US Navy unveils AIM-424 Malice air-to-air missile with 465-km range

The US Navy is testing a new air-to-air missile capable of striking targets more than 465 km (290 miles) away, putting the weapon among the longest-range systems of its kind known to be under development.

The AIM-424 Malice, developed by Raytheon, a subsidiary of RTX Corp., is designed to have dimensions similar to the current-generation AIM-120 AMRAAM, according to the Navy. Its size means it can be carried inside the weapons bays of stealth fighters such as the F-35 and F-22.

The development of long-range air-to-air missiles has gained greater attention following last year’s India-Pakistan military confrontation. Pakistan said it had used Chinese-made missiles with a reported range of around 300 km to strike Indian fighter aircraft.


The extended range of weapons such as the Malice could allow aircraft to engage high-value targets, including airborne command-and-control aircraft and aerial tankers, from considerable distances.

However, the missile could also have a broader role in protecting naval forces from long-range aerial threats, according to Peter Layton, a former Royal Australian Air Force officer and visiting fellow at the Griffith Asia Institute, reported Bloomberg.

“I think it’s meant to counter Chinese bombers firing long range anti ship cruise missiles,” Layton told Bloomberg. “Fleet air defense, not air-to-air combat.”

Using a missile at such distances requires an aircraft to detect and track its target far beyond the ranges associated with conventional air-to-air engagements. The weapon also needs guidance systems capable of maintaining an engagement over extended distances. Aircraft targeted by long-range missiles may also attempt to evade them by increasing the distance between themselves and the incoming weapon.

The US Navy has not disclosed when the AIM-424 Malice is expected to enter operational service.

The Pentagon has been pursuing longer-range air-to-air weapons for years. The US previously operated the AIM-54 Phoenix, an extremely long-range air-to-air missile carried by the F-14 Tomcat, before both systems were retired.

The Malice is part of a wider US effort to expand the range of air-to-air weapons. Lockheed Martin was awarded about $1 billion this year to begin production of the AIM-260, another long-range air-to-air missile.

The US Navy also has the AIM-174B, an air-to-air adaptation of the SM-6 air and missile defence weapon. The missile has reportedly been operational for several years and has a range exceeding 400 km.

Raytheon unveiled the AIM-424 Malice on Saturday at the US Navy’s Tailhook symposium in Reno, Nevada, bringing greater attention to the Navy’s efforts to develop and field longer-range air-to-air weapons.