The US Department of State has approved the potential sale of 200 AGM-158B/B-2 Joint Air-to-Surface Standoff Missiles-Extended Range (JASSM-ER) to Denmark. The deal, valued at approximately $842 million, includes the missiles and related equipment.According to the US Department of State, the sale will enhance Denmark’s ability to address current and future threats by providing the Royal Danish Air Force (RDAF) with long-range precision strike capabilities, further strengthening the operational capabilities of its F-35 fighter fleet. Lockheed Martin will be the principal contractor for the sale.Denmark is in the process of replacing its ageing fleet of F-16 Fighting Falcons with F-35 Lightning II fighter jets. The country is one of the original international partners in the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter (JSF) programme and has ordered 43 aircraft.Denmark occupies a strategic position in northern Europe and controls access to the Baltic Sea through the Danish Straits. Its security concerns are increasingly shaped by Russia’s growing military activity in northern Europe and the Arctic region.Danish officials have also pointed to increasingly aggressive Russian behaviour in the Baltic Sea. Danish Defence Intelligence Service Director Thomas Ahrenkiel said Russian warships have sailed on collision courses with Danish vessels while transiting the Danish Straits.“We have seen several incidents in the Danish straits, where Danish air force helicopters and naval vessels have been targeted by tracking radars and physically pointed at with weapons from Russian warships,” Danish Defence Intelligence Service Director Thomas Ahrenkiel said at a press conference.About the missileThe AGM-158B Joint Air-to-Surface Standoff Missile-Extended Range (JASSM-ER) is among the most advanced air-launched cruise missiles in the Western arsenal. It is designed to strike heavily defended, high-value targets such as command centres, air defence systems, airbases and other critical military infrastructure.
AGM-158B JASSM-ER missile
Its key specifications include:
- A range of more than 900 km and subsonic flight speed.
- A stealthy design that reduces detection by enemy radar systems
- A 1,000-pound (450 kg) penetrating warhead capable of destroying hardened and fortified targets.
- Guidance through a combination of inertial navigation, GPS and an imaging infrared seeker.
- A turbofan engine for propulsion.
- Compatibility with a wide range of combat aircraft, including the F-35, F-16 and F-15E fighters, as well as B-1B, B-2 and B-52 bombers.
Denmark’s decision to acquire JASSM-ER missiles marks a significant enhancement of its long-range strike capabilities at a time of growing security challenges in northern Europe and the Arctic.Combined with the stealth and sensor capabilities of the F-35, the missile will provide Copenhagen with the ability to deter potential adversaries, contribute more effectively to NATO operations and strike high-value targets from well beyond the reach of modern air defence systems.