US accelerates production of classified AIM-260 JATM air-to-air missile for F-22 and F-35 fleets.

The United States is expanding production of the AIM-260 Joint Advanced Tactical Missile to increase long-range air-to-air missile stocks for its air and naval forces. The move is intended to give operational units greater inventory depth for repeated sorties and sustained beyond-visual-range combat.

The AIM-260 JATM is being developed for several U.S. combat aircraft, including the F-22 Raptor and F-35 Lightning II, and is intended to provide greater range and effectiveness than current air-to-air weapons. Increasing production is therefore not only about introducing a new missile but about ensuring enough weapons are available for training, operational deployment, and prolonged combat use as U.S. forces prepare for higher missile expenditure in contested air environments.

Related News: Australia’s AIM-260 Acquisition Could Reshape Beyond-Visual-Range Air Warfare in the Indo-Pacific.

A U.S. Air Force F-35A Lightning II launches an AIM-120 AMRAAM from its internal weapons bay during a live-fire test. The F-35 is among the aircraft planned to operate the AIM-260 JATