According to DefenceUpdate USAF plans to purchase 4900 JASSM and JASSM ER.
http://defense-update.com/products/j/jassm.htm
AFAIK the JASSM cannot be carried internally in the F-35; it will be carried externally and make the F-35 dirty.
Since USAF is going for a massive switch to the F-35 for the coming years I was wondering about the logic behind this? Why purchase so many JASSMs when they will soon be flying F-35s that can use e.g. the JDAM which is much cheaper and can be stored internally, and thereby maintaining the low RCS of the F-35.
The long range of the JASSM means that one does not need the low RCS of a clean F-35, but then again you don’t need the F-35 at all.
Some speculations: Could it be that the F-35 with it’s “golf-ball” RCS could face problems when entering, say, an area protected by S-400/S-500, and therefore one still needs some heavy standoff weapons?
L
The F 35 will have a long range, high-precision, stealthy weapon: the Joint Strike Missile (JSM) based on Norvegian NSM (Naval Strike Missile). It’s a mini-cruise missile, it will offer a ~ 100 Nmiles range, and will be able to attack double digit SAMs.
OTOH, the JASSM will be used be heavy bombers (B1, B2, B 52) and non-stealthy F 18 E and F 16.
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