Australia to Acquire US AIM-260 JATM Missiles in $520 Million Deal
Australia announced a $520 million purchase of the US-made AIM-260 Joint Advanced Tactical Missile, becoming its first foreign customer.
At the Darwin-based Exercise Pitch Black 2026, Defence Minister Richard Marles announced that Australia will spend about $520 million on the US-made AIM-260 Joint Advanced Tactical Missile, making the RAAF the first overseas operator of the tightly-controlled system. The new missile is believed to reach at least 120 miles, surpassing the older AIM-120 and countering China’s PL-15 and PL-17 weapons. Though details remain classified, Lockheed Martin, in partnership with the US Air Force and Navy, is producing the missile, which retains an AMRAAM-like shape for internal carriage.
Australia plans to equip its F/A-18 Super Hornets first, followed by F-35A Lightning IIs, EA-18G Growlers and eventually the MQ-28 Ghost Bat drone, enhancing long-range air-to-air capability across the vast Indo-Pacific. The acquisition signals deeper US-Australia interoperability and a strategic move to keep pace with Chinese advancements. The deal underscores the growing importance of beyond-visual-range combat in regional security dynamics.
Why it matters
The purchase boosts Australia's long-range strike ability and deepens US-Australia defence cooperation amid rising Chinese missile development.
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