Lockheed Martin and the F-35 Pax River ITF completed an initial flight test integrating the AGM-158C LRASM onto the F-35B Lightning II, following the first test on the F-35C in September 2024.
Lockheed Martin announced on Mar. 4, 2025, that it has tested, together with the F-35 Pax River Integrated Test Force (ITF), an initial flight test integrating the AGM-158C Long Range Anti-Ship Missile (LRASM) weapon system onto the F-35B Lightning II. The test follows the beginning of the testing of the LRASM on the F-35C in September 2024.
The weapon is being integrated for external carriage on the innermost wing hardpoints, since it is too large to fit inside its weapons bays. The test also marks the beginning of the F-35B AGM-158 strike systems flight sciences test program, says Lockheed Martin, hinting at the integration of both the land-strike and anti-ship variants of the AGM-158.
As part of the F-35’s Block 4 upgrade, the addition of the AGM-158 strike systems, both JASSM (Joint Air-to-Surface Standoff Missile) and LRASM, will add “more multi-role mission capabilities to the quarterback of the fighting force,” says the company in the press release.
“Integration of the AGM-158 strike systems family delivers increased reach and lethality against heavily protected, strategic targets.” said Jon Hill, vice president and general manager, Air Dominance and Strike Weapons at Lockheed Martin Missiles and Fire Control.
The announcement of the launch of the AGM-158 testing on the F-35B comes just one day after Lockheed Martin announced the historic achievement of one million flight hours by the worldwide F-35 fleet. This impressive result is based on the cumulative flight hours from all 16 services that are currently operating the F-35, with over 1,100 aircraft across 48 bases in ten nations.
The trials
The first test flights as part of the integration effort conducted by the Pax River F-35 Integrated Test Force (Pax ITF) showed the F-35B carrying externally two LRASMs on the innermost hardpoints, in addition to two inert AIM-9X on the wingtips. This configuration is the same that was used by the F-35C back in September 2024.
These trials are usually called ‘captive carriage’ trials and are meant to test the weapon’s impact on the airframe in different flight envelopes and parameters, and verify both the systems’ core structural integrity. This represents the first phase of live flight testing before moving to in-flight drop testing to assess the weapon’s behavior during the separation and then the full weapon testing to check the entire engagement profile.
The captions accompanying the photos mention that the first test flight was conducted on Jan. 14, 2025, with the aircraft involved being F-35B BF-3, the third F-35 test aircraft built which is still being used for flight test activity today. When the F-35C’s photos were released, the caption mentioned that the first flights allowed to evaluate flutter, loads, and flying qualities with two AGM-158 loaded on external stations, and the same now applies to the F-35B.
The LRASM
The AGM-158C LRASM, based on the AGM-158B Joint Air-to-Surface Standoff Missile – Extended Range (JASSM-ER), is the new low-observable anti-ship cruise missile developed by DARPA (Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency) for the U.S. Air Force and U.S. Navy. NAVAIR describes the weapon as a defined near-term solution for the Offensive Anti-Surface Warfare (OASuW) air-launch capability gap that will provide flexible, long-range, advanced, anti-surface capability against high-threat maritime targets.
NAVAIR says the weapon reduces dependency on Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance (ISR) platforms, network links, and GPS navigation in electronic warfare environments. In fact, once launched, LRASM guides to an initial point using a GPS guidance system and employs onboard sensors to locate, identify, and provide terminal guidance to the target. Semi-autonomous guidance algorithms will allow it to use less-precise target cueing data to pinpoint specific targets in the contested domain.
There are currently three variants which comprise the OASuW Increment 1 program, designated LRASM 1.0, LRASM 1.1, and LRASM C-3. The LRASM 1.0 variant, which was fielded with early operational capability in 2019, has already been integrated on the B-1B Lancer and F/A-18E/F Super Hornet.
The newer LRASM 1.1 variant was fielded in 2023 and is undergoing Initial Operational Test & Evaluation, according to the Director, Operational Test and Evaluation’s report. The weapon is also being integrated on the P-8A Poseidon.
As for the future LRASM C-3, which adds extended range capability, the program planned a land strike capability was part of the LRASM C-3 upgrade but has since decided to remain focused on surface warfare capabilities. The missile concept of operations and system requirements were completed last year, focusing on anti-surface warfare employment range and updating the missile target threat library compared to LRASM 1.1.
The Navy has scheduled LRASM C-3 early operational capability (EOC) for 4QFY26. Meanwhile, the Department of Defense continues to plan for OASuW Increment 2 to be developed via full and open competition, with EOC anticipated in FY29 and initial operational capability anticipated in FY31. The Navy funded LRASM C-3 to bridge the gap until an OASuW Increment 2 program of record is established.
