These are all of America’s air-launched precision-guided munitions

Airpower, Gear & Tech

By Stavros Atlamazoglou

October 6, 2025

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The U.S. military is the largest organization in the world, with over 1.3 million troops in active service and hundreds of thousands of reservists. In addition, it operates tens of thousands of warships, aircraft, combat vehicles, and other weapon systems.

Among the most advanced weapon systems in the U.S. military’s arsenal are precision-guided munitions. These air-to-air, air-to-surface, surface-to-air, and surface-to-surface munitions are the go-to choice for military commanders when engaging targets on the ground, sea, and air.

What follows is an introduction to each air-launched precision-guided munition in the U.S. military’s arsenal.

To begin with, we need a working definition of “precision-guided munition.” According to the Department of Defense, a precision-guided munition is a “guided weapon intended to destroy a point target and minimize collateral damage.” These weapons are designed to take out adversary – usually high-value – targets with precision, while ensuring that collateral damage remains minimal. Precision-guided munitions also have the ability to adjust course mid-flight, correcting for targeting error or adverse weather.

Unguided munitions, on the other hand, do not have such capabilities and, once fired, are unleashed toward the general area of their target.

Air-to-air precision munitions

Advanced Medium-Range Air-to-Air Missile (AMRAAM)

AIM-120D loaded on F-15E — U.S. Airmen with the 379th Expeditionary Maintenance Squadron munitions flight load an AIM-120D Advanced Medium-Range Air-to-Air Missile onto an F-15E Strike Eagle aircraft during an integrated combat turn exercise at Al Udeid Air Base, Qatar, March 3, 2021. (U.S. Air National Guard photo by Master Sgt. Brigette Waltermire)

The AIM-120 AMRAAM is a beyond-visual-range air-to-air missile used by the Navy, Air Force, and Marine Corps. The latest version of the missile, the AIM-120D3, has a maximum unclassified range of approximately 100 miles, thus, the munition is ideal for engaging enemy aircraft at long distances. (A weapon’s classified range is longer than its unclassified one.)

However, the Pentagon plans to replace the munition with the AIM-260 Joint Advanced Tactical Missile (JATM).

Air Intercept Missile-9X (AIM-9X)

Marines carry AIM-9X missile for F-35 — U.S. Marines with Marine Fighter Attack Squadron (VMFA) 242, 31st Marine Expeditionary Unit, prepare to carry an AIM-9X-2 missile during an ordnance load aboard the amphibious assault ship USS America, in the Coral Sea, June 29, 2025. (U.S. Marine Corps photo by Sgt. Peter Rawlins)

The AIM-9 Sidewinder is the U.S. military’s go-to air-to-air missile for dogfights. Designed by the Navy and adopted by the Air Force and Marine Corps, the AIM-9 is light and highly maneuverable. The maximum unclassified range of the AIM-9X, the latest version of the munition, is approximately 22 miles. The munition, however, can also hit targets as close as half a mile away.

Air-to-surface precision munitions

AGM-88 HARM

The AGM-88 HARM is the U.S. military’s go-to missile for electronic warfare. This is an air-launched ground attack missile designed to target and destroy enemy radar installations and air defenses. The AGM-88 HARM was a Navy-led program and the missile is also used by the Air Force and Marine Corps. The Ukrainian military has been using the munition against Russian air defenses with good results.

Joint Air-to-Ground Missile (JAGM)

Joint Air-to-Ground Missile testing — Bryan Zeger, Letterkenny Army Depot Directorate of Missile and Aerospace Readiness electronics technician, starts the process to test a Joint Air-to-Ground missile on Sept. 3 at the DMAR facility. Marking the start of the organic repair capability for the Army regarding the JAGM, LEAD artisans successfully and recently completed the first test of a JAGM in a non-Original Equipment Manufacturer production facility. (U.S. Army photo by Joshua Shinn)

The AGM-179 JAGM is an air-to-ground guided missile designed mainly for attack helicopters and unmanned aerial systems. This precision-guided munition is distinct from the others mentioned above due to the fact that it is an Army-led program – the Army operates thousands of attack and transport helicopters. The AGM-179 used technology and parts of the AGM-114R Hellfire missile but has an upgraded seeker. It has an unclassified maximum range of around 310 miles.

