Air Force conducts live test of low-cost cruise missile developed for Ukraine

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.

The event was conducted by the Air Force Life Cycle Management Center’s Armament Directorate, the 96th Test Wing and industry partners. All of the service’s primary objectives were met — including a full warhead detonation — which generated critical data that will further mature development of ERAM, according to the service.

“This test is a critical milestone on that path. The expert teams who executed this complex mission provided the high-fidelity data we need to validate this system, ensuring that when it reaches the warfighter, it is a proven and ready tool for the right target,” Brig. Gen. Mark Massaro, commander of the 96th Test Wing, said in a statement.

The Armament Directorate has been developing ERAM as an inexpensive air-launched cruise missile that can be quickly manufactured in large numbers — much like the Air Force’s ongoing Enterprise Test Vehicle effort. In 2024, the service awarded contracts to both Zone 5 Technologies and CoAspire to develop prototypes for the program.

“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. The Air Force’s initial request for proposals for the program emphasized that the munition “is pivotal for accelerating Ukraine’s capability to meet warfighter needs efficiently and effectively and provides an affordable mass weapon to be produced at scale.”

A spokesperson for Eglin Air Force Base could not comment on specific operational details, variants or timelines for foreign military transfers.

“The recent live-fire test of the ERAM you saw is an example of the Armament Directorate’s ongoing work to continuously develop and prove out our capabilities,” the spokesperson told DefenseScoop. “Regarding what specific systems have been provided or plan to be provided to Ukraine, we can only refer to what the administration has officially announced.”

Zone 5 Technologies announced on LinkedIn that the Air Force’s recent demonstration featured the company’s Rusty Dagger weapon, an air-launched cruise missile that the contractor has developed for the ERAM effort.

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.