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First Image of U.S. AIM-260 Air-to-Air Missile Emerges on Navy Test Jet
Photographs taken on May 13 at Eglin Air Force Base show an F/A-18F Super Hornet from VX-31 carrying the secretive AIM-260 Joint Advanced Tactical Missile. The missile is designed as a longer-range successor to the AIM-120 AMRAAM with a similar form factor for compatibility with stealth fighters. Development began at least in 2019 with flight testing already including multiple live-fire shots.
May 15, 1:39 PM·3m read2 sources
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The first public photographs of the U.S. military's AIM-260 Joint Advanced Tactical Missile have surfaced, showing the weapon mounted on a Navy F/A-18F Super Hornet at Eglin Air Force Base in Florida. Photographer Jonathan Tweedy captured the images on May 13 as the jet from Air Test and Evaluation Squadron 31 departed the base.
The aircraft carried the AIM-260 on the fuselage station outboard of its right engine intake, along with a modified drop tank equipped with an infrared search and track sensor and flight data pods on its wingtips. The AIM-260 has been in development for years as a longer-range successor to the AIM-120 Advanced Medium-Range Air-to-Air Missile.
Officials have cited the extended reach of Chinese air-to-air missiles, particularly the PL-15, as a primary driver for the program.
The photographed AIM-260 features a minimalist external design with only four tail fins and no mid-body control surfaces or strakes. This configuration is optimized for maximum speed and range while maintaining roughly the same form factor as the AIM-120 to enable internal carriage on stealth aircraft such as the F-22 and F-35.
A yellow band near the front indicates a live high-explosive warhead, while two black bands toward the rear likely mark the rocket motor. The nose cone appears in a distinct light gray compared to the predominantly white body, with square markings added for visual tracking during tests.
The design matches previously released official renderings. The missile is reportedly designed to engage targets at least 120 miles away. An advanced rocket motor with highly loaded propellant, likely in a dual-pulse configuration, is expected to deliver greater range and speed without increasing the missile's size.
