Washington approves the delivery of 3,350 ERAM missiles to Ukraine, at a cost of $850 million, with use subject to Pentagon approval.
The United States has authorized the delivery of 3,350 Extended Range Attack Munition (ERAM) missiles to Ukraine. These standoff weapons will have a range of 240 to 450 kilometers with an accuracy of 10 meters, even in the event of GPS jamming. The contract, estimated at $850 million (≈ €780 million), is mainly financed by Kyiv’s European allies. These missiles are expected to be delivered in six weeks. Their use will remain subject to approval by the Pentagon, which limits the possibility of deep strikes inside Russia. For Ukraine, these munitions represent a significant increase in its deep strike capability, while providing the United States with useful experience for its own programs.
The delivery agreement and its financing
The US decision is part of a series of strategic arms deliveries to Ukraine. The sale of 3,350 ERAM missiles has been approved by the Donald Trump administration. The total value is $850 million, a large part of which is being financed by Kyiv’s European partners. The schedule calls for an initial delivery within six weeks, which is in line with the production capacity announced by the US Air Force: approximately 1,000 missiles over two years, or 42 units per month.
This volume marks a significant difference from previous deliveries of Western missiles, which were often limited to a few dozen or a few hundred units (British Storm Shadow, French SCALP, American ATACMS). Here, the aim is to provide mass capacity to offset Russia’s advantage in the production and use of drones and long-range missiles.
European funding reflects a clear political will to support Kyiv while avoiding exclusive dependence on Washington. This cost-sharing arrangement is reminiscent of the mechanism already used for the purchase of artillery ammunition in 2023-2024.
Technical characteristics of the ERAM missile
The ERAM is designed to be an affordable and quick-to-produce weapon, suited to the needs of an attrition conflict. Its known specifications are as follows:
- Range: between 240 and 450 km, depending on launch altitude and flight profile.
- Minimum speed: Mach 0.6, or approximately 760 km/h.
- Warhead: approximately 227 kg (500 lb), fragmentation explosive with limited penetration capability.
- Accuracy: circular error probability (CEP) ≤ 10 m, even in an environment saturated with electromagnetic jamming.
- Navigation: inertial system supplemented by GPS, but capable of operating in degraded GPS environments.
These characteristics demonstrate a desire to produce a weapon that is resilient to Russian electronic warfare, an area in which Moscow has demonstrated significant expertise, particularly against JDAM-ER and SDB guided munitions already delivered to Kyiv.
With such a range, the ERAM far surpasses the JDAM-ER (≈ 70 km) and comes close to the SCALP/Storm Shadow cruise missiles (≈ 300 km), while being less expensive and available in greater numbers.
The tactical impact for the Ukrainian army
The introduction of ERAMs will enable the Ukrainian air force to strike strategic targets beyond the front line while reducing the exposure of its aircraft to Russian defenses. Priority targets will include:
- command and communication centers,
- logistics and ammunition depots,
- military airfields,
- factories and critical infrastructure.
The 3,350 units give Ukraine the ability to conduct sustained strike campaigns, which was not possible with the limited stocks of Western long-range missiles. By comparison, the total number of Storm Shadow and SCALP missiles delivered in 2023-2024 did not exceed a few hundred.
This capability should help reduce the pressure from Russian Shahed-136/Geran drones and Iskander ballistic missiles by forcing Moscow to spread its air defense assets over a larger area. However, the constraint imposed by Washington—prior approval of each target—limits Ukraine’s freedom of action and conditions the real effectiveness of these weapons.
Political limitations and rules of engagement
The use of ERAMs will not be entirely under Ukrainian control. The Pentagon requires prior authorization for each launch to avoid deep strikes into Russian territory that could lead to direct escalation with Moscow.
Under the Biden presidency, some authorizations had been given to target the Kursk region with ATACMS missiles. The Trump administration has since tightened controls, favoring an approach aimed at keeping Russia within a framework for negotiation while continuing to support Kyiv militarily.
This dependence highlights a strategic reality: Ukraine has the weapons, but the US sets the rules for their use. This situation creates constant tension between Kyiv’s operational needs and Washington’s diplomatic caution.
The consequences for the US defense industry
The ERAM program goes beyond simply supporting Ukraine. It is part of a broader effort by the US Air Force and US Navy to test several low-cost, modular missile concepts (RAACM, ETV). Companies such as CoAspire and Zone 5 Technologies are already participating in these projects.
The ERAM is a full-scale prototype, tested in real war conditions. The experience gained by Ukraine will be directly useful to the United States in preparing for future high-intensity conflicts, particularly against China. The objective is clear: to have mass-produced long-range munitions at a much lower cost than conventional cruise missiles (Tomahawk ≈ $1.5 million per unit, compared to an estimated $200,000 to $400,000 for the ERAM).
This approach is in line with the US doctrinal shift towards rapid and adaptable production in order to build up sufficient stocks to withstand a prolonged war. Ukraine is thus becoming a strategic testing ground.
Operational and strategic outlook
In the short term, the arrival of the ERAM will strengthen Kyiv’s deep strike capability and limit air losses. The modernized MiG-29, Su-27, and Su-24 aircraft, and soon the F-16s, will be able to be equipped with them.
In the medium term, Ukraine will simultaneously develop its own long-range missiles, such as the Flamingo (range 3,000 km) and the Long Neptune (≈ 1,000 km), which have already been tested in real conditions. This local production reduces dependence on US political constraints.
For the United States, ERAM is as much a military aid tool as it is an innovation laboratory. The experience gained in Ukraine will be incorporated into future cruise missile programs, while also serving as preparation for a possible major conflict with a power such as China.
War Wings Daily is an independant magazine.