The U.S. company Raytheon plans to expand Europe's role in the production of AIM-120 medium-range air-to-air missiles. This could be an important step toward increasing the supply of this key weapon for Ukraine's F-16s and nearly all NATO fighter jets.
The company says it has launched a series of studies aimed at bringing in additional European suppliers to manufacture components. It is noted that the project is funded by the United States and several NATO member states, with Belgium joining the initiative at the Alliance's summit in Ankara.
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Raytheon also notes that it expects more countries to join in the future. However, it does not specify whether only NATO members are eligible to participate or whether other countries may also join the initiative.
From Defense Express we would like to note that If there are no restrictions on countries outside the Alliance, Ukraine could potentially become involved in the project. This would increase overall missile production capacity, strengthen Ukraine's defense industry, and deepen cooperation with partner countries.
However, even if Ukraine is not involved in the production of the AIM-120, this is still good news for the country. Increased European production of missile components would create additional capacity for supplying AIM-120 missiles to the Ukrainian military for use on F-16s, NASAMS systems, and future JAS 39 Gripen aircraft.
Overall, seeking new suppliers and localizing production in Europe is a logical step for Raytheon and the U.S. defense industry. This will make it possible to ramp up weapons production more quickly instead of relying solely on the construction of new facilities in the United States.
Under existing agreements, AIM-120 production is expected to increase to at least 1,900 missiles per year over the next seven years. This figure is likely to increase further if necessary.
In March 2026, at the BEDEX exhibition in Belgium, Raytheon representatives announced plans to move production of the AIM-120C-8 missiles to Europe. As a result, only the AIM-120D-3 will be manufactured in the United States.
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