Lockheed Martin unveils AIM-260 missile, signs Pentagon production deal

AIM-260 disclosed as classified counter to Chinese air threats

Lockheed Martin publicly detailed for the first time its next-generation air-to-air missile, the AIM-260 Joint Advanced Tactical Missile (JATM), developed in secrecy for years as the U.S. military's answer to long-range air threats from China. The weapon offers greater range and effectiveness than existing air-to-air missiles, an advantage the company highlighted against Chinese fighter jets such as the J-20. First images of the missile emerged in May, and Lockheed said the AIM-260 will be carried on stealth fighters including the F-22 Raptor and the F-35.

Pentagon framework agreement aims to scale up missile output

Lockheed Martin said it signed a framework agreement with the U.S. Department of War to accelerate production and delivery of the AIM-260, laying the groundwork for a multiyear procurement contract intended to strengthen the defense industrial base for the program. The company said it would fund investments needed to boost output under the deal. Pentagon leaders have cited the depletion of U.S. and allied missile stocks during the war on Iran as a driver of the push to rapidly acquire less expensive long-range precision-strike weapons.

Lockheed executives frame disclosure as a milestone for the program

Tim Cahill, president of Lockheed Martin Missiles and Fire Control, said the JATM is one of the nation's most important air dominance capabilities but, because of the classified nature of the program, had been a story the company had not been able to tell. "We're proud to finally talk about the extraordinary work behind this missile and how we're working with the U.S. government to rapidly scale production," Cahill said in a statement.

Australia moves to acquire JATM missiles

Australia has announced plans to buy roughly $521 million worth of JATM missiles, according to the disclosure, though the quantity and unit price were not made public. The agreement marks the first foreign customer publicly identified for the AIM-260.

What remains uncertain about the production push

The framework agreement does not specify delivery timelines, total procurement quantities, or per-unit pricing for the AIM-260, and Lockheed and the Department of War have not disclosed how the company's funded industrial-base investments will be allocated across existing and new production lines.