Donald Trump plans to teach Iran a lesson, deploys deadly JASSM missiles after issuing a 48-hour 'Stone Age' threat
The United States and Israel began strikes against Iran on February 28. However, reports suggest a reduction in missile stockpiles for both countries.
US President Donald Trump
New Delhi: The US military has reportedly deployed the JASSM-ER cruise missile for its next phase of the campaign against Iran. These deadly missiles are currently being positioned on the battlefield. It is important to note that the deployment of the JASSM-ER cruise missile comes at a time when US President Donald Trump has issued a 48-hour ultimatum to Iran, warning that failure to reach a ceasefire agreement could push the country into the "Stone Age." Iran, on the other hand, has also warned of opening the "gates of hell" against the United States.
According to an NDTV report, citing an official, the orders to withdraw these USD 1.5 million missiles from stockpiles in the Pacific region were issued in late March. The report further added that the missiles stationed at other US locations, including the mainland United States, would be moved to bases under US Central Command or to RAF Fairford in the United Kingdom. The official's identity has not been disclosed due to the sensitive nature of the information.
Challenges for US President Trump:
It is important to note that after withdrawing these missiles from its stockpiles, only about 425 JASSM-ER missiles would remain available for the rest of the world out of a pre-war inventory of 2,300. This is a major concern for the United States. This number would be sufficient for just a single mission by around 17 B-1B Lancer bombers. Additionally, nearly 75 missiles are considered "unusable" due to damage or technical faults.
Here are some of the key features of JASSM-ER:
- The JASSM-ER, or "Joint Air-to-Surface Missile Extended Range," has a range of over 600 kilometers
- JASSM-ER is designed to cause maximum destruction over a wide area.
- It is engineered to evade enemy air defenses and strike targets from a safe distance.
- This could also imply that, given Iran's recent success in targeting US fighter jets, strikes may be conducted without entering Iran's air defense zones.
- Along with the shorter-range JASSM missile, nearly two-thirds of the U.S. stockpile is being allocated for the Iran conflict.
To recall, the United States and Israel began strikes against Iran on February 28. However, reports suggest a reduction in missile stockpiles for both countries. The supply of missile interceptors and long-range strike weapons has become a critical issue for the United States, and replenishing the used inventory could take years at current production rates.
If the US continues to rely heavily on long-range weapons like the JASSM-ER for large-scale strikes, it reduces the immediate risk to its troops but also depletes reserves meant for more capable adversaries such as China. In such a scenario, if China were to attack Taiwan, the US could find itself with limited options beyond rhetoric.
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