Rusty Dagger Missile Tested Under US ERAM Program
The United States tested the low-cost Rusty Dagger cruise missile under the ERAM program in Florida, a weapon Washington has pledged to supply Ukraine.
The United States has carried out tests of a «low-cost» cruise missile developed under the Extended Range Attack Munitions (ERAM) program — a weapon Washington has promised to supply to Ukraine, according to The War Zone.
The outlet reports that trials of one of the two missile variants being designed within ERAM took place at a Florida test range on January 21, 2026. During the exercise, the missile successfully struck a stationary target.
Although US Air Force officials did not publicly name the system, photographs released from the test clearly showed the missile’s designation: Rusty Dagger.
The War Zone notes that the missile’s estimated range is between 240 and 450 kilometers. Its warhead is described as a 225-kilogram high-explosive fragmentation payload. The Air Force also emphasized that the weapon reached the testing stage in less than 16 months after the contract was signed.
Under the original technical requirements, the manufacturer is expected to deliver 1,000 missiles within two years, with production running at roughly 42 units per month.