Pentagon unleashed new missiles on Syria
‘Devastating’ weapons boast long-range stealth
WASHINGTON – The Pentagon unveiled one of its newest weapons — a long-range, stealthy missile — in last week’s attack on Syria’s suspected chemical weapons sites, a development with implications beyond the regime’s borders.
Adversaries such as China and Russia have developed surface-to-air missile defenses capable of downing American and allied aircraft and have sold and deployed some of the systems to lower-tier foes such as Syria. The military refers to them as “anti-access, area-denial” weapons meant to keep U.S. warplanes at bay.
The extended-range version of the Joint Air-to-Surface Standoff Missile made its first combat appearance and struck its targets in Syria, according to the Pentagon. Air Force B-1B Lancer bombers — Cold War behemoths retrofitted to carry the missiles — launched 19 of the weapons.
The missile “performed exactly as advertised, striking its programmed targets with devastating precision,” said Lt. Col. Damien Pickart, an Air Force spokesman.
President Trump had hinted they would be used before the attack, tweeting last week about “nice and new and ‘smart’” missiles headed to Syria.
The missile is difficult for radar to pick up, and, although guided by satellite, it also can find its target when those signals are jammed, according to the Air Force. Each B-1 can carry 24 of the missiles.
“In fact, the 40 missiles they did fire blindly into the sky weren’t launched until approximately 40 minutes after the last of our 105 missiles had impacted their targets,” Pickart said.