In a first, the US Navy has publicly revealed the rendering of the next-generation long-rage AIM-260 Joint Armed Tactical Missiles (JATM), one of the best-kept secrets of the US Armed Forces.
The rendering of the next-generation air-to-air missile was published by the Naval Air Systems Command (NAVAIR) of the US Navy. It was part of the portfolio overview of the Program Executive Office, Unmanned Aviation and Strike Weapons (PEO [U&W]), which contained a list of items from the Air-to-Air Missiles Program Office (PMA-259). The other items on the list were the AIM-174B, AIM-120D, AIM-9X, and their latest variants.
While the rendering provides a close look at the next-generation, long-range missile, this is not the first time an AIM-260 JATM illustration has been published. In 2022, General Mark Kelly, the head of the United States Air Force’s Air Combat Command, shared an artist’s concept of the Lockheed Martin F-22 firing an AIM-260 JATM.
It is pertinent to note that the new illustration appears to be similar to the one shared by the USAF in 2022.
The new missile design shows “much greater detail to the missile exterior and guidance section,” as highlighted by Naval News in a recent report. However, there is currently no information on whether the design is merely a notional rendering or if it represents the real weapon, which has been in development for several years.
Although there is a paucity of details about the classified missile, military experts inferred from the rendering that the missile is comparable in appearance to the AIM-120 medium-range air-to-air missile, including in size. Nonetheless, the AIM-260 seems to have a larger rocket motor section and no mid-body surfaces as opposed to the AIM-120.
The missile has also reportedly been compared with the Chinese PL-17 long-range missile spotted on a J-16 in 2023, with some external similarities. A PLA analyst who goes by the name ‘Hurin’ wrote on X: “So AIM260 is just PL17 equivalent, not some next-gen ramjet/scramjet we were expecting.. obv if the graphic represents the aam (air-to-air missile).”
However, despite some co-incidental similarities in appearance, the JATM is expected to be smaller in size than the PL-17 as the American missile would have to fit in the internal weapons bay of stealth aircraft like the F-22 Raptor and the F-35 Lightning II. This comparison is intriguing, especially since the AIM-260 JATM was conceived as a counter to the PL-16 missile instead.
Having said that, the new NAVAIR portfolio indicates a massive leap in capability for the US Navy. It also demonstrates that the service is making concerted attempts to develop and field long-range missiles to prepare for a potential conflict with China.
What Do We Know About The AIM-260 JATM?
The existence of the AIM-260 JATM was initially confirmed in 2019 during an Air Force Life Cycle Management Center industry conference. Due to its sensitivity, the AIM-260 JATM is classified as a Special Access Program (SAP). Thus, the details about the missile remain scarce.
Developed by Lockheed Martin in collaboration with the US Air Force and Navy, the new weapon ‘AIM-260′ is expected to be a long-range missile that will succeed the AIM-120 Advanced Medium-Range Air-to-Air Missile (AMRAAM), which has a range of about 150 kilometers.
While the AIM-120 was considered to be sufficient for several years, the expansion in the range of Chinese missiles prompted the US to develop longer-range and more advanced missiles. The JATM has a significantly increased range over the AMRAAM.
The classified JATM is believed to combine a long-burn rocket system that can be installed within the F-22’s weapons compartment with a multi-mode seeker. After initially being introduced with the Raptor, the missile will eventually be fitted to the F-35 and the Navy’s F/A-18E/F. In fact, the AIM-260 JATM will also likely arm the US Navy’s sixth-generation combat aircraft, which is currently under development.
In an intriguing development, the former Chief of Staff Gen. Charles Q. Brown Jr. told the Senate Armed Services Committee in 2023 that the AIM-260 JATM will be equipped on an upcoming fleet of Collaborative Combat Aircraft (CCA). These drones will be operated by teaming them with a manned fighter jet like the F-35A and the sixth-generation combat aircraft. With the addition of the JATM on CCAs, the range of their crewed counterparts would significantly increase in combat against an adversary like China.
Although the specifics of the AIM-260’s propulsion technology are unknown, speculation points towards advanced options such as ramjets or dual-pulse rocket motors. These propulsion methods may improve the missile’s performance and range.
It is anticipated that the AIM-260 will also include a sophisticated multi-mode seeker system, potentially equipped with active radar and infrared imaging capabilities. This dual-seeker design would significantly improve the missile’s accuracy and ability to withstand electronic warfare countermeasures. Engaging low-observable (stealthy) targets with little radar footprints is made easier with the inclusion of such technology.
Considering its anticipated longer range, the AIM-260 is likely to have a two-way datalink like the latest AIM-120D-3 variant of the AMRAAM. This feature would allow for mid-course targeting updates or re-targeting, further enhancing the missile’s effectiveness.
The primary goal of the new AIM-260’s development is to outrange Chinese missiles.
Escalating tensions in at least two significant hotspots in the Indo-Pacific—the South China Sea and the Taiwan Strait—have enhanced the possibility of conflict between the United States and China.
Consequently, both sides have been preparing for a potential battle or at least a limited-armed showdown. For the United States, China’s primary aerial threat is its long-range PL-15 air-to-air missile, which has a claimed range of 200 to 300 kilometers, which spurred the development of the JATM in the first place.
China is now operating the lethal combination of J-20 Mighty Dragon stealth aircraft and the PL-15 long-range missiles. China has produced and deployed at least 200 J-20 fighter jets, each of which could be fitted with eight PL-15 missiles.
This is where the AIM-260 JATM, a beyond-visual-range (BVR) missile, comes in. These long-range missiles are intended to destroy opponent AEW aircraft and refueling tankers, thereby impairing the adversary’s fighting potential.
The US is purportedly advancing work on this missile because the first-strike advantage is often decisive in modern combat. With the AIM-260, USAF and US Navy’s fighter jets would have an air-to-air weapon capable of striking a wide spectrum of aerial threats hundreds of miles away.
The flight testing of the AIM-260 began as early as 2020 when it was employed against QF-16 target aircraft.
Earlier, the USAF said the JATM “is the number-one air-delivered weapon priority for both the Air Force and the Navy, and out-prioritizes other weapon system improvements and modernization efforts on any fielded aircraft.”
The weapon has entered production, but it is unclear when it will be inducted into the USAF and the US Navy.
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