The Donald Trump administration has given the green light: Ukraine will receive 3,350 ERAM aerial missiles—cheap, mass-produced long-range munitions capable of hitting targets at distances of up to 450 kilometers. The delivery is expected within the next six weeks, and the total cost of the package is estimated at approximately $850 million, the majority of which is covered by European allies.
This decision could be a turning point: for the first time, Kyiv will receive not a handful of “super-missiles,” but an entire arsenal of thousands of units, which changes the very logic of the war.
Scale: about 3.35 thousand ERAMs, according to some reports—even 3.55 thousand.
Characteristics: range up to 280 miles (≈450 km), warhead mass about 500 pounds, high accuracy even with GPS jamming.
Carriers: the missiles were designed for F-16s and other aircraft already ready for operation in Ukraine.
Usage control: each use will require approval from the Pentagon to prevent escalation of the conflict with Russia.
Funding: the lion’s share of the cost falls on Europe, demonstrating its readiness to “pay for security” alongside the US.
The WSJ and The Guardian emphasize that Washington is combining “accelerating aid” with maintaining strict control over strikes deep into Russia.
Ukrainian media report varying figures: from 3,350 to 3,550 missiles, and timelines range from “six weeks” to “six months” (which appears to be a publication error).
Some sources confuse ERAM with the naval SM-6 missile (RIM-174, Standard ERAM), although this is about a completely different program—new-generation aerial strike munitions.
Mass instead of exclusivity: if the Ukrainian Armed Forces (VSU) previously received a limited number of expensive Storm Shadows or ATACMS, the bet is now on quantity. This weapon can “swamp” Russian air defense, forcing it to expend expensive interceptors.
Washington on the gas and the brake: the US is simultaneously expanding Ukraine’s arsenal and retaining the “red button” for deciding on every strike.
The European wallet: the funding for the package is primarily European—an important signal that NATO is ready to pay not only with political statements but also with billions.
The arrival of thousands of ERAMs could change the pace of the war. Ukraine will gain the ability to systematically hit warehouses, logistics, and air defense at depths of up to 450 km, reducing risks for pilots through “over-the-horizon” launches. But freedom of action will remain limited: every salvo will depend on a Pentagon decision.
For the US, this is a tool of balance: aiding Kyiv without a direct confrontation with Moscow. For Europe, it’s a test of readiness to pay for strategic stability. For Russia, it’s the prospect of a war of “attrition” in the sky, where cheap missiles will be exchanged for expensive interceptors.
Washington is transferring to Kyiv not a “silver bullet,” but a “weapon of attrition”—thousands of ERAMs that can turn the sky into an arena of economic battle: where victory will be determined not only by accuracy but also by arithmetic.
