The US Department of the Navy has unveiled a new long-range air-to-air missile, the Air Intercept Missile (AIM)-424 Long Range Air to Air Missile (LRAAM), in an effort to enhance fleet defence and maintain superiority against evolving aerial threats.
Dubbed Malice, the AIM-424 LRAAM is being designed for integration with both current and future US Marine Corps and Naval Aviation platforms, ranging from 4th to anticipated 6th generation aircraft.
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According to the Navy, the new missile is intended to extend engagement range, improve lethality, and provide greater tactical flexibility for aviators defending US interests.
While the Navy stated that LRAAM is central to maintaining a “first look, first shot, first kill” advantage, some analysts believe its capabilities may have significant fleet air defence applications.
Speaking to Bloomberg, former Royal Australian Air Force officer and a visiting fellow at the Griffith Asia Institute Peter Layton said: “I think it’s meant to counter Chinese bombers firing long range anti-ship cruise missiles. Fleet air defence, not air-to-air combat.”
The AIM-424 LRAAM will be equipped with a solid-propellant rocket motor, feature a blast fragmentation warhead, and have a range exceeding 250 nautical miles or over 460km, according to information released by the Department of the Navy.
Measuring 4.11m in length, the missile has a diameter of 0.34m, a wingspan of 0.67m, and an estimated weight of 680kg.
Raytheon has been designated as the contractor for the project, with the LRAAM intended to future-proof US carrier air wings against advanced adversaries.
The Navy has not confirmed when the new missile is expected to enter operational service, and further technical and operational details remain classified.
