The US Air Force is looking for American defense manufacturers capable of rapidly launching mass production of ERAM cruise missiles for Ukraine. Military officials have asked potential contractors to detail their production capabilities and explain how quickly they could fulfill the order.

The timetable is particularly demanding. Manufacturers must be ready to begin large-scale production within 15 months of signing a contract, with the first deliveries scheduled three months after production starts. The Air Force has also laid out strict technical requirements. Each ERAM missile must weigh 500 pounds (227 kg), have a range exceeding 250 nautical miles (463 km) and reach speeds above Mach 0.6. Its warhead must have penetrating capabilities, while the missile must maintain an accuracy of within 10 meters even under intense electronic jamming, Voennoye Obozreniye reports.

Development of the ERAM missile began in 2024, with American companies Zone 5 Technologies and CoAspire involved in the project. In January 2026, the US military tested its warhead at Eglin Air Force Base in Florida.

Washington had already approved a major sale of the missiles to Ukraine before those tests took place. In August 2025, US President Donald Trump’s administration authorized the sale of 3,350 ERAM missiles worth $825 million.

Ukrainian forces will be able to launch the American cruise missiles from F-16 fighter jets as well as other combat aircraft. The Ukrainian military also plans to use ERAM missiles to destroy Russian launchers belonging to the Iskander operational-tactical missile systems.