Armory 1/48 AGM-158 JASSM
By Chris Banyai-Riepl
Overview
As I am not too up on modern weaponry, I had to turn to the 'ol Wikipedia to brush up on this one. The AGM-158 Joint Air-to-Surface Standoff Missile (JASSM) is a large and somewhat stealthy long-range weapon with a 1000lb warhead. After a long testing period, the weapon entered service in 2009 and currently is in the inventories of the United States, Australia, the Netherlands, and South Korea.
The Kit
The Armory kit of the AGM-158 is the only option out there, as far as I know, for those wanting to model one. It comes molded in tan resin and is rather simple to assemble, featuring a one-piece body and separate wings and fin. The separate wings and fin allows it to be modeled in either stowed or deployed modes. It also comes with a small decal sheet that provides the minimal markings found on demo versions. It is uncertain how operational examples would be marked up, but I am guessing those markings would be minimal as well.
What is not included is attachment information. While the JASSM can be launched from a wide range of aircraft, including the B-1, B-2, and B-52 bombers and the F-15E, F-16, F/A-18E/F, and F-35 fighters, there is nothing in this set that provides information on how to hang it from any of those aircraft. In the few photos I have turned up of the weapon, it would appear that it does not have any special rack, and one example I found showed a bright orange weapon hanging from the standard F-16 pylon. As the weapon becomes more mainstream, I am sure we will find photos turning up online that document the fitting to other aircraft, as well as operational colors and markings for both US and international operators.
Conclusion
For those looking for something a bit different to hang under your latest modern jet, this is definitely one of those oddities that will really be eye-catching. My thanks to Armory for the review sample.