Joint Air-to-Surface Standoff Missile (JASSM)

AGM-158 Joint Air-to-Surface Standoff Missile loading — U.S. Airmen assigned to the 509th Bomber Generation Squadron weapons section prepare to load AGM-158 joint air-to-surface standoff missiles into a B-2 Spirit weapons trainer at Whiteman Air Force Base, Missouri, Aug. 8, 2025. The Airmen participated in a weapons load competition that tested them on various components of loading munitions. (U.S. Air Force photo by Staff Sgt. Joshua Hastings)

The AGM-158 JASSM is a family of air-launched cruise missiles with different range capabilities. The munition can be fired from fighter jets and strategic bombers. It is designed to bypass adversary air defenses through its low-observability characteristics. Depending on the version of the munition, the AGM-158 JASSM has a maximum range of almost 600 miles and carries a 1,000lbs warhead.

Joint Direct Attack Munition (JDAM)

GBU-38 Joint Direct Attack Munition inspection — A U.S. Airman assigned to the 393rd Bomber Generation Squadron inspects GBU-38 Joint Direct Attack Munitions prior to them being loaded into a B-2 Spirit aircraft at Whiteman Air Force Base, Missouri, Aug. 28, 2025. JDAMs were used for an Air Force Research Laboratory QUICKSINK Joint Capability Technology Demonstration in the High North, in collaboration with Norwegian Allies, where the precision-guided munitions validated maritime strike capabilities. (U.S. Air Force photo by Staff Sgt. Joshua Hastings)

One of the most widely-used precision-guided munitions in the U.S. military, the JDAM is not a munition in itself. Rather, the JDAM is a bolt-on guidance kit that can be outfitted to 500-, 1,000-, and 2,000-pound unguided bombs, turning them into “smart bombs.” JDAMs have been in use since 1999.

Long Range Anti-Ship Missile (LRASM)

An F-35 Lightning II test pilot conducts flight test Sept. 9 to certify the carrier variant of the fighter aircraft for carrying the AGM-158C Long-Range Anti-Ship Missile (LRASM). As part of ongoing integration efforts, the Pax River F-35 Integrated Test Force (Pax ITF) team flew two days of test flights to evaluate flutter, loads, and flying qualities with two AGM-158 loaded on external stations. LRASM is a defined near-term solution for the Offensive Anti-Surface Warfare (OASuW) air-launch capability gap that will provide flexible, long-range, advanced, anti-surface capability against high-threat maritime targets. (Photo by Dane Wiedmann/U.S. Navy)

The AGM-158C LRASM is an air-launched anti-ship cruise missile. Designed by the Navy to take out Chinese warships, the AGM-158 LRASM has an unclassified maximum range of approximately 575 miles and carries a 1,000lbs warhead.

Massive Ordnance Penetrator (MOP)

B-2 drops Massive ordnance penetrator — B-2 Spirit dropping a GBU-57 MOP. (U.S. Air Force photo)

The GBU-57 is the largest non-nuclear munition in the U.S. military’s arsenal. The 30,000 lbs precision-guided bomb is designed to penetrate heavily armed targets, including underground targets. The Air Force dropped several MOPs from B-2 Spirit stealth bombers during the attack on Iran’s nuclear program in June. The Air Force plans to replace the bomb with the “Next Generation Penetrator.”

Small Diameter Bomb I and II (SDB)

A GBU-39, Small Diameter Bomb, sits on the rail of an MQ-9 Reaper remotely piloted aircraft at Creech Air Force Base, Nevada, Mar. 12, 2025. In collaboration with Air Combat Command and the 556th Test and Evaluation Squadron, the 432nd Maintenance Group Weapons Standardization team loaded the first GBU-39s on the Dual Carriage System–the MQ-9’s newest weapons employment dispenser system. (U.S. Air Force photo by Staff Sgt. Ariel O’Shea)

Finally, the SDB Increment I and II are air-launched guided bombs designed to take out stationary and mobile targets. They have a range of approximately 50 miles and can carry up to four 250 lbs guided air-to-surface munitions.

Feature Image: U.S. Air Force Staff Sgt. Joshua Sandy, 51st Munitions Squadron (MUNS) munitions inspector, and Staff Sgt. Zachary Johnson, 51st MUNS precision missiles crew chief, guide a MJ-1C weapons loader driven by Staff Sgt. Christian Mathes, 51st MUNS maintenance supervisor, during a training event at Daegu Air Base, Republic of Korea, Jan. 30, 2023.(U.S. Air Force photo by Staff Sgt. Dwane R. Young)