According to Reuters, the Joint Air-to-Surface Standoff Missile (JASSM) could be included in the US arms aid package for Ukraine this fall, but Washington has yet to make an official decision.
This information was announced by three anonymous senior US officials on September 3.
According to the above officials, the JASSM transfer process will take several months because the US needs to resolve some technical issues.
JASSM has a range of up to 370km and uses high-precision guided ammunition. The US believes this missile will be able to help Ukraine attack many Russian territories to change the situation on the battlefield.
The JASSM is about 4m long and is guided by a global positioning system (GPS) signal along with an inertial guidance system. The missile is also capable of flying close to the ground and flying in a programmed circle to avoid air defenses.
Military experts say JASSM is a formidable missile because it is difficult to detect and has a range that is superior to all other missiles that Ukraine currently has.
JASSM can only be installed on US-made aircraft, including the F-16 model that the US recently provided to Ukraine in early August.
A US official said the country is working to improve the JASSM so that it can be integrated with the types of fighter aircraft in the Ukrainian military arsenal. However, this official did not provide information on the fighter models that will be supported.
Previously, the US was reluctant to provide weapons to Ukraine to attack Russian territory because of concerns about conflicts along the corridor. NATO countries also limited aid to Ukraine for similar reasons.
