ERAM: The New American Missile Impacting the Ukraine War

A new American weapon, the ERAM (Extended Range Attack Munition), is headed to Ukraine, offering a low-cost way to strike targets nearly 300 miles away. Washington just approved 3,500 of these bad boys. But politics may limit its use, requiring US approval for strikes inside Russia. Will it be a game-changer or just another weapon on a leash?

Just to clarify, the RIM-174 ERAM and the ERAM (Extended Range Attack Munition) going to Ukraine are two completely different weapons that just happen to share the same acronym.

So the RIM-174 ERAM (SM-6) = big US Navy air defense interceptor.

The ERAM for Ukraine = brand new, small, air-launched cruise missile for ground attack.

You will see misreporting on this in the news. Mark my words.

Here’s what I’ll cover in this video:

• The specs: weight, range, speed, and guidance system that make ERAM reliable and deadly.

• The launch platforms: Su-24s, MiG-29s, Su-27s, incoming F-16s, and even Mirage 2000-5s; all capable of carrying ERAM after integration.

• The strategy: how ERAM fits between HIMARS, ATACMS, and Storm Shadow, giving Ukraine the affordable long-range firepower it’s been missing.

• The politics: why Washington is attaching a leash to ERAM strikes, requiring Pentagon approval for any use inside Russian territory, limiting the weapon’s true potential.

• The numbers game: why 3,550 ERAMs aren’t just another headline, but a volume play designed to overwhelm Russian air defenses and bleed them dry of interceptors.