One of the many ways to study the enemy’s weapons is to hope for a malfunction, then seize it and study it.
It’s no coincidence that Israel has always destroyed its vehicles in the event of an attack that rendered them useless at the front, thus leaving the enemy with nothing but metal dust in the desert.
The Iranians, however, seem to have fared better. Iran has reportedly discovered an intact WDU-42/B armor-piercing warhead from a US AGM-158 JASSM (Joint Air-to-Surface Standoff Missile), which, if confirmed, could represent one of the most significant intelligence successes of the recent conflict between the United States and Iran.
Iranian media published images of the recovered warhead, which showed minor external damage, suggesting that the missile failed to explode on impact or that its fuze failed. The AGM-158 JASSM is one of the most advanced long-range cruise missiles developed by Lockheed Martin to destroy high-value armored targets with minimal risk of detection. Armed with a 450-kilogram WDU-42/B armor-piercing warhead, the missile combines stealth technology, GPS/INS navigation, and an infrared guidance system, allowing it to precisely strike strategic targets from hundreds of kilometers away.
Military analysts believe that the discovery of the intact warhead and possibly other missile components could provide Iran with valuable information on American warhead engineering, including warhead design, fuze design, penetration capabilities, and manufacturing methods. While the warhead itself does not reveal the missile’s guidance system, any recovered electronic or structural components could help Iranian engineers improve their cruise missiles, air defense systems, and reverse engineering.
Neither the United States nor Lockheed Martin have officially confirmed Iran’s claims, and independent verification of the recovered warhead is not yet available. However, if confirmed, the incident highlights the intelligence risks associated with the possibility of precision-guided munitions falling into the hands of adversaries, potentially revealing elements of some of the United States’ most advanced attack technologies.
Antonio Albanese e Graziella Giangiulio
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