The U.S. Navy released the first photographs showing the AIM-424 LRAAM, officially named Malice. Until now, the missile's existence had not been publicly disclosed.
According to the U.S. Navy, the new missile will be capable of engaging airborne targets at ranges of more than 250 nautical miles. It is intended for use by U.S. fourth-, fifth-, and future sixth-generation combat aircraft, including the F/A-18E/F Super Hornet, the F-35C Lightning II, and the future F/A-XX carrier-based fighter.
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The AIM-424 could significantly expand the capabilities of U.S. tactical aviation in long-range air combat. This is particularly relevant in the context of potential operations against russia and China, both of which have developed long-range air-to-air missiles with claimed or estimated ranges of roughly 300 to 500 km, significantly exceeding the capabilities of the AIM-120D.
The missile is being developed by Raytheon. According to the available information, the AIM-424 weighs approximately 680 kg and is 4.11 meters long, with a diameter of 34 cm and a wingspan of 67 cm. It is equipped with a high-explosive fragmentation warhead, although the warhead's weight has not been disclosed.
One of the key questions is how a fighter aircraft could engage targets at distances exceeding 460 km. Even the radar of a modern fighter is unlikely to independently detect, identify, acquire, and track an aircraft-sized target at the missile's maximum range.
The AIM-424 will therefore likely rely on targeting information provided by other platforms, most likely airborne early warning and control aircraft, during the initial phase of its flight. In the terminal phase, the missile would presumably use its own active radar seeker to acquire and engage the target.
Importantly, the AIM-424 is no longer merely a program on paper. The missile is already undergoing testing aboard F/A-18E/F Super Hornets and F-35C fighters, as shown in the newly released images.
However, the U.S. Navy has not disclosed how far the development program has progressed or when the missile could enter service.
A reasonable assumption is that the AIM-424 may become operational sometime in the next decade, potentially alongside or shortly before the future sixth-generation F/A-XX carrier-based fighter. For now, however, many details about the missile, including its development timeline and full capabilities, remain undisclosed.
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