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// DOSSIER — us-navy-unveils-aim-424-malice-lraam
U.S. Navy Unveils AIM-424 'Malice' Long-Range Air-to-Air Missile
REL_TIME: 24 Aug 2026 21:43Z · LANG: EN
At the Tailhook Association Symposium on August 22, 2026, the U.S. Navy officially revealed the AIM-424 'Malice' Long-Range Air-to-Air Missile (LRAAM). Developed by Raytheon, the two-stage, solid-propellant missile is designed to engage aerial targets at ranges exceeding 250 nautical miles (463 km). Crucially, the 13.5-foot-long missile is sized to fit within the internal weapons bays of fifth-generation stealth fighters like the F-35C, allowing them to maintain low-observable profiles while carrying ultra-long-range firepower. The missile is intended to counter China's expanding anti-access/area-denial (A2/AD) capabilities in the Indo-Pacific by targeting high-value assets such as bombers, tankers, and AEW&C aircraft before they can threaten U.S. carrier strike groups.
// Background
The development of the AIM-424 Malice addresses a long-standing gap in U.S. carrier-based long-range air defense that emerged after the retirement of the AIM-54 Phoenix missile alongside the F-14 Tomcat in 2004/2006. In the interim, the U.S. relied on the medium-range AIM-120 AMRAAM. Meanwhile, adversaries like China and Russia fielded ultra-long-range missiles, such as the PL-17 and R-37M, designed to target critical U.S. support assets (AWACS, tankers) from afar. The technological lineage of the AIM-424 is linked to the Pentagon's secretive Long-Range Engagement Weapon (LREW) concept from the mid-2010s, which explored multi-stage missiles for stealth aircraft internal bays.
// Key Developments
- The AIM-424 'Malice' has an officially acknowledged range exceeding 250 nautical miles (463 km).
- Developed by Raytheon's Advanced Technology division, the missile is 13.5 feet long, 13.5 inches in diameter, and weighs approximately 1,500 pounds.
- Unlike the larger AIM-174B Gunslinger, the AIM-424 can be carried internally by the F-35C stealth fighter, preserving its low-observable radar signature.
- The missile is designed for integration across 4th, 5th, and 6th generation platforms, including the F/A-18E/F Super Hornet, F-35C, and the future F/A-XX.
- Flight testing is already underway, with captive-carry tests on an F/A-18E in April 2026 and fit tests on an F-35C in August 2026.
- The Navy also highlighted plans for a Compact Air-to-Air Missile (CAAM) to address shorter-range, high-volume threats like drones and missiles.
// Timeline
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Pentagon budget documents reveal the Long-Range Engagement Weapon (LREW) concept completed a successful two-year demonstration, transitioning technology to the services.
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The U.S. Navy's AIM-174B Gunslinger missile is first seen operationally deployed.
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Air Test and Evaluation Squadron 23 (VX-23) conducts a captive-carry flight test of four AIM-424 missiles loaded on an F/A-18E Super Hornet.
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The classified Lockheed Martin-built AIM-260 JATM is captured in flight for the first time.
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The Navy conducts a fit test of the AIM-424 inside the internal weapons bay of an F-35C Lightning II.
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The U.S. Navy officially unveils the AIM-424 'Malice' LRAAM at the Tailhook Association Symposium in Reno, Nevada, and publishes its official specifications.
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Anticipated timeframe for further testing of the AIM-424 missile system.
// Perspectives
[U.S. Navy]
Focuses on securing a 'first look, first shot, first kill' advantage to defend carrier strike groups and project power against advanced peer adversaries in contested regions like the Indo-Pacific.
[Raytheon (RTX)]
Emphasizes technological innovation and the delivery of a generational leap in air dominance to outrange rapidly emerging long-range air-to-air threats.
[U.S. Air Force]
Closely monitors the Navy's progress on the AIM-424 while pursuing its own long-range requirements and collaborating on joint programs like the AIM-260 JATM.
// Quotes
“The Department of the Navy is developing the AIM-424 Long Range Air-to-Air Missile (LRAAM), a next-generation missile intended to strengthen fleet defense and maintain a decisive air-domain overmatch against advanced threats.”
“With increased range, lethality, and combat effectiveness for Naval forces, the AIM-424 delivers a generational leap in long range air-to-air combat capability that can out range any threat.”
“[AIM-174] exists. That’s an operational capability. As you can see that one being revealed and shown into the area, there are many more behind [it].”
