Australia to buy LRASM; Unveils Strategic Plan
The long-range anti-ship missile extends Australia’s maritime reach as strategic competition rises in the Indo-Pacific region.
An F/A-18F Super Hornet of U.S. Navy test squadron VX-23 releases an AGM-158C LRASM during trials. (Photo: Naval Air Systems Command)
An F/A-18F Super Hornet of U.S. Navy test squadron VX-23 releases an AGM-158C LRASM during trials. (Photo: Naval Air Systems Command)

The Australian Department of Defence (DoD) is to buy an unspecified number of the Lockheed Martin AGM-158C Long-Range Anti-Ship Missile (LRASM), the country's defense minister, Linda Reynolds, confirmed on July 2. A Foreign Military Sales deal to sell 200 LRASMs to Australia was approved by the U.S. State Department in February. In Australian service, the LRASM will initially arm the Boeing F/A-18F Super Hornet, but will subsequently be integrated to other platforms. The Boeing P-8A Poseidon and Lockheed Martin F-35A are likely candidates.