Australia to become first foreign operator of AIM-260 air-to-air missile

Published Aug 6, 04:19 PM UTC

Australia will become the first nation outside the United States to field the AIM-260 Joint Advanced Tactical Missile (JATM), following a nearly A$736 million (approximately $480 million) procurement announced by Deputy Prime Minister and Defense Minister Richard Marles during Exercise Pitch Black in Darwin. The missiles, acquired through the U.S. Foreign Military Sales program, will first be integrated onto the RAAF's F/A-18F Super Hornet fleet, then the F-35A and EA-18G Growler, with the MQ-28 Ghost Bat drone as a likely future platform. The AIM-260, developed by the U.S. Navy and Air Force, is designed to succeed the AIM-120 AMRAAM with substantially greater range (reportedly at least 120 miles) and improved performance against advanced threats, specifically to counter China's long-range PL-15 air-to-air missile. The acquisition is part of Australia's record A$36 billion investment over the next decade for guided weapons and explosive ordnance, aimed at maintaining an edge in beyond-visual-range air combat in the Indo-Pacific.