US Seeks 1,000+ New Cruise Missiles for Ukraine, First Deliveries Due in 3 Months

The US Air Force is seeking defense industry contractors capable of producing more than 1,000 new air-launched cruise missiles intended for Ukraine, with the first deliveries expected within three months of a contract award.AirForce Times reported on Nov. 3 that the Air Force had issued a new Request for Information (RFI), inviting companies to outline their ability to manufacture the Extended Range Attack Munition (ERAM), a relatively small, low-cost standoff missile designed for mass production.JOIN US ON TELEGRAMFollow our coverage of the war on the @Kyivpost_official.The RFI, published on the US government’s SAM.gov contracting platform, sets a Nov. 19 deadline for responses and outlines the weapon‘s main technical requirements.The missile should weigh around 227 kilograms (500 pounds), have a range of more than 460 kilometers (250 nautical miles) and travel at speeds exceeding Mach 0.6.It should also be capable of striking within 10 meters of its intended target, even in conditions involving electronic jamming or degraded GPS signals.The weapon is expected to deliver blast and fragmentation effects, as well as limited penetration upon impact.The Air Force describes ERAM as a next-generation cruise missile “designed to provide affordable mass to the fight” and deliver “a precision-guided, stand-off capability against high-value fixed targets.”The program is part of the Pentagon’s broader effort to develop and produce less expensive weapons on shorter timelines. Other Topics of Interest Canada to Bar Russian Hockey Team From World Juniors Over War in Ukraine Canada will bar Russia’s hockey team from the 2027 World Juniors despite a ruling allowing its return to international competition. In 2024, the Air Force awarded contracts to two smaller defense companies, Zone 5 Technologies and CoAspire, to develop ERAM prototypes. In January 2026, less than a year and a half later, the service conducted a live-warhead test at Eglin Air Force Base in Florida.The latest RFI also sets an ambitious production schedule. Contractors would be expected to begin delivering the first of more than 1,000 missiles no later than three months after receiving the contract, with all deliveries completed within 15 months.It remains unclear whether Ukraine is already using ERAM missiles in combat. In August 2025, the Trump administration announced an $825 million sale of 3,350 ERAM missiles to Ukraine.In June 2026, Ukrainian media reported that Kyiv may have already used the AGM-188A Rusty Dagger, an ERAM variant, in a strike on a semiconductor plant in Russia’s Voronezh region. The facility reportedly produces electronic components used in advanced Russian missile systems. The reported use of the missile has not been independently confirmed.The renewed push to expand ERAM production also raises questions about how extensively the US military intends to use the weapon itself. Kyiv Post is Ukraine’s first and oldest English news organization, reporting since 1995. Its international reach – 90% of readers are outside of Ukraine – make it truly Ukraine’s global voice.