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U.S. Air Force orders 100 more JASSM-ER missiles

The U.S. Air Force has ordered additional JASSM-ER cruise missiles from Lockheed Martin.

By Richard Tomkins
An F-16 fighter launches a JASSM cruise missile. Photo: Lockheed Martin.
An F-16 fighter launches a JASSM cruise missile. Photo: Lockheed Martin.

ORLANDO, Fla., April 22 (UPI) -- Lockheed Martin is to continue production of extended range Joint Air-to-Surface Standoff Missiles for the U.S. Air Force, the company announced.

The award for more JASSM-ER missiles is worth $116 million and is the exercise of an earlier contract option for 100 missiles.

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"JASSM and JASSM-ER offer affordable, survivable, stand-off lethality needed for today's modern threats," said Jason Denney, program director of long-range strike systems at Lockheed Martin Missiles and Fire Control.

JASSM and its extended range variant are all-weather cruise missiles with an infrared seeker and enhanced digital anti-jam GPS receiver to dial into specific points on targets. The range of JASSM is more than 230 miles. The extended range JASSM lengthens that to more than 620 miles.

The contract option brings the total number of JASSM and JASSM-ER missiles delivered or under contract to more than 2,700, Lockheed Martin said.

Work under the contract option is expected to be completed by mid-2019.

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