Overview
- The State Department and DSCA notified Congress of a possible sale of 100 AGM‑158B/B‑2 JASSM‑ER long‑range air‑to‑surface missiles to Italy, valued at about $301 million.
- The notified package includes classified test equipment, KGV‑135A cryptographic systems, technical documentation, software, maintenance materials, and logistical and engineering support.
- U.S. officials say the sale strengthens a NATO ally’s long‑range strike capacity for fighters including the F‑35 and does not alter the regional military balance.
- The missiles are designated for Italian armed forces and are not tied to Ukraine assistance or NATO’s PURL pooled procurement mechanism.
- If Congress raises no objections, negotiations would proceed with Lockheed Martin, with production slated at facilities in Troy, Alabama, and Orlando, Florida.
- Italian leaders frame the purchase as part of a shift toward greater European defense responsibility, and Pentagon records show eight recent U.S. authorizations to Italy totaling about $2.64 billion.