Air Force more than triples JASSM, LRASM support contract funding

By Rachel Cohen / November 6, 2018 at 3:26 PM

Lockheed Martin this week received a $350 million boost to a Joint Air-to-Surface Standoff Missile and Long-Range Anti-Ship Missile production support contract it won last year, raising the ceiling to $450 million.

Under the pair of awards, Lockheed "will provide lifecycle support for all efforts related to JASSM, Long-Range Anti-Ship Missile, JASSM Extended Range and any JASSM variant in the areas of system upgrades, integration, production, sustainment, management and logistical support," according to the Defense Department's Nov. 5 contract announcement. The initial $100 million contract was awarded in April 2017.

Lockheed is set to build its 16th JASSM lot, now comprised entirely of the extended-range variant. It's also developing an "extreme-range" version that can reportedly fly up to 1,000 nautical miles.

The Air Force plans to buy 4,900 missiles for $6 billion over the life of the program, according to FY-19 budget documents, and has programmed 46 LRASM units for $160 million so far.

JASSM -- which was used in combat for the first time in April -- and its offshoots are expected to fly on the B-1, B-2, B-52, F-15, F-16 and F-35. Only the B-1B and F-15E currently carry the extended-range version. Inside Defense previously reported the military was on track to hit early operational capability for the LRASM on the B-1 in September.

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