U.S. Air Force to launch production of secret AIM-260 JATM missile for F-22 and sixth generation fighter in 2023

The U.S. Air Force is preparing to begin production of the secret AIM-120 Joint Advanced Tactical Missile (JATM) as early as this year. This was announced by U.S. Air Force Secretary Frank Kendall during a hearing in the U.S. Congress.

Here's What We Know

According to Kendall, the service intends to request funds to expand the production line. Specifications for the AIM-260 JATM are secret, but we know that the launch range will be significantly increased in comparison to the AIM-120 AMRAAM (up to 160 km). We also know that the missile will get a multi-mode homing head.

The US Air Force has not indicated any production targets for the AIM-260 JATM. The new air-to-air missile was originally expected to reach initial operational capability in 2022.

The first carrier of the AIM-260 will be the fifth-generation F-22 Raptor fighter. In the future, the new missile will join the arsenal of the sixth generation fighter, which is being developed under the Next Generation Air Dominance (NGAD) program and will appear in the middle of the next decade.

In spite of the fact that AIM-260 will replace AIM-120, at the beginning of April it became known about the increase of AMRAAM production. Representatives of the U.S. Air Force said that this is not a sign of problems in the development of the JATM project. They explained the increase of AIM-120 production by the Pentagon's response to the current world situation.

Source: Air & Space Forces Magazine