US Army ponders value of JAGM tweaks

US Army officials last week presented the Joint Requirements Oversight Council with options for scaled-down Joint Air-to-Ground Missile requirements in a bid to make the program's cost low enough that it might survive a Pentagon-wide budget-cutting push, according to officials.

Defence officials are split about the wisdom of continuing with JAGM, designed largely to replace the Hellfire missile for ground forces, when the existing Hellfire missile has been performing well.

JAGM's costs would have to be offset elsewhere if the Army decides to stick with the program.

Reviewing requirements, as the Army is doing now, is one way to cut down on expensive components and drive per-unit costs down.

Officials declined to say what sorts of changes are on the table, but one official noted the missile's modular design, meaning it is capable of incorporating specific capabilities at a later time—Insider.