On Friday, December 5, 2025, the U.S. Defense Security Cooperation Agency (DSCA) published the U.S. Department of State’s approval of a potential sale to the Republic of Italy of a batch of Lockheed Martin AGM-158B/B-1 JASSM-ER (Joint Air-to-Surface Standoff Missile–Extended Range) air-launched cruise missiles, in a package valued at up to 301 million USD.
JASSM-ER carries a WDU-42/B (L-1000) blast-fragmentation/penetrator warhead containing 453 kg (1,000 lb) of AFX-757 explosive. / Photo: U.S. Air Force
According to the published information, the government in Rome requested authorization to acquire 100 operational AGM-158B/B-1 JASSM-ER missiles.
In addition, the package includes the following non-MDE (Major Defense Equipment) items: classified test equipment and transport containers for JASSM missiles; KGV-135A (COMSEC) encrypted-communications modules; spare and repair parts; consumables and accessories, as well as repair and return support; weapons-system support and software; classified and unclassified software, classified and unclassified publications and technical documentation; transportation support; field studies; and engineering, technical, and logistical support services provided by the U.S. government and the contractor (Lockheed Martin), along with other related logistics and program-support elements.
Until now, no information had surfaced indicating Italian interest in acquiring the JASSM-ER missiles, which have a range of at least 925 km, given that only a handful of countries are or will be their users. The missiles are being exported to Poland, Finland, Japan, and the Kingdom of the Netherlands, with Australia and Germany set to join later. According to media reports from 4 May this year, Israel is engaged in advanced negotiations to procure JASSM-ER missiles.
For Italy, the missiles will be integrated onto 5th-generation F-35A and F-35B multirole aircraft: the Air Force (Aeronautica Militare) and Navy (Marina Militare) will receive 25 and 15 F-35Bs respectively, while the Aeronautica Militare will additionally receive 75 conventional F-35As. In total, this will amount to 115 aircraft of both variants (instead of the originally planned 131). To date, 31 aircraft have been delivered to both services (25 F-35As for the Aeronautica Militare and 6 F-35Bs for the Marina Militare).
However, the DSCA notice states that the missiles will not be limited solely to the F-35. The Aeronautica Militare operates Eurofighter Typhoons, which are not integrated with the system (a year ago, 24 new Tranche 4 aircraft were ordered in addition to the previously contracted 96, though two have been lost in accidents; at the same time, 26 of the oldest Tranche 1 aircraft will be retired by 2029, reducing the total fleet to 92).
