Lockheed Martin's $2bn gamble: Unveiling the aim‑260 missile
Defence industry giants do not complain about a lack of orders. Even the largest enterprises, such as Lockheed Martin, run programmes that incur significant losses. One of these involves work on undisclosed new-generation aircraft ammunition. It is likely the successor to the AIM-120 AMRAAM missile—the new AIM-260 JATM missile. What is known about it?
The mysterious losses of Lockheed Martin have attracted the attention of Air & Space Forces Magazine. Although the American arms manufacturer plans to deliver up to 190 F-35 aircraft to customers worldwide in 2025, its CEO, Jim Taiclet, also revealed losses resulting from two secret programmes. One of them was described as "crucial for the air force".
Both programmes have resulted in almost $2 billion in losses, and although they are secret, the mention of the significance of one of them for the air force has led to speculation about what new weapon is currently proving to be so highly unprofitable. According to ASFM, this is the new generation air-to-air missile, the AIM-260 JATM.
The AIM-260 JATM is the future of American aviation
The AIM-260 JATM (Joint Advanced Tactical Missile) is the successor to the widely used AIM-120 AMRAAM missile. It is classified as a medium-range air-to-air missile, which means a distance of 75 to over 160 kilometres, depending on the variant.
Detailed technical data about the new missile are not disclosed, although its production likely began in 2024. However, it is known that its range will be at least 200 kilometres, but unlike the European Meteor missile, the American missile will not be powered by a ramjet engine. The speed of the AIM-260 is expected to be higher than that of the AIM-120, reaching Mach 5.
Information about how the AIM-260 will guide itself to the target (including with the use of AESA radar) has not been confirmed in any way and is currently speculative. However, it is known that the development of the new missile has a very high priority and is considered a weapon of crucial importance for the American air force. It will be carried by F-22 and F-35 planes, as well as F/A-18E/F and F-15EX.
What factors influence the range of an aircraft missile?
The range of the new missile is greater than that of the AMRAAM, but it is worth noting that the mere number of kilometres—without specifying the conditions under which it is measured—says little. The range of an aircraft missile depends, among other things, on the speed of the carrier, the altitude at which it is launched, or the target’s altitude. The range significantly decreases when the missile must travel not only horizontally but also vertically, ascending many kilometres.
All these factors mean that the range of two identical missiles can vary depending, for example, on the type of aircraft they are launched from and the flight conditions at the time.
This is why the aircraft currently capable of the longest shot using the AIM-120 missile is—as demonstrated by tests conducted by the American air force—the old F-15, rather than the much more modern 5th generation combat aircraft.
