The United States has unveiled a budget cruise missile that could deal a deadly blow to Russian forces in Ukraine. Dubbed the “Rusty Dagger” by its manufacturers, the missile has been demonstrated by the US Air Force destroying targets.

It follows US Department of State approval of a foreign military sale request, allowing Ukraine to buy air-delivered munitions and related equipment valued at $825 million. Ukraine requested up to 3,350 Extended Range Attack Munition (ERAM) missiles, of which arms firm Zone 5 Technologies’ Rusty Dagger, which they call “our affordable cruise missile”, is one of two in contention for the programme. The live-fire test of the Rusty Dagger was carried out at Eglin Test and Training Range in Florida.

An Eglin statement on January 31 said: “The event, which met all primary objectives including a full warhead detonation, gathered critical data to mature a new, cost-effective, long-range strike capability.”

Brigadier General Mark Massaro, 96th Test Wing commander, said: “The future fight demands we create an asymmetric advantage by developing cost-effective, attritable systems like ERAM that give commanders the ability to generate mass.”

Beyond ERAM, a suite of proven systems has already reshaped Ukraine’s battlefield fortunes.

US-supplied HIMARS rocket launchers have been decisive, striking Russian logistics hubs and command posts well behind the front, while precision-guided GMLRS rounds minimise collateral damage.

Air defence has been just as vital: Patriot and NASAMS batteries have blunted Moscow’s missile and drone barrages, protecting cities and critical infrastructure and forcing Russia to waste expensive munitions.

From Europe, the UK-French Storm Shadow/SCALP cruise missiles have delivered long-range punch, hitting hardened targets Crimea once considered safe.

On the ground, Western artillery, counter-battery radars and a flood of small, expendable drones have levelled the odds, giving Ukrainian units eyes everywhere and firepower on demand.

Add resilient communications and electronic warfare tools, and the picture is clear: affordable precision, layered defences and massed attritable systems have proven just as lethal as any single headline weapon.