Poland’s Air Force is expected to receive the newest version of the AIM-120 AMRAAM air-to-air missile — the AIM-120D3. At this stage, only the signing of a firm agreement remains, as the U.S. Defense Security Cooperation Agency (DSCA) has already approved the potential sale.
The deal includes up to 400 AIM-120D3 missiles along with associated equipment, for an estimated cost of $1.33 billion. While the final contract price may be lower, it often does not differ significantly. This puts the estimated unit cost of an AIM-120D3 for Poland at approximately $3.325 million.
Read more: Playing Both Sides: Colombia Wants Partnership With russia And Gripen Fighters
This price is nearly identical to what the Netherlands paid in December 2024, when 226 missiles were valued at up to $807 million — about $3.57 million per missile in a smaller, but otherwise similar package.
These missiles, both for Poland and the Netherlands, are intended for use with F-35 fighter jets. The new AIM-120D3 variant features updated electronics and improved range, up to 180 km. Poland’s Defense Minister Władysław Kosiniak-Kamysz cited this figure in his X post, though previous estimates for the D-model typically listed 160 km. In reality, the effective range of air-to-air missiles is dynamic and depends on multiple factors: altitude, direction, and speed of both the launcher and the target, as well as the target’s maneuverability.
Even with the maximum range of AIM-120D, however, it still falls short compared to the European-made Meteor missile, which is officially rated at over 200 km. What’s more surprising is that the cost of the Meteor that was long considered extremely high — now appears lower than the AIM-120D.
To be more specific, in November 2024, the German government allocated €521 million to procure the final third batch of Meteor missiles for its air force. Based on the known total order size and quantities in the first two batches, this purchase likely included around 270 missiles. That brings the unit cost of a Meteor to roughly €1.93 million (about $2.2 million).
However, it’s worth noting that Meteor missiles are not yet integrated with the F-35 platform. That process is unlikely to be completed before 2029, when the UK plans to equip its F-35B jets with the missile. Even then, it remains uncertain how long a similar integration process would take for other countries, like Poland and its F-35A fleet.
There’s one more surprise in the U.S. approval for Poland. The price tag for AIM-120D3 missiles is significantly higher than what was offered to Australia and Japan. For example, on April 9, Australia received approval to buy 400 missiles: 200 AIM-120C-8s and 200 AIM-120D3s for up to $1.04 billion. Even this mixed configuration of current and previous-generation missiles results in a unit cost of roughly $2.5 million per missile, still noticeably lower.
As for Japan, in January 2025, the country received approval for 1,200 AMRAAM missiles (unspecified versions) for $3.64 billion — roughly $3.03 million per missile. That’s closer to Poland’s pricing, but still a bit lower.
Read more: U.S. is Blocking Australian Tanks For Ukraine But Also Pressures Greece to Hand Over Its Patriot — What's the Logic?
