On Friday, January 30, 2026, the press office of Eglin Air Force Base in Florida announced that the first test of the ERAM (Extended Range Attack Munition) extended-range precision air-launched missile had been conducted at the adjacent test range on January 21, less than 16 months after a 225 million USD contract for its development was awarded in October 2024.
Photos: USAF
The event, which met all major test objectives, including full detonation of the warhead, made it possible to collect key telemetry data necessary to finalize the target configuration of the ERAM missile. As emphasized, this accelerated timeline demonstrates that the U.S. Department of Defense is focused on delivering combat capabilities to the military in the shortest possible time.
ERAM is a next-generation, air-launched cruise missile designed to provide affordable effectors for engaging fixed ground targets. It delivers a precision-guided strike capability against high-value point targets, addressing a critical operational need by offering a long-range, cost-effective combat capability that can be rapidly produced in large quantities to strengthen U.S. deterrence.
“Moving from a contract to a live-fire demonstration in under two years proves we can deliver lethal, cost-effective capability at the speed of relevance,” said Brig. Gen. Robert Lyons III, Portfolio Acquisition Executive for Weapons. “This is how we rebuild our military — by empowering our teams and industry partners to cut through bureaucracy and deliver the tools our warfighters need to prevail.”
The test was a joint effort involving the Armament Directorate of the Air Force Life Cycle Management Center under the Air Force Materiel Command, the 96th Test Wing, and industry partners. Engineers and test directors from the Central Control Facility at Eglin Air Force Base planned the mission and analyzed the data, leveraging the range’s unique capabilities to conduct such a complex event.
“The future fight demands we create an asymmetric advantage by developing cost-effective, attritable systems like ERAM that give commanders the ability to generate mass,” said Brig. Gen. Mark Massaro, 96th TW commander. “This test is a critical milestone on that path. The expert teams who executed this complex mission provided the high-fidelity data we need to validate this system, ensuring that when it reaches the warfighter, it is a proven and ready tool for the right target. This is the cornerstone of building a more lethal and effective Joint Force.”
ERAM is expected to enter service by the end of 2026. An initial batch of 840 missiles has been ordered, with deliveries scheduled to be completed by October of this year.
ERAM for Ukraine
Ukraine will be the first export customer for ERAM. On August 28, 2025, it received approval from the U.S. Department of State to purchase up to 3,350 of these missiles as part of a package valued at up to 825 million USD. Five days earlier, the upcoming approval had been reported by The Wall Street Journal. It is now known that a portion of the ordered batch of 840 missiles will be delivered to Ukraine.
According to a U.S. Department of Defense report dated January 10, 2025, issued during the presidency of Joe Biden, summarizing military materiel assistance to Ukraine, work was underway on an affordable long-range cruise missile intended for mass production. The costs of this effort are being shared by Denmark, the Kingdom of the Netherlands, and the United States. The first reports of the new weapon system appeared as early as July 2024. A notice from the Defense Security Cooperation Agency (DSCA) stated that funding for the contract for Ukraine is being provided by Denmark, the Kingdom of the Netherlands, Norway, as well as the U.S. Foreign Military Financing (FMF) loan program.
Citing two anonymous officials, The Wall Street Journal reported that ERAM is expected to have a range of between 240 and 450 km (150–280 miles), depending on altitude and flight profile. ERAM’s guidance system is said to combine GPS/GNSS and inertial navigation (INS), supplemented by a seeker in the terminal phase of flight. The missile is expected to be equipped with a high-explosive fragmentation warhead for engaging hardened targets such as ammunition depots, command posts, and radar installations. Its design is intended to be modular, allowing for the integration of alternative payloads in the future. The primary launch platforms are to be combat aircraft, most notably Ukrainian F-16s.
The DSCA notice listed Zone 5 Technologies and CoAspire as the contractors for the deal. It is worth noting that Zone 5 Technologies, together with other bidders, was selected on June 3, 2024 by the Defense Innovation Unit (DIU) of the U.S. Department of Defense to study and test concepts for low-cost cruise missiles under the ETV (Enterprise Test Vehicle) program.
Zone 5 Technologies is also involved in the CLEAVER (Cargo Launch Expendable Air Vehicles with Extended Range) program, which aims to develop self-powered air-launched munitions for the United States Air Force, carried internally aboard military transport aircraft.