AGM-158C LRASM
Overview
The AGM-158C LRASM (Long-Range Anti-Ship Missile) is the United States' modern answer to a problem it long neglected: how to sink ships at long range when the enemy can shoot back. Derived from the stealthy JASSM-ER land-attack cruise missile, it gives American aircraft and ships a precision anti-ship weapon with the range, survivability and autonomy to penetrate the layered defences of a peer navy like China's. What sets LRASM apart is its survivability and autonomy rather than its speed. It is subsonic but low-observable, and it is designed to operate in GPS-denied, heavily jammed environments: it can navigate, identify the correct target among many, and route itself to attack using onboard sensors and threat awareness, with minimal reliance on external cueing. This addresses the reality that in a war with China, the satellite and datalink networks that normally feed targeting data may be degraded. For an analyst, LRASM closes a genuine gap. For decades the U.S. relied on the short-ranged Harpoon while rivals fielded long-range supersonic missiles; LRASM restores a credible long-range anti-ship punch, launched from B-1B bombers, F/A-18E/F Super Hornets and (planned) F-35s and surface ships. Alongside the Maritime Strike Tomahawk and SM-6, it is a key piece of the U.S. and allied effort to hold the Chinese fleet at risk across the Western Pacific.
Deployment Map
Home ports from known hull assignments. Operating areas reflect typical AORs — individual deployments will vary.
Timeline
Specifications
Doctrine & Employment
Role
Stealthy, autonomous long-range anti-ship cruise missile to defeat peer naval defences.
Design Philosophy
Survivability and autonomy over speed — penetrate and pick the right ship without external cueing.
Employment
Low-observable subsonic flight with autonomous target ID and routing in GPS-denied, jammed environments.
Threat Context
Closes the U.S. long-range anti-ship gap and helps hold the Chinese fleet at risk in the Western Pacific.
How to Compare
Read against China's YJ-18 (speed) and alongside Maritime Strike Tomahawk and NSM.
Operational Patterns
Typical Deployment
Long-range anti-ship strikes from bombers, fighters and ships against defended naval targets.
Typical Task Group
B-1B raids, carrier-air-wing Super Hornets, surface combatants.
Readiness
Fielded and expanding to more platforms.
Key Operating Areas
Peer Comparison Matrix
The YJ-18 uses a supersonic terminal sprint; LRASM uses stealth and autonomy instead of speed.
Video angle: Stealth vs speed in anti-ship missiles.
Tomahawk offers longer range from ships; LRASM offers stealthy autonomous targeting from aircraft.
Video angle: America's two long-range anti-ship answers.
NSM is a smaller, shorter-ranged stealthy anti-ship missile; LRASM is the heavy long-range option.
Video angle: The West's new anti-ship missile family.
Combat History
Achieved early operational capability on the B-1B Lancer, later the F/A-18E/F.
Restored a long-range U.S. anti-ship capability after decades of reliance on Harpoon.
Known Vulnerabilities
Subsonic speed
Slower than supersonic/hypersonic rivals, giving defences more reaction time.
Context: Relies on stealth and autonomy, not speed.
Mitigation: Low observability and saturation.
Cost/magazine depth
Expensive precision weapon limits numbers.
Context: Fewer shots per platform.
Mitigation: Mix with cheaper weapons.
Variants
| Variant | Designation | Years | Count | Status | Key Changes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| AGM-158C LRASM | — | 2018– | — | active | Stealthy autonomous anti-ship missile from JASSM-ER |
| LRASM (surface-launched) / increments | — | 2020s | — | building | Ship-launch and capability-growth increments |
Modernization Programmes
Platform & range growth
Integration onto more platforms (incl. F-35) and capability/range increments.
Impact: Multiplies the launch options and reach against ships.
Images
Frequently Asked
When was the first AGM-158C LRASM commissioned?
The first AGM-158C LRASM entered service in 2018.
Who builds the AGM-158C LRASM?
The AGM-158C LRASM is built by Lockheed Martin.
What variants of the AGM-158C LRASM exist?
Known variants include: AGM-158C LRASM, LRASM (surface-launched) / increments.
How much does a AGM-158C LRASM cost?
Unit cost is approximately $4M per hull.
Curated Research
recommended
Authoritative profile
reference
Specs, platforms, autonomy
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