Australia Declares U.S. Long-Range JASSM-ER and LRASM Missiles Operational on FA-18F Fighter Jets

Australia declared initial operational capability for the AGM-158B JASSM-ER and AGM-158C LRASM on Royal Australian Air Force F/A-18F Super Hornets on September 11, 2026. JASSM-ER provides land-strike reach of up to 900 kilometres, while the semi-autonomous LRASM can attack ships beyond 370 kilometres. The milestone follows Australian test firings of two LRASMs in February 2025 and two JASSM-ERs in November 2025, plus a P-8A LRASM launch during RIMPAC 2026. Previous US approvals covered packages of up to 200 LRASMs and 80 JASSM-ERs, valued at an estimated $990 million and $235 million respectively.