Lockheed Martin AIM-260 JATM

The AIM-260 JATM (Joint Advanced Tactical Missile) is a long-range air-to-air missile, to be used by the U.S. Air Force and U.S. Navy to supplement and eventually replace the AIM-120 AMRAAM.

The JATM program was begun in 2017, as a reaction to the development of very long range air-to-air missiles in Russia and China. By 2022, flight testing was reportedly well underway, and production was expected to begin by the end of 2023. In 2018, the designation AIM-260A was assigned to JATM, incl. designations for DATM-260A, NATM-260A and JAIM-260A dummy and special test missiles. No explanation has come forward for the number 260, which is much higher than the current numbers in the M-for-Missile sequence.

Image: USAF

AIM-260A (image allegedly close to actual design)

The AIM-260 is developed as a top-secret Special Access Program, and therefore no definite details about its characteristics have been made public. It is expected to have inertial mid-course guidance, a two-way datalink, a dual-mode terminal seeker and an effective range of at least 200 km (125 miles). The external form factor is reportedly very similar to that of the AIM-120D, making integration with existing AMRAAM-carrying platforms, incl. the internal weapons bays of the F-22 and F-35, relatively straight-forward.

Specifications

No details about the characteristics of the AIM-260 missile are available.

Main Sources

[1] Various web resources, referenced by Wikipedia: AIM-260 JATM
[2] Air&Space Forces Magazine, John A. Tirpak: Kendall and Brown: JATM Will Start Production This Year, Equip Collaborative Combat Aircraft, May 2023

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Last Updated: 2 January 2025