Australia is poised to become the first foreign military to field the AIM-260A Joint Advanced Tactical Missile (JATM), a landmark moment in Western airpower cooperation and a significant boost to Canberra’s frontline role in Indo-Pacific security. Washington is expected to grant final export approval within days, clearing the Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) to induct one of the most sophisticated and secretive beyond-visual-range air-to-air missiles (BVRAAMs) ever produced.
The acquisition comes amid intensifying military competition across the Indo-Pacific, particularly in the air domain, where China’s rapid advances in long-range air-to-air missile technology—embodied by the PL-15 and PL-17—have challenged long-standing U.S. and allied advantages. For Australia, receiving the AIM-260 marks a decisive technological leap that reinforces its status as a core contributor to Western deterrence architectures.
The development of the AIM-260 JATM began in 2017, when the U.S. Department of Defense identified a widening capability gap in long-range aerial engagements. China’s introduction of the PL-15—reported to exceed 200 km in range—prompted the United States to pursue a next-generation weapon capable of outmatching it. The AIM-120 AMRAAM, the mainstay of Western air combat for three decades, was increasingly constrained by its range and energy profile in the face of competition from Chinese and emerging Russian systems.
Engineered by Lockheed Martin, the AIM-260 retains the AMRAAM’s dimensions to ensure seamless integration into the internal bays of fifth-generation fighters such as the F-22 Raptor and F-35 Lightning II. This design preserves the stealth profile of these aircraft while enabling drastically improved reach and lethality.
Although precise specifications remain highly classified, the missile is believed to employ a dual-pulse rocket motor, allowing it to maintain energy at extreme distances and engage maneuvering targets far outside the no-escape zones of current Western missiles. U.S. sources suggest the missile may reach speeds between Mach 4 and Mach 5, compressing enemy reaction times and giving American and allied pilots a decisive first-shot advantage.
Testing of the missile began in April 2020, followed by increasingly complex trials that integrated the weapon with multiple fighter platforms. By 2025, flight testing had expanded to include the F-22, F/A-18E/F Super Hornet, and the new F-15EX, demonstrating the Pentagon’s intent to make the AIM-260 a universal air-to-air weapon across the U.S. fighter fleet.
The U.S. Department of Defense has since designated the JATM as its highest air-delivered modernization priority, allocating nearly USD 1 billion in its FY2026 budget to accelerate production and phase out the AIM-120.
The AIM-260 enters a crowded and fast-evolving ecosystem of long-range air-to-air missiles driven largely by China’s rapid modernization. The PL-15, already operational on the J-20 stealth fighter and J-16 strike aircraft, is widely believed to be the main competitor to the AIM-120D. More alarming to Western planners is the PL-17, an ultra-long-range missile with an estimated 400 km reach designed to destroy high-value assets such as tankers, AWACS platforms, and ISR aircraft.
Europe’s Meteor missile, equipped with a throttleable ramjet, dominates certain engagement regimes with unmatched sustained energy—especially in the deep no-escape zone—but lacks the tailored stealth integration the AIM-260 offers across U.S. platforms.
Russia’s KS-172 concept, aimed at strategic asset destruction, further reinforces the urgency behind the JATM program.
A comparison of major BVRAAMs illustrates why the AIM-260 has become central to allied modernization:
| Missile | Developer | Range (km) | Propulsion | Seeker | Key Platforms |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| AIM-260 JATM | USA | >200 | Dual-pulse rocket | AESA radar | F-22, F-35, F/A-18F, F-15EX |
| PL-15 | China | 200–250 | Dual-pulse rocket | AESA radar | J-20, J-16 |
| PL-17 | China | ~400 | Rocket/ramjet-assisted | Active radar | J-16, possibly J-20 |
| AIM-120D | USA | ~160 | Solid rocket | Active radar | NATO fighters |
| Meteor | Europe | >150 (deep NEZ) | Ramjet | Active radar | Eurofighter, Rafale, Gripen |
This matrix underscores the JATM’s role as the West’s next-generation response to the expanding threat envelope posed by Chinese and Russian systems.
Australia’s procurement of the AIM-260A under the AUKUS framework represents a new apex in U.S.–Australian defense collaboration. The USD 2.6 billion deal, approved internally by Washington in late November 2025, includes 450 operational missiles and multiple test articles—an unusually large initial batch for a first-time export customer.
The RAAF will first integrate the JATM onto its fleet of F/A-18F Super Hornets before transitioning deployment to its F-35A fighters, which are expected to unlock the missile’s full potential through advanced sensor fusion, stealth penetration, and networked kill-chain capabilities.
Deliveries are scheduled for 2033, aligning with Australia’s broader force transformation under AUKUS Pillar I (nuclear-powered submarines) and Pillar II (advanced capabilities such as hypersonics, AI-enabled targeting, and electronic warfare).
By marrying the stealth and sensor reach of the F-35A with the JATM’s extreme-range engagement envelope, Australia is building a multi-domain deterrent designed to penetrate and counter China’s anti-access/area-denial (A2/AD) architecture.
The AIM-260’s arrival in Australia fundamentally reshapes the airpower balance across the Indo-Pacific. With China expanding its fleet of J-20 stealth fighters and deploying PL-15 and PL-17 missiles across multiple bases, the RAAF must field weapons that can match—and exceed—these capabilities.
Possessing a missile capable of striking first at ranges beyond 200 km gives Australia a credible deterrent against advanced PLA aircraft operating in the South China Sea, the Southwest Pacific, or near Australia’s northern approaches.
The missile also enhances interoperability in combined operations with the United States, Japan, and South Korea, enabling joint targeting and shared sensor-to-shooter networks—a key AUKUS ambition.
The regional impact is significant. Japan is widely expected to pursue its own AIM-260 acquisition path, while India may evaluate similar systems as its competition with China intensifies. Conversely, some Southeast Asian countries worry that AUKUS’s expanding scope could accelerate militarization.
Canberra has stressed that the missile’s purpose is defensive, designed to ensure that no hostile airpower can threaten Australian territory or airspace.
The acquisition is not without hurdles. Australia must secure long-term funding, manage supply chain dependencies in the U.S. industrial base, and ensure seamless operational integration across its fighter fleet. The country also needs to prepare for increasingly complex joint operations under the emergent AUKUS architecture.
However, the benefits are substantial. By becoming the first foreign operator of the AIM-260, Australia positions itself at the cutting edge of Western high-end warfighting capability. The missile’s introduction strengthens trilateral technological collaboration with the United States and the United Kingdom and reinforces Australia’s role as a southern anchor in the Indo-Pacific regional security matrix.
Looking ahead, the AIM-260 may serve as a foundation for even more advanced cooperative programs—ranging from counter-hypersonic systems to AI-driven targeting networks and distributed kill-webs linking allied sensors and shooters across thousands of kilometres.
Australia’s integration of the AIM-260 JATM marks a transformative new era in Indo-Pacific air combat. It signals the shift from platform-centric warfare to a future defined by long-range precision, networked lethality, and sensor-driven decision dominance.
For Beijing, the missile forces a recalibration of PLA Air Force and Navy tactics, particularly tanker reliance, extended sortie generation, and defensive posturing in the South China Sea and Western Pacific.
For Australia, the AIM-260 provides the ability to neutralize adversary fighters, bombers, and force multipliers before they can shape the battlespace—a decisive advantage in any future conflict scenario.
