Lethal Capabilities of JASSM-ER Missiles: Countering North Korea’s Aggressive Posturing – Part 1

In response to North Korea’s high-intensity nuclear and missile provocations that threaten the security of the Korean Peninsula, the U.S. and South Korean military authorities utilize the B-1B Lancer strategic bomber as an aerial strategic asset. Typically, it is dispatched urgently from the US Andersen Air Force Base in Guam to the Korean Peninsula. With a top speed reaching Mach 1.25, it can get the skies above the Korean Peninsula within two hours from Guam.

Most recently, in August of last year, it was rapidly deployed to the Korean Peninsula as part of the outdoor maneuver training of the US-South Korean joint exercise “Ulchi Freedom Shield (UFS).” This was also in response to North Korea’s second launch of a military reconnaissance satellite.

One of the biggest reasons why the Lancer bomber, which means spearman, scares North Korea is because it can carry a large amount of weapons. It can fly over enemy lines carrying a maximum of 61 tons of bombs, with 37 tons in the internal weapon bay and 24 tons under the exterior wings. In comparison, the B-52, which can carry nuclear weapons, flies at subsonic speeds and only holds 31 tons of weapons, making the Lancer a very threatening presence as it carries twice the amount of weapons.

Stealthy shape, not detected by enemy air defense radar.

The most significant advantage is that it can carry many weapons boasting long-range punch power. Among the many weapons that the B-1B carries, some of the most troublesome for North Korea are the aptly named AGM-158A JASSM and JASSM-ER (an extended-range variant of the AGM-158B JASSM), long-range air-to-ground stealth cruise missiles and the AGM-158C LRASM, a long-range air-to-ship cruise missile.

The JASSM missile is a subsonic cruise missile with a maximum speed of Mach 0.8. It is 4.27m in length, 63.5cm in diameter, and 2.4m in wingspan. Its stealthy shape makes it difficult to detect on radar, making it a threat. The basic model’s maximum range is 370km, but the improved model (JASSM-ER) has been extended to about 900km. It carries a 450kg warhead, but its ability to penetrate reinforced concrete is not particularly outstanding. It uses a combination of GPS, INS (Inertial Navigation System), and infrared guidance.

The JASSM-ER is the extended-range version of the Joint Air-to-Surface Standoff Missile. The B-1 Lancer bomber carries 24 of these.

The JASSM-ER is an improved version based on the JASSM cruise missile. The JASSM is 4.26m in length, 2.4m in wingspan, 63.5cm in body width, 45cm in height, and weighs up to 1000kg. The warhead is a penetration warhead and weighs up to 450kg (1000 pounds). The range of the JASSM is about 370km. It receives GPS and INS guidance and is equipped with an infrared seeker, allowing for precision strike capabilities with an error of around 3m.

In addition, it has a stealthy shape and is not easily detected by enemy air defense radar. The wings and tail wings fold and unfold after launch.

The extended-range version, the JASSM-ER, has the same body shape and size as the JASSM. It’s not easy to identify just by looking at the exterior. The JASSM-ER made its internal fuel tank bigger and replaced the turbojet engine with a more efficient turbofan engine to enhance its flight capabilities. Thanks to this, the range has increased to 926km. The guidance system is the same as the JASSM, but it has a datalink that allows the path to be modified even after launch. It can also attack targets moving on the ground and at sea.

To read Part 2…
To read Part 3…