Accuracy within 10 meters without GPS: Defense Express on U.S. ERAM missiles

Military expert and Defense Express editor-in-chief Oleh Katkov explained this on Espreso TV.

“ERAM is not the name of a specific weapon but the title of a project launched by the U.S. Air Force in the summer of last year. Its goal is to create an affordable, mass-produced long-range weapon for Ukraine. This weapon will be used by aircraft to strike ground targets. The final product of ERAM will have a different name. But it is already clear what it will be, because the Pentagon issued specific requirements for the program: a long-range, high-precision munition with a range of 400–460 km, accuracy of up to 10 meters, and dimensions equivalent to a 500-pound (227 kg) aerial bomb,” Katkov said.

According to him, the munition will weigh up to 250 kg — much lighter than the Flamingo, which has a one-ton warhead. Its warhead will be smaller, measured in tens of kilograms, since the overall weight must also include a compact turbojet engine and fuel supply.

“The precision must be maintained at about 10 meters, even in conditions when GPS is jammed. The enemy heavily protects its facilities with electronic warfare, so satellite navigation often doesn’t work. Some American companies have already showcased prototypes at a high level of readiness. The idea is to make this a mass-produced weapon,” Katkov noted.

• On August 24, the Wall Street Journal reported that the Trump administration approved the sale to Ukraine of 3,350 Extended Range Attack Munition (ERAM) air-launched missiles worth $850 million.