Ukraine, equipped with numerous F-16 fighter jets, can deploy the JASSM missile effectively from a standoff range of 370.4 km, keeping their aircraft well out of the reach of enemy defenses.
Russia-Ukraine war: In a significant escalation amid the ongoing Russia-Ukraine war, US President Joe Biden’s government has given Ukraine US’s long-range JASSM ballistic missile to Ukraine. The long range missile is very dangerous as it can help Ukraine attack inside Russia till its capital, Moscow. The full name of this missile is Joint-Air-to-Surface Standoff Missile (JASSM). Through this, Ukraine can target at least 30 airbases of Russia, as per a report by Aajtak.
The combination of F-16 fighter jets and the JASSM missile is a formidable force in modern warfare. The Joint Air-to-Surface Standoff Missile (JASSM), weighing 1088 kg, is designed to deliver precision strikes with its 453 kg warhead, capable of causing significant damage to strategic targets.
Ukraine, equipped with numerous F-16 fighter jets, can deploy the JASSM missile effectively from a standoff range of 370.4 km, keeping their aircraft well out of the reach of enemy defenses. Furthermore, the missile’s range can be extended to an impressive 900 km if needed, enhancing its strategic flexibility and allowing it to strike deep into enemy territory.
Russia says hypersonic missile strike on Ukraine was a warning to West
The Kremlin has said that a strike on Ukraine using a newly developed hypersonic ballistic missile was designed as a message to the West that Moscow will respond to their “reckless” decisions and actions in support of Ukraine.
Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov was speaking a day after President Vladimir Putin said Moscow had fired the new missile – the Oreshnik or Hazel Tree – at a Ukrainian military facility.
“The main message is that the reckless decisions and actions of Western countries that produce missiles, supply them to Ukraine and subsequently participate in strikes on Russian territory cannot remain without a reaction from the Russian side,” Peskov told reporters.
“The Russian side has clearly demonstrated its capabilities, and the contours of further retaliatory actions in the event that our concerns are not taken into account have been quite clearly outlined.”
Peskov said Russia had not been obliged to warn the United States about the strike, but had informed the U.S. 30 minutes before the launch anyway. President Vladimir Putin remained open to dialog, Peskov said, but he said the outgoing administration of U.S. President Joe Biden “prefers to continue down the path of escalation”.
Putin said on Thursday that Russia had fired the new missile after Ukraine, with approval from the Biden administration, struck Russia with six US-made ATACMS missiles on Tuesday and with British Storm Shadow cruise missiles and US-made HIMARS on Thursday.
Putin said this meant that the Ukraine war had now “acquired elements of a global character.”
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy has said Russia’s use of the new missile amounted to “a clear and severe escalation” in the war and called for strong worldwide condemnation.
(With inputs from agencies)