11:51 17-10-2025

U.S. Analysts Urge Focus on ERAM and ATACMS Instead of Tomahawks for Ukraine

Tim Evanson, CC BY-SA 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons

U.S. analysts believe Washington should boost ERAM and ATACMS supplies to Ukraine instead of Tomahawks, citing their greater tactical impact on Russian rear positions.

American military analysts argue that the United States should prioritize increasing deliveries of long-range munitions such as the Extended Range Active Missile (ERAM) and the Army Tactical Missile System (ATACMS) to Ukraine, rather than supplying Tomahawk cruise missiles. The assessment was reported by the Associated Press following Washington’s decision to drop the idea of transferring Tomahawks to Kyiv.

Experts noted that this move carries not only military but also political implications. According to defense analyst Mark Montgomery, expanding Ukraine’s stockpile of ERAM and ATACMS would provide far greater battlefield value. He explained that these systems could apply «operational pressure» on Russian rear areas by disrupting logistics, command infrastructure, and troop deployments within several hundred kilometers of the front line.

Montgomery emphasized that such strikes could prove «highly effective» under current combat conditions.

While the Tomahawk missile boasts a range of roughly 1,600 kilometers, ERAMs can hit targets up to 460 kilometers away, and ATACMS systems reach about 300 kilometers. Despite their shorter reach, experts contend that the latter two options offer more immediate tactical benefits for Ukraine’s ongoing operations.