Ukraine's acquisition of new U.S. air-launched cruise missiles under the ERAM program has raised expectations about its long-range strike capabilities. This, in turn, brings up several key questions.
One of them is whether the long-range ERAMs will face the same electronic warfare problems as the Ground-Launched Small Diameter Bomb (GLSDB), which proved ineffective against russian EW. This question already has an answer. But another remains: from which aircraft these missiles — specifically CoAspire's RAACM and Zone 5 Technologies' Rusty Dagger— can actually be launched.
Read more: Ukraine to Receive New ERAM Long-Range Weapons, but Which Ones Remain a Mystery (Video)
The U.S. Defense Security Cooperation Agency (DSCA), in its approval for Ukraine's purchase, stated directly that "Ukraine will have no difficulty integrating these articles into its armed forces." Furthermore, the approval specifically mentions that pylons will be supplied with the missiles. These could be special adapter pylons enabling the use of U.S. precision weapons from Ukraine's MiG-29, Su-27, and Su-25 jets. CoAspire has also emphasized that its RAACM can be deployed by any aircraft able to carry JDAMs.
In contrast, U.S.-made F-16s require no such adapters. The case of the French Mirage 2000-5F is less clear. This variant was originally designed as a pure fighter, but before its transfer to Ukraine it reportedly underwent upgrades to enable ground-attack missions.
How Many Missiles Can a Jet Carry?
The ERAM program developed missiles with standardized mass and size characteristics — the same class as the 500-pound (227 kg) Mk 82 bomb. In principle, any aircraft capable of carrying a Mk 82 bomb should also be able to carry an ERAM.
Ukrainian Soviet-era jets typically carry only two JDAM-ERs or AASM Hammers, mainly due to adapter pylons and external fuel tanks. On the F-16, the two pairs of inboard pylons are intended for bombs, though those closest to the fuselage are often occupied by drop tanks.
However, the TER-9/A Triple Ejector Rack allows the F-16 to carry a much larger load. Each rack converts a single hardpoint into three, making full use of the two inboard pylons rated at 4,500 and 3,500 pounds respectively. With TER-9/As, a single F-16 can carry 12 Mk 82–class munitions — or even heavier ones, as each rack can support weapons weighing up to 1,000 pounds.
That means a single F-16 could potentially launch 12 ERAMs in one sortie. A squadron of 12 aircraft could therefore deliver up to 144 missiles in one coordinated strike — or 72 if external drop tanks are needed. With ERAM's 400 km range, such a strike could be conducted safely from well behind the front line.
If ERAM's dimensions prevent their use on TER-9/As, another option is the BRU-57/A Smart Rack, which can carry two weapons spaced further apart. In that case, 12 F-16s could deliver between 48 and 96 ERAMs in a single operation.
It is also worth noting that production is planned at 1,000 ERAMs per year — about 83 per month. Since deliveries will be handled by both CoAspire and Zone 5 Technologies, each company may have sufficient capacity to meet this target.
Read more: Ukraine to Receive Brand New U.S. Weapon, the ERAM: Capabilities and Pitfalls
