The United States Air Force is planning a significant ramp-up in the production of its critical long-range cruise missiles, the Joint Air-to-Surface Standoff Missile (JASSM) and its anti-ship variant, the Long-Range Anti-Ship Missile (LRASM). The service aims to acquire up to 11,200 copies of these missiles over the next five to seven years, marking a substantial increase in planned procurement.
This ambitious target was outlined in a July 10 notice of contract action issued by the Air Force Life Cycle Management Center’s armament directorate. The plans encompass multiyear procurement contracts for the next seven production lots of JASSM and LRASM, averaging up to 1,600 missiles for each pair of lots.
The scale of this planned acquisition represents a considerable surge compared to previous procurement strategies. For instance, the Air Force’s 2023 multiyear procurement contract, which covered five lots, aimed for anywhere between 680 to 1,050 JASSMs and LRASMs per pair of lots. More recently, in its fiscal year 2027 budget request, the Air Force indicated a desire to purchase 977 of these missiles in that year alone, comprising 821 JASSMs and 156 LRASMs.
Moreover, earlier Pentagon budget documents released this year had projected the Air Force would acquire approximately 4,000 JASSMs and 716 LRASMs between fiscal years 2027 and 2031. The newly announced target of up to 11,200 missiles over a similar timeframe therefore signifies a dramatic re-evaluation of future munitions needs and production capabilities.
Both the JASSM and LRASM missiles are manufactured by Lockheed Martin. The JASSM is a sophisticated cruise missile utilized by both the Air Force and Navy. Its primary role is to engage heavily defended or high-value targets from standoff ranges, thereby allowing launching aircraft to operate from safer distances, outside the immediate threat envelopes of enemy air defenses. The LRASM is an advanced anti-ship missile specifically designed to detect and destroy enemy naval vessels, and it is derived from the proven JASSM airframe and technologies.
The increased procurement reflects a broader strategic imperative within the Pentagon to replenish and significantly expand munitions stockpiles. Recent global events have underscored the critical importance of a robust supply of advanced weaponry. U.S. forces reportedly expended a substantial number of JASSMs during a recent hypothetical conflict scenario. A May report from the Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS) estimated that the Pentagon might have expended more than 1,100 JASSMs in just 39 days of airstrikes during a simulated “Operation Epic Fury.” Furthermore, the ongoing support provided to Ukraine has also drawn down existing U.S. munitions reserves, necessitating replenishment and growth.
Years of inconsistent funding for weapons programs have also contributed to the current push to build up arsenals more aggressively. To facilitate this surge in production, the Pentagon is increasingly relying on multiyear procurement contracts. This strategy was exemplified in 2024 when the Air Force awarded Lockheed Martin a $3.2 billion deal to continue building JASSMs and LRASMs through July 2032. Defense officials advocate for multiyear contracts because they offer several advantages: they help the government lock in more favorable prices due to economies of scale and provide vendors with a clearer, more predictable demand signal. This predictability allows manufacturers to make more strategic and efficient investments in their supply chains, workforce, and production facilities, ultimately leading to greater output and potentially lower unit costs over time.
The new, expanded production lots are identified as JASSM Lots 27 through 33 and LRASM Lots 13 through 19. While the contract notice details the increased quantities, it does not specify the total expected cost of this massive purchase or how the 11,200 missiles will be divided between the JASSM and LRASM variants. Deliveries on these new, expanded lots are anticipated to commence approximately 27 months after the contract is officially awarded.
When queried about the potential quantities of each missile type under the forthcoming deal, a Lockheed Martin spokesperson declined to comment, citing operational security concerns, and referred further inquiries to the Air Force. An official statement from the Air Force regarding the details of this procurement was not immediately available.
Beyond the missiles themselves, the comprehensive contract is also expected to cover the acquisition of associated critical components and support systems. These include missile containers for transport and storage, missile-to-aircraft interfaces for integration with various platforms, mission planning software to optimize their deployment, and missile maintenance software modules for ongoing operational readiness. Furthermore, the contract will allocate resources for necessary factory maintenance and sustainment efforts, ensuring the continuous and efficient production of these vital munitions.
Why This Matters
The Air Force’s decision to dramatically increase its procurement of JASSM and LRASM missiles signifies a major strategic shift in U.S. defense planning and has profound implications across military, geopolitical, and industrial sectors.
Military Preparedness and Deterrence:This procurement surge directly addresses concerns about the adequacy of U.S. munitions stockpiles in an era of heightened global competition. Long-range precision-strike capabilities, epitomized by JASSM and LRASM, are crucial for projecting power and holding adversary targets at risk from safe distances. The JASSM’s ability to strike heavily defended land targets and the LRASM’s advanced anti-ship capabilities are particularly relevant in potential conflicts against peer competitors like China and Russia, who possess sophisticated anti-access/area-denial (A2/AD) capabilities. A larger arsenal enhances the U.S. military’s capacity to conduct sustained high-intensity operations, thereby bolstering deterrence by demonstrating a credible ability to impose significant costs on adversaries.
Geopolitical Implications:The expanded missile production sends a clear signal to both allies and potential adversaries. To allies, it reaffirms the U.S. commitment to collective defense and its capacity to contribute robust long-range strike capabilities. To adversaries, it underscores the U.S.’s determination to maintain a qualitative and quantitative edge in critical munitions, potentially influencing their strategic calculations. This focus on standoff weapons is especially pertinent in scenarios like a potential conflict in the Indo-Pacific, where the ability to strike targets across vast maritime distances without putting manned aircraft directly into harm’s way is paramount.
Defense Industrial Base:The reliance on multiyear procurement contracts, as highlighted in this plan, is a critical element for stabilizing and strengthening the defense industrial base. These long-term commitments provide manufacturers like Lockheed Martin with the certainty needed to invest in expanding production lines, hiring skilled labor, and securing supply chains. This helps mitigate the “feast or famine” cycles that have historically plagued defense contractors, leading to a more resilient and responsive industrial capacity. The increased demand could also spur innovation and efficiencies within the sector.
Economic Impact:Such a large-scale procurement contract represents a substantial investment of taxpayer money, translating into significant economic activity. It supports high-tech manufacturing jobs, drives research and development, and strengthens supply chains across various states. While the full cost is not yet disclosed, it will undoubtedly be in the billions of dollars, fueling economic growth within the defense sector and its ancillary industries.
Evolution of Warfare:The focus on precision, long-range, standoff munitions like JASSM and LRASM reflects a continued evolution in military doctrine towards networked warfare and engagements beyond visual range. These missiles are integral to modern air campaigns, enabling forces to degrade enemy defenses, neutralize high-value assets, and interdict naval threats with precision, minimizing risks to personnel and platforms. The sheer volume of missiles planned for acquisition suggests an anticipation of scenarios where large numbers of such weapons might be necessary to achieve strategic objectives.