Washington has notified Congress of a possible $301 million Foreign Military Sale supplying Italy with 100 AGM-158B/B-2 JASSM-ER missiles and a comprehensive support package. Far from a routine transaction, the deal positions Italy among Europe’s limited number of air forces with true deep-strike capability integrated into the F-35 fleet. The acquisition offers stand-off reach near the 1,000-km class, bolstering deterrence and enabling Italy to contribute more decisively to NATO’s long-range precision-strike architecture. Beyond the missile stock itself, the proposal includes encrypted equipment, mission-critical test systems, spares, consumables, technical publications, U.S. Government support, and contractor training. These components form a long-term ecosystem designed to sustain Italy’s strike capability throughout the missile’s lifecycle. DSCA notes the published value is an upper bound, with the final negotiated price expected to decline based on configuration, budgeting authority, and contractual scope.
