BELFAST — The Netherlands has opened talks with the US government to acquire more AGM-158B Joint Air-to-Surface Standoff Missile Extended Range (JASSM-ER) weapons for its fleet of F-35 fifth-generation fighter jets, according to a national defense projects document.
“The Ministry of Defense is procuring additional Deep Precision Strike munitions to replenish operational stocks,” the report said, released on Wednesday. “Discussions with the U.S. government regarding the procurement of these munitions have now begun.”
The program update noted that a Letter of Acceptance has also been signed, allowing “necessary software” to enable deployment of the Lockheed Martin-made missile.
A quantity of weapons, valued at $2.6 million per unit, covering the additional order was not disclosed, but the move to launch talks comes after The Hague and Washington signed a 2024 Letter of Offer and Acceptance to initially acquire the deep strike capability.
“With the acquisition of this high-tech capability, the [Dutch] Ministry of Defense is helping to fill an important capability gap within NATO in Europe,” added the defense projects overview.
The Netherlands is committed to acquiring a fleet of 57 F-35A conventional takeoff and landing combat aircraft and was the first European country to move the fighter into a dual capable role after taking on NATO’s nuclear mission in 2024. Other European JASSM customers include Finland, Germany and Poland.
Deliveries to international buyers could, however, be adversely affected by the high expenditure rate of US forces involved in Operation Epic Fury against Iran.
In April, the Center for Strategic and International Studies think tank estimated that over 1100 JASSM units had been expended as part of that effort. It also stated that JASSM deliveries take four years from contract signing.
The military projects document also reveals a three-year delay in the delivery of the Dutch navy’s first Anti-Submarine Warfare (ASW) frigate, owing to “technical complexity of the design.” The hold up means that delivery has slipped to 2033.
In 2023, the Netherlands contracted local shipbuilder Damen and French partner Thales to design and produce two of the new vessels, alongside two for Belgium.
“The original ship design proved to be unstable,” reads the project’s document. An adjustment to the ship design was necessary to correct this and to meet the previously established requirements regarding flexibility in terms of space and weight for, among other things, the integration of future systems.”
It added that, to address potential “next steps,” the Dutch MoD is in “close contact” with Damen and the Belgian government. The ministry also plans on informing lawmakers about “procurement preparations” for additional ASW frigates.
For the first time, the defense projects document also includes a land program based around the acquisition of combat unmanned ground vehicles (CUGS) to support the deployment of LEOPARD 2 A8 main battle tanks. The effort has been “scaled up” and its budget “increased,” according to the update. Figures show an overall program value ranging from €50 million ($58 million) to €250 million.
Procurement activity is not expanded on besides the closing of a “framework contract with a Dutch contractor” that covers “CUGS for anti-armor operations and reconnaissance.”
