Air Force Seeks to Begin New Air-to-Air Missile Production in 2023

The Air Force aims to begin the production of the classified AIM-260 Joint Advanced Tactical Missile later in 2023.

During a Senate Armed Services Committee hearing, Air Force Secretary Frank Kendall, a 2023 Wash100 winner and an upcoming Potomac Officers Club speaker, said the department will seek funding to increase production line size and capacity.

F-22 fighter jets will be the first to be equipped with the JATM, with plans to also arm the Next Generation Air Dominance family of systems and the Collaborative Combat Aircraft, Air & Space Forces Magazine reported. CCA unmanned autonomous drones are being built to support fifth-generation stealth fighters in aerial combat. According to Kendall, the drones are expected to enter service by the end of the current decade.

Lockheed Martin has been developing the JATM for the Air Force, Navy, and Marine Corps air fleets. The Air Force confirmed the existence of the new air-to-air missile in 2019, saying the weapon was being designed to counter the latest Chinese fighters.

The JATM will replace the Raytheon-built Advanced Medium Range Air-to-Air Missile. Compared to AMRAAM, the new missile will have a longer range and advanced features such as a multimode seeker.