Polish F-16 will receive hardly noticeable cruise missiles

The fighters F-16C/D of the Polish Air Force will receive hardly noticeable AGM-158 JASSM cruise missiles of the American production, reports a portal F-16.net. In the first delivery 40 rockets of production of the Lockheed Martin company will be transferred to Warsaw. Poland becomes the third foreign operator of rockets of this type. Before them already received the Air Force of Australia and Finland.

The sum of the first contract within which, besides 40 combat missiles, not specified number of educational ammunition for land trainings and start-up will be put during combat training, makes 500 million dollars. The agreement also provides modernization of all 48 fighters F-16C available for Poland and D for use of the new weapon, preparation of the personnel and technical support.

It is expected that further the number of AGM-158 rockets at the disposal of the Air Force of Poland will be finished to 200, including and an improved version of JASSM-ER with the increased range of flight. Deliveries will begin in 2015, the first squadrons with new rockets is reached combat readiness to 2017.

JASSM rockets were taken advantage in the USA in 2009. They can be used from planes of various types, from strategic bombers to fighters. The mass of the rocket makes 907 kgs, military unit weight – 450 kgs. Range of defeat of the purposes for base option of the rocket makes 370 kilometers.

The version with the increased range, designated as JASSM-ER, is capable to strike the purposes at range over 900 kilometers. The design of the rocket is executed with application of technologies of decrease in a visibility in a radar-tracking and infra-red range.