The Trump administration has approved the sale of 3,350 long-range Extended Range Attack Munitions (ERAM) to Ukraine, with a contract valued at $850 million. According to The Wall Street Journal, most of the funding will come from European partners. Ukraine is expected to receive the first systems in about six weeks.
However, several U.S. officials noted that the use of ERAM will still require Pentagon approval. This is similar to earlier restrictions placed on Ukraine’s use of ATACMS missiles against targets inside Russia, where each strike needed separate authorization from Washington. Analysts suggest that in this case, Ukraine will likely be able to employ ERAM freely against targets in occupied territories, while strikes inside Russia will remain under American oversight.
The ERAM missiles are part of a broader $850 million military aid package that also includes air defense systems and GMLRS rounds with a range of up to 145 km. Final approval of the package was postponed until after President Trump met with Russian President Vladimir Putin and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky earlier this month.
The Extended Range Attack Munition is a hybrid between a guided aerial bomb and a cruise missile. Its main purpose is to provide a relatively low-cost but effective strike option that can be launched from a safe distance. ERAM has a range of up to 463 km, a minimum speed of about 763 km/h, and an accuracy of roughly 10 meters. The missile can be fitted with different guidance systems, including the Quicksink kit designed to target ships. There are also ongoing discussions about adapting ERAM as a cost-efficient interceptor against drones.
The first reports about ERAM surfaced in mid-2024. The program was tailored to meet Ukraine’s specific requests. While the initial contract envisioned serial production within two years, development moved at a faster pace, suggesting the manufacturer managed to accelerate the schedule significantly. Original plans set annual production capacity at up to 1,000 missiles, meaning it could take considerable time to deliver all 3,350 units. It is not yet clear whether the United States has already built up a stockpile of these munitions.
ERAM differs from the GLSDB (Ground-Launched Small Diameter Bomb) systems, which have faced difficulties against Russian electronic warfare. Unlike GLSDB, the new missile offers greater range and significantly higher speed, giving Ukraine broader options for striking targets deeper behind enemy lines. If approved by the United States for specific missions, this weapon is expected to substantially enhance Ukraine’s ability to hit critical targets well beyond the front line.
Earlier, Financial Times reported that Ukraine had proposed a $100 billion plan to purchase U.S. weapons. Most of the funding would come from European partners, and the program is intended to form part of broader security guarantees from the United States ahead of potential peace talks with Russia. The proposal also includes a separate $50 billion contract focused on developing drone production in cooperation with Ukrainian defense companies.
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Source: united24media
