US Navy Unveils AIM-424 Long-Range Air-To-Air Missile for F/A-18, F-35, F/A-XX

The US Navy has publicly revealed the little-known AIM-424 “Malice” long-range air-to-air missile — designed for fourth, fifth, and sixth-generation aircraft — at the Tailhook Symposium in Reno, Nevada.

Raytheon has been identified as the missile’s developer, which is currently conducting flight testing.

The missile is expected to arm the service’s F/A-18E/F Super Hornets and F-35C Joint Strike Fighters, as well as the future F/A-XX sixth-generation aircraft, to “strengthen fleet defense and maintain a decisive air domain overmatch against advanced threats,” according to the navy.

Its development timeline has not been divulged, although Aviation Week suggested that the two-stage missile may be related to a Long Range Engagement Weapon concept disclosed in 2017.

Moreover, the navy has not made the Malice missile’s deployment timeline or specific capabilities public, citing security reasons.

Malice Missile

The AIM-424 is being designed for greater reach, survivability, and tactical flexibility, supporting Washington’s efforts to extend its strike power from aircraft carriers in response to threats posed by China’s long-range capabilities.

The 13.5-foot (4-meter) missile features a 13.5-inch (0.34-meter) diameter and 26.2-inch (0.6-meter) wingspan.

It can be stored in an F-35C fighter’s internal weapons bay or loaded externally on an F/A-18E aircraft.

Weighing 1,500 pounds (680 kilograms), the missile carries a blast fragmentation warhead and is powered by a solid-propellant rocket motor.

Malice can cover ranges beyond 250 nautical miles (463 kilometers/288 miles), potentially giving it greater reach than comparable air-to-air missiles in service, including the AIM-120 AMRAAM and the AIM-174B — both of which were also developed by Raytheon.

Source: Defence Post