Joint Air-to-Ground Missile (JAGM) is a modern, multi-mission, precision-guided air-to-ground missile developed by Lockheed Martin for the U.S. Army, Navy, and Marine Corps. It serves as the next-generation replacement for the legacy AGM-114 Hellfire, AGM-65 Maverick, and BGM-71 TOW missile systems, providing a single, versatile weapon capable of engaging a wide range of targets from rotary-wing, fixed-wing, and unmanned platforms.
Key features include:
- Multi-mode seeker — Combines semi-active laser guidance (SAL) with millimeter-wave (mmW) radar and inertial navigation, allowing all-weather, day/night, and adverse-weather operation. The missile can lock on before or after launch, engage moving or stationary targets, and operate in GPS-denied environments.
- Variants — Primarily the JAGM Increment 1 (laser-only, Hellfire-compatible) and Increment 2 (multi-mode with mmW radar for enhanced capability against moving targets and in poor visibility). Increment 3 adds improved range and performance.
- Performance — Range exceeds 8 km (often reported up to 11–16 km depending on launch platform and variant), with a high-explosive anti-armor (HEAA) or blast-fragmentation warhead capable of defeating armored vehicles, fortifications, small boats, and personnel in the open.
- Compatibility — Integrates with the AH-64E Apache, MH-60M Black Hawk, AH-6M Little Bird, MQ-1C Gray Eagle, and other platforms. The 160th SOAR (Night Stalkers) plans to field JAGM on the MH-60M Direct Action Penetrator (DAP) configuration to replace or supplement Hellfire missiles, providing greater standoff range, improved all-weather precision, and reduced susceptibility to countermeasures.
JAGM entered low-rate initial production in 2018 and achieved full-rate production in 2022. It significantly enhances the lethality and survivability of special operations aviation platforms by offering a single missile that can engage diverse threats at longer ranges and in more challenging conditions than previous systems.