The Polish Ministry of Defense has announced the signing of a firm contract for the procurement of AGM-88G AARGM-ER air-to-ground missiles. These missiles represent a significant upgrade of the AGM-88 HARM anti-radiation missile, boasting a range of 300 km and the capability to be launched from the internal bays of F-35 aircraft.
Warsaw has ordered 200 of these missiles for $745 million, which means the cost per AARGM-ER is $3.75 million. However, the most important aspect is the delivery timeline, which is set between 2029 and 2035.
These missiles are essential for Poland primarily to arm the F-35s, which were ordered back in January 2020, totaling 32 aircraft for $4.6 billion. However, the delivery of these missiles will occur significantly later than the deployment of the fifth-generation fighters - the first F-35s are expected to be operational in Poland by 2026.
This also highlights the time it takes from the development phase to series production and ordering. Currently, in the U.S., the missile is still in the preparation phase for full-scale production.
In November 2023, the Pentagon awarded Alliant Techsystems Operations, a subsidiary of Northrop Grumman, a contract for the supply of 118 AARGM-ER missiles for $235.7 million. Additionally, in 2024, the company received another $33.27 million to start production of the missiles in 2025.
In this context, it is worth recalling that in October 2023, unconfirmed reports surfaced indicating that Ukraine is expected to receive new missiles with a range of 300 km and a warhead weighing 100 kg by the end of the year.
The AGM-88G AARGM-ER was mentioned as a likely candidate, as it has the specified range and a WAU-7/B warhead weighing 70 kg. Despite undergoing testing, it is important to note that ATACMS had already been used, and its 300 km version features a 227 kg warhead. However, despite the time that has passed, the information regarding the acquisition of a missile with such specifications remains unconfirmed.