U.S. program to develop the AIM-260 Joint Advanced Tactical Missile (JATM), a high-precision air-to-air missile being developed by Lockheed Martin, is facing a delay linked to the government shutdown work on this weapon has reportedly been postponed by a full quarter, according to a security bulletin that outlines national security consequences of the temporary government halt.
The bulletin stresses that the JATM missile is critical for enhancing the U.S. Air Force's capabilities in combat against a peer adversary, and that the AIM-260 is especially important in the race to catch up with China, which has significantly outpaced the United States in the ability to strike high-value targets with long-range air-launched missiles, theAir and Space Forces Magazinecites the bulletin.
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However, the main question about the JATM delay remains why this postponement occurred at all it's unclear how a shutdown that began roughly a month ago could cause a projected delay of three months.
The U.S. Air Force declined to comment on the bulletin, citing heightened security measures. That is unsurprising given how secretive the AIM-260 JATM program is; many details are not publicly disclosed.
Notably, more than $6 million was allocated in 2020 to build a special facility specifically for the JATM program.
The AIM-260 program began in 2017, originally as a response to Chinas PL-15 missile.
Still, while preliminary data indicate the AIM-260A JATM range may reach up to about 200 km, China fields air-to-air missiles with ranges on the order of 300–500 km.
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