The AIM-260 Joint Advanced Tactical Missile (JATM) is an American
beyond-visual-range air-to-air missile
The newest and the oldest member of Rafael's Python family of AAM for comparisons, Python-5 (displayed lower-front) and Shafrir-1 (upper-back)
An air-to-air missile (AAM) is a missile fired from an aircraft for the purpose of destroying a ...
(BVRAAM) under development by
Lockheed Martin
The Lockheed Martin Corporation is an American aerospace, arms, defense, information security, and technology corporation with worldwide interests. It was formed by the merger of Lockheed Corporation with Martin Marietta in March 1995. It ...
.
Designed to address advanced threats,
the missile is expected to replace or supplement the
AIM-120 AMRAAM
The AIM-120 Advanced Medium-Range Air-to-Air Missile, or AMRAAM (pronounced ), is an American beyond-visual-range air-to-air missile (BVRAAM) capable of all-weather day-and-night operations. It is 7 inches (18 cm) in diameter, and employ ...
currently in US service.
This program differs from the
Long-Range Engagement Weapon
The Long-Range Engagement Weapon (LREW) is a US Air Force concept for a next-generation beyond visual range air-to-air missile. Concept images shows a large, two-stage missile launched from an internal weapons bay of an F-22. There have been some ...
being developed by
Raytheon
Raytheon Technologies Corporation is an American multinational aerospace and defense conglomerate headquartered in Arlington, Virginia. It is one of the largest aerospace and defense manufacturers in the world by revenue and market capitali ...
.
Development
Initial launch platforms are expected to be the U.S. Air Force F-22 and the U.S. Navy F/A-18E/F, with integration with the F-35 planned afterward.
The AIM-260 program began in 2017 in response to long-range missiles developed by potential adversaries, such as the Chinese
PL-15
The PL-15 (, NATO reporting name: CH-AA-10A) is an active radar-guided long-range air-to-air missile developed by the People's Republic of China.
History
The PL-15 is developed by Luoyang-based CAMA. The missile was test fired in 2011 and refer ...
. The JATM is planned to start flight tests in 2021 and achieve initial operational capability (IOC) by 2022. The AIM-260 production is expected to overtake AIM-120 production by 2026.
In November 2021 it was revealed that the missile will have similar dimensions to the AIM-120, in order to ensure a minimal disruption of launch platform technology.
See also
References
{{DEFAULTSORT:Aim-260 Jatm
AIM-120