Citing information published by the Israeli financial newspaper Globes on May 4, 2025, Israel’s Ministry of Defense is reportedly in advanced negotiations with the United States to acquire the Joint Air-to-Surface Standoff Missile (JASSM), a highly advanced precision strike weapon developed by American defense giant Lockheed Martin. This development marks a significant step in enhancing Israel’s long-range strike capabilities and reflects the ongoing strategic cooperation between the two allies.
The JASSM (Joint Air-to-Surface Standoff Missile) is an air-to-surface missile designed to destroy high-value, fortified, and well-defended targets from a significant distance. It features a stealthy airframe and is armed with a powerful 450-kilogram (1,000-pound) warhead capable of penetrating hardened bunkers. Guided by a sophisticated dual-mode system that includes GPS and an infrared seeker, the missile is capable of operating in GPS-denied environments with high accuracy. It provides a decisive edge in modern air warfare with a standard range of more than 370 km and up to 1,000 km in the extended-range (JASSM-ER) variant.