Montgomery Urges F-16 ERAM Upgrade for Ukraine After 3,350 Missiles Approved
Updated
Updated · The Washington Post · Jul 31
Montgomery Urges F-16 ERAM Upgrade for Ukraine After 3,350 Missiles Approved
1 articles · Updated · The Washington Post · Jul 31
Summary
3,350 approved ERAMs could let Ukraine’s F-16s strike Russian mobile ballistic-missile launchers, retired Rear Adm. Mark Montgomery argued after a major weekend barrage hit Kyiv.
Patriot batteries remain Ukraine’s only reliable ballistic-missile defense, but Kyiv lacks enough launchers and PAC-3 interceptors as Russia expands Iskander, RM-48U and Zirkon production.
Weeks-long U.S. software changes—not years of new production—could fully integrate the 500-pound, 300-mile-range ERAM with F-16 weapons systems and allow in-flight target updates against mobile launchers.
Terma-made pylons offer a faster but less capable workaround, while pairing ERAM-armed F-16s with Ukrainian drone reconnaissance could hit launchers, depots and command centers without burning scarce multimillion-dollar Patriot interceptors.
The proposal comes as Ukraine and European partners pursue longer-term fixes including the Freyja system, Trump’s stated Patriot-production license for Ukraine and Lockheed’s cheaper PAC-3 variant.