US Air Force asks industry for new cruise missile for Ukraine

The U.S. Air Force has issued a Request For Information to defense companies about producing the Extended Range Attack Munition, or ERAM. It wants to learn which contractors can build the weapon at scale and meet demanding delivery deadlines. ERAM is intended to give Ukraine a relatively affordable, precision-guided missile for attacking important fixed targets from a distance.

The request seeks more than 1,000 missiles. Companies must explain whether they can begin deliveries within three months of receiving a contract and finish within 15 months. The weapon must weigh about 500 pounds, fly beyond 250 nautical miles, and travel faster than Mach 0.6.

The request follows earlier prototype work by Zone 5 Technologies and CoAspire. The Air Force awarded those companies development contracts in 2024 and conducted a live warhead test in January 2026. The new request moves ERAM toward larger-scale production, especially for Ukraine.

ERAM stands for Extended Range Attack Munition. The Air Force describes it as a next-generation cruise missile designed to provide affordable mass and precision-guided stand-off attacks against high-value fixed targets. It is small enough to be carried and released by an aircraft rather than launched from the ground.

Air-launched means the missile begins its mission after release from a plane, such as an American-made F-16. Stand-off means the missile travels toward the target after launch, allowing the aircraft to remain outside the target’s immediate area. That gives the weapon a longer reach than a direct attack by the aircraft itself.

The article does not give a detailed flight description. In general, a cruise missile is powered and guided through much of its flight, unlike a ballistic missile, which follows a high arcing path after its powered launch. ERAM’s stated role is long-range, accurate attacks on fixed targets.

The Air Force is seeking more than 1,000 ERAM missiles, with deliveries completed within 15 months. That production target reflects the weapon’s central purpose: affordable mass for the fight, rather than a small supply of very expensive missiles. The missile is specified as a 500-pound class weapon.

Its range must exceed 250 nautical miles, and its speed must be greater than Mach 0.6. Terminal accuracy must be within 10 meters of the target, even when GPS is degraded or electronic jamming is present. These requirements combine reach, speed, and precision in one relatively compact weapon.

ERAM must produce blast and fragmentation effects. It must also have limited penetration capability on impact. The article describes it as a precision-guided, stand-off weapon against high-value fixed targets. Together, the specifications point to attacks that can damage important installations without requiring a direct aircraft strike.

Ukraine would want this capability because ERAM is designed to hit high-value fixed targets from a distance. A missile launched before the aircraft reaches the target area can carry the attack forward, while the F-16 remains farther away. That matters when the target area is dangerous or heavily contested.

The article links ERAM to Ukrainian F-16s and reports claims that Ukraine used an AGM-188A Rusty Dagger, described as an ERAM version, against the Voronezh Semiconductor Plant. That plant makes components for Russian missiles. The example shows how a stand-off weapon could reach an important industrial site rather than merely attack nearby battlefield positions.

The missile’s range must exceed 250 nautical miles, and its terminal accuracy must remain within 10 meters during GPS degradation or jamming. Those requirements support attacks on distant, fixed targets. The article does not state how many F-16s carry ERAM or describe their exact launch procedures.

Electronic jamming and degraded GPS can make precision attacks harder. The Air Force therefore requires ERAM to achieve terminal accuracy within 10 meters even under those conditions. Terminal accuracy refers to how close the missile comes to its target at the end of flight.

This matters because ERAM is intended for high-value fixed targets, not merely broad-area effects. A missile that reaches the right general region but misses its intended installation may fail to destroy the facility or may waste a valuable strike opportunity. The requirement also protects the purpose of a precision-guided weapon: placing the effects where they are needed.

The article does not identify the guidance methods that would preserve accuracy during jamming. It does show that the Air Force treats reliable performance in that environment as a core requirement. For Ukraine, that could make ERAM more useful against defended targets where navigation signals cannot be trusted.

Producing more than 1,000 ERAMs in 15 months would give Ukraine a substantial new supply of stand-off weapons. The Air Force describes ERAM as affordable mass, so the program is meant to expand the number of available missiles rather than provide only a few costly rounds. A large supply could support repeated attacks on fixed targets.

The delivery schedule is unusually tight. Companies must start sending missiles within three months of contract award and finish within 15 months. That speed could turn a development effort into a usable wartime stockpile quickly. The article also notes that Zone 5 Technologies and CoAspire moved from prototype contracts in 2024 to a live warhead test in January 2026.

The consequences for the U.S. military remain uncertain. The article asks how much the United States will use ERAM itself. It also says the Iran war depleted U.S. inventories of expensive missiles, making cheaper, faster-produced weapons more relevant.

The article identifies ERAM as a cruise missile but does not explain the broader difference between cruise and ballistic missiles. In general, a cruise missile uses propulsion and guidance during much of its journey. It flies through the atmosphere toward a planned target, rather than simply following a ballistic arc after launch.

A ballistic missile receives its main powered acceleration early in flight. It then travels along a largely unpowered, arcing trajectory before descending toward its target. A cruise missile’s flight is therefore more like sustained travel toward the target, while a ballistic missile’s path is dominated by its initial boost and subsequent arc.

ERAM’s stated features fit the cruise-missile category: it is air-launched, designed for stand-off attacks, and must fly beyond 250 nautical miles at more than Mach 0.6. The article focuses on its production and use against fixed targets, not on a detailed comparison of flight paths.