Australia will be first export customer for newest American AIM-260 Joint Advanced Tactical Missile (JATM) — country's defense department head Richard Marles reported this at Pitch Black exercises, which are country's main international air combat exercises.
As noted, Canberra wants to invest $736 million in these long-range air-to-air missiles. Defence Industry Europe publication reports this. How many missiles exactly may be purchased for these funds or delivery rates is unknown.
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But worth noting that a year ago, when Australia's plans to buy JATM missile from American Lockheed Martin first became known, discussion involved that waiting for them would take quite long — then first batch delivery timelines were voiced at level of third quarter 2033, meaning as of today this is as much as 7 whole years. Which is quite understandable, since this involves absolutely new missile, which was developed within quite secret program.
Despite project starting back in 2017, first photo of AIM-260 JATM missile, with which F/A-18F Super Hornet fighter was armed, appeared only in May this year.
F/A-18F Super Hornet will also be first carriers of these missiles in Australian military, and further planned is integration on F-35A Lightning II and EA-18G Growler aircraft.
Although AIM-260A JATM is modern missile, for Australia it may still be insufficient in confrontation with adversary like China — and matter is not even in long delivery timelines and missile quantity in service, but its range.
If for JATM this indicator by preliminary estimates may comprise 200-300 km, then China has air-to-air missiles at as much as 300-500 km. But Australia has no other alternatives — and not excluded that AIM-260 tactical-technical characteristics, which were not officially disclosed, may prove more interesting.
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