The US Air Force recently conducted a successful live-warhead test of the Extended Range Attack Munition (ERAM) — a low-cost, air-launched cruise missile being developed to boost Ukraine’s long-range strike capabilities, according to Mikayla Easley of DefenseScoop. The Jan. 21 test at Eglin Air Force Base met all objectives and provided key performance data to support continued development. ERAM is intended to be produced in large numbers and sold to Ukraine to help counter Russia’s invasion. The effort is part of a broader program, with contracts awarded to companies like Zone 5 Technologies and CoAspire, and a State Department approval in August 2025 allowing Ukraine to purchase thousands of these missiles with allied funding. Easley reports:

The Air Force recently held a live demonstration of an air-launched cruise missile that is being developed to give Ukraine additional long-range strike capability at low cost.

The service announced Friday that it successfully conducted a live-warhead test of the weapon — known as the Extended Range Attack Munition (ERAM) — on Jan. 21 at Eglin Air Force Base in Florida. The system is one of several being developed for the Ukrainian military to leverage in its effort to counter Russia’s full-scale invasion. […]

“Moving from a contract to a live-fire demonstration in under two years proves we can deliver lethal, cost-effective capability at the speed of relevance,” Brig. Gen. Robert Lyons III, the service’s portfolio acquisition executive for weapons, said in a statement.

In August 2025, the State Department formally approved Ukraine’s request to purchase 3,550 ERAMs for an estimated cost of $850 million, with funding provided by Ukraine’s allies in Europe. […]

As of press time, the service did not confirm if CoAspire’s ERAM offering — known as the Rapid Adaptable Affordable Cruise Missile — was also part of the live-fire test.

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