New USN very long-range A2A missile

[Talyn]

The new AIM-174B is an air-launched version of the ship-launched SM-6.

AIM-174 Super Hornet-Launched Variant Of SM-6 Missile Breaks Cover In Hawaii (Updated)

After years in the shadows, what is likely the longest-range air-to-air missile ever fielded by the Navy comes into full view. After years in the shadows, what is likely the longest-range air-to-air missile ever fielded by the Navy comes into full view.

www.twz.com

F/A-18E/Fs armed with adapted SM-6 surface-to-air missiles that also possess major surface strike capabilities could be a boon for the Navy.

Super Hornet Armed With SM-6 Missile Spotted Over California

F/A-18E/Fs armed with adapted SM-6 surface-to-air missiles that also possess major surface strike capabilities could be a boon for the Navy.

www.twz.com

Classified AIM-260 Air-To-Air Missiles To Arm Future Air Force Drones

Arming Collaborative Combat Aircraft with AIM-260s will give them and their crewed companions boosts in reach, survivability, and lethality.

www.twz.com

 

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The US Navy has confirmed that the AIM-174B air-launched variant of the SM-6 SAM is now operational, likely with F/A-18E/Fs of CVW-2 aboard the USS Carl Vinson (CVN-70). The SM-6 has a range of 350 km, the air-launched variant will surpass this by several hundred kilometres.

AIM-174 Missile Brings Navy’s Future Counter-China Air Combat Strategy Into Focus

The air-launched SM-6 will disrupt China's carrier-killing kill chain and pierce open its anti-access bubble.

www.twz.com

https://twitter.com/x/status/1810032717196603491

Along with the AIM-174B, the Navy will have the following complementary weapons in its air-to-air combat arsenal:

The AIM-9X Block II exists for close to intermediate-range engagements, with future enhancements extending its range even further. Then there is the AIM-120 AMRAAM which can engage targets from within visual range to medium ranges, and now outwards of 100 miles in its latest variant, the AIM-120D.

The AIM-260 Joint Advanced Tactical Missile (JATM), which remains deeply classified, but is also far along in its development, will have a similar form factor as the AIM-120. This will allow it to be internally carried on the F-22 Raptor, for instance, but offering significantly greater ranges than the AMRAAM.

The U.S. military has said explicitly in the past that concerns about increasingly longer-range Chinese air-to-air missiles have been a key driver behind work on the AIM-260. Even an extra 50 miles would give JATM a huge boost in capability over the AIM-120D. Better end-game energy state and multi-mode seeker would further boost its comparative abilities. As such, it would sit atop the AIM-120 as a long-range air-to-air weapon, with some significant overlap. Networking capabilities on all these weapons also give them the ability to leverage third-party targeting and all the guileful tactics that come with that feature set.