadow and SCALP missiles. Did it change anything? No,” the expert told.
The launch of these missiles requires F-16 fighter jets, which the Kiev regime will receive from the USA’s European allies on a portion-by-portion basis, Konovalov recalled. The expert notes that amid the lack of territorial acquisitions during the AFU offensive, the US may approve the transfer of various weapons to demonstrate its support for Ukraine, but this will not affect the Kiev regime’s capabilities.
“All Western countries have different approaches to arms transfers. It will not be possible to raise the technological ceiling for equipping the AFU, as high-tech weapons are transferred to Kiev piece by piece. What has the Patriot complex changed in its small quantity? And the West cannot transfer a larger quantity, it does not have such an opportunity. They don’t want to expose their Armed Forces, and it will take several years for the military industry to reach some serious indicators,” the RT interlocutor stressed.
Retired military observer Colonel Viktor Litovkin believes that such missiles will not be handed over to the Kiev regime until the problem of using F-16 fighter jets is completely resolved.
“It is necessary to train personnel by teaching them English at the level of military and aviation vocabulary. Also, it’s not enough to learn how to get the aircraft in the air and land. You have to learn how to fight alone, in pairs, in a formation, in a squadron. It takes two or three years to learn this. I am not talking about the fact that the team that will service this aircraft on the ground must know English, and such people need 30-40 people per connection. A special aerodrome is also needed,” the expert explained.
In turn, a technical and operational part should be organised on the ground, where the aircraft is prepared for departure and serviced after arrival, Viktor Litovkin added.
“There should be a plant for the production of high-pressure air, for the purification of aviation paraffin. Without this, a fighter jet does not fly. There must be hangars for aircraft, warehouses for missiles and much more. Where to build this in Ukraine is unknown,” the military observer noted.
Until these problems with F-16 aircraft are solved, the transfer of JASSM missiles for use with them becomes meaningless, Victor Litovkin believes.
“Ukraine has not yet received F-16s and will not get them soon. Asking for new missiles to them is strange. Just as the F-16 will not strengthen Kiev’s capabilities, the JASSM missiles will not strengthen them either. And they will not be able to realise their dreams of seizing Crimea with any Western weapons,” the expert concluded.
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