Raytheon to supply 50 AGM-154 Block III C JSOW missiles to Taiwan.

The US.S. Department of Defense on February 2 announced that Raytheon Missile Systems was awarded a $68,420,396 modification to a firm-fixed-price order against a previously issued basic ordering agreement. This modification exercising an option for the production and delivery of 50 Joint StandOff Weapon Air-To-Ground Missiles (AGM-154 Block III C) for the government of Taiwan.
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The AGM-154 Joint Standoff Weapon (JSOW) is a precision strike weapon specifically designed for air-to-surface missions. This 1,000-pound class missile boasts the capability to carry various lethal payloads, making it a versatile tool in modern warfare. (Picture source: U.S. Navy)

Work will be performed in Tucson, Arizona (65.29%); Monmouthshire, Wales, United Kingdom (7.7%); Vergennes, Vermont (4.66%); Reading, Scotland, United Kingdom (3.01%); Joplin, Missouri (1.74%); Goleta, California (1.59%); Loveland, Colorado (1.58%); Richardson, Texas (1.12%); Tulsa, Oklahoma (1.11%); Minneapolis, Minnesota (1.03%); and various location within the continental U.S. (11.17%), and is expected to be completed in March 2028. Foreign Military Sales customer funds in the amount of $48,813,698 will be obligated at the time of award, none of which will expire at the end of the current fiscal year. Naval Air Systems Command, Patuxent River, Maryland, is the contracting activity. (Awarded Jan. 31, 2024).

The AGM-154 Joint Standoff Weapon (JSOW) is a precision strike weapon specifically designed for air-to-surface missions. This 1,000-pound class missile boasts the capability to carry various lethal payloads, making it a versatile tool in modern warfare.

One of the key strengths of the JSOW is its impressive standoff range, which spans from 12 to 63 nautical miles. This feature allows the JSOW to engage and eliminate targets effectively while remaining outside the threat zones of enemy point defenses. As a result, it offers a strategic advantage in hostile environments.

The JSOW has been integrated into several aircraft, including the F/A-18C/D/E/F, F-16, B-52, F-15E, F-35C, B-1B, and B-2, making it a versatile weapon system in the arsenal of various military forces.

The JSOW family comprises multiple weapon variants. The AGM-154A, in its baseline configuration, can carry 145 BLU-97 submunitions. This variant is suitable for engaging fixed and relocatable soft targets, such as parked aircraft, trucks, armored personnel carriers, and surface-to-air missile sites. It has seen combat use in operations like Operation Enduring Freedom and Operation Iraqi Freedom.

Additionally, there is a modified version of the AGM-154A known as the AGM-154A-1, developed for Foreign Military Sales, which replaces the BLU-97 submunitions with a BLU-111 500 lb. warhead.

The AGM-154B was designed to carry six BLU-108B/B canisters, each capable of dispensing four anti-armor submunitions. However, production for this variant was deferred.

The AGM-154C variant features a 500-pound blast/fragmentation/penetrator warhead, designed for targeting fixed-point objectives such as industrial facilities, logistical systems, and hardened tactical targets. It incorporates advanced technology, including an uncooled, long-wave imaging infrared seeker with autonomous target acquisition algorithms, ensuring precise targeting. The AGM-154C received full-rate production approval in December 2004 and achieved Initial Operational Capability (IOC) in February 2005.

The most recent addition to the JSOW family is the JSOW AGM-154C-1, which marks the Navy's introduction to air-to-ground Network-Enabled Weapons (NEW). This variant offers the capability to strike both stationary land and moving maritime targets. Equipped with GPS/INS guidance, a terminal IR seeker, and a Link 16 weapon data link, it presents a formidable tool for modern warfare. The integration of Link-16 weapon data link and updated seeker software algorithms enhances its effectiveness against at-sea moving and relocatable targets.