Poland to Receive U.S. cruise missiles

ORLANDO, Fla., Sept. 14 (UPI) -- The Polish Air Force is receiving Joint Air-to-Surface Standoff Missiles from Lockheed Martin for its fleet of F-16 fighters.

The contract for the air-to-ground cruise missiles comes as a result of a U.S. Foreign Military Sales deal for Poland announced last year.

That package, worth about $500 million, was for 40 AGM-158 JASSM missiles and upgrades to the aircraft.

"JASSM provides Poland with operational flexibility, reliability and mission effectiveness to meet their national defense requirements," said Joe Garland, vice president of business development at Lockheed Martin Missiles and Fire Control. "JASSM gives our allies a powerful, vital and affordable cruise missile capability."

JASSM is a stealthy, precision-guided cruise missile that employes an infrared seeker and an enhanced digital anti-jam Global Positioning System. It is integrated on the U.S. Air Force's B-1, B-2, B-52, F-16 and F-15E. Internationally, it can also be used by F/A-18A/B and the F-18C/D aircraft.

Poland, with the order, will be only the third U.S. ally with the JASSM in their military inventory. The other two countries are Australia and Finland.

Lockheed Martin gave no information as to a delivery schedule for the missiles.