Lockheed Martin announced Thursday that its JASSM cruise missile performed successfully during its most recent flight test on Jan. 12 at White Sands Missile Range, N.M. Company spokeswoman Heather Kelly said a B-52 bomber released the missile which then “successfully navigated through a preplanned route before destroying its intended target.” This product upgrade verification flight test, designated PUV-8, continued the company’s successful efforts “to expand missile capability and exceed reliability requirements,” she said. The test validated the performance of upgraded electronic subassemblies. The Air Force wants the JASSM to attain a 90 percent reliability rate by the time of lot 11 production. The company just received the contract for lot 8 (see JASSM Contract Let). Kelly said JASSM is “achieving a reliability rate in the high 80 percent” in tests to date. And the extended-range JASSM has a 100 percent track record in its flights so far.
Amid NATO’s continued push to ramp up air defenses in Eastern Europe, Secretary of the Air Force Frank Kendall swung by seven allied countries to boost relations last week, including those on Russia’s and Ukraine’s doorstep.