The Royal Australian Air Force will be the first foreign operator of the advanced AIM-260A JATM air-to-air missile, according to U.S. sources speaking to Naval News on condition of anonymity. The deal also opens the door for other AIM-120D-3 operators to procure AIM-260As, with current priority on Indo-Pacific allies.
Australia’s fleet of F/A-18F Super Hornets and F-35A Lightning IIs will be the first foreign aircraft to fly with JATM air-to-air missiles, marking another milestone of advanced technology cooperation with Australia that spans from hypersonic missiles to next-generation attack submarines. The Defense Security Cooperation Agency (DSCA) was notified of the potential export in September according to preliminary documents sent to Congress this week.
Documents outlining the deal, viewed by Naval News, include 450 AIM-260A missiles, 5 AIM-260A test vehicles, and 30 AIM-260A guided test vehicles earmarked for Australia at a cost of $2.6 billion—$3.1 billion when including non-major defense equipment. This would put each Australian JATM at roughly $5.8 million—including test vehicles, though that cost may not directly reflect the price per unit.
Australia will receive its first batch of JATM missiles in the third quarter of 2033 which tracks with current production timelines for JATM. The delivery timeline is also based on the traditional balancing of U.S. inventory requirements with foreign exports of defense materials.
Final approval of the deal is expected within the week. DSCA, State Department, and Congressional approval offices put up no resistance to the export deal.
No photos of the JATM have been released to date and the U.S. Navy declined to release photos or provide additional information when asked. The U.S. Navy confirmed testing was underway earlier this year after a rendering was released by NAVAIR’s PMA-259 air-to-air missile program office, but declined to comment further on test results. Both the program and missile remain secretive and largely classified even as the missile enters initial production.
The export deal with Australia is unusual due to the nature of JATM as an ongoing development program, but a U.S. official speaking to Naval News on condition of anonymity affirmed that additional exports in the same style could go through based on changes to approval processes and general relationship dynamics between the United States and its closest allies. Several nations have inquired regarding JATM exports, though none could be confirmed.
Naval News understands that despite being officially on a case-by-case basis, countries previously approved for the newest AMRAAM variant—the AIM-120D-3—can also be approved to receive AIM-260As, though their timeline of approval and delivery may not match Australia’s pace. Priority is based on U.S. administration policy and threats faced by the recipient nation. Indo-Pacific allies will receive higher priority.
The U.S. Navy and U.S. Air Force continue to test the AIM-260A JATM as part of work under the Director, Operational Test and Evaluation office. The office could not be reached for comment regarding the current status of work with JATM or any related programs. The U.S. Navy also declined to comment further on JATM progress in its F/A-18 Super Hornet fleet, which Australia also operates.
The AIM-260A is not fully operational in the U.S. Navy or U.S. Air Force based on service official comments provided to Air and Space Forces Magazine last month. According to other officials, the missiles have reached nascent capability with the Air Force’s F-22 fleet but exist in very few numbers and are still undergoing testing for operational capability across a wider range of intended aircraft. When fielded, JATM it is expected to significantly outrange the AMRAAM, reaching distances between 200-320 kilometers based on public estimates.
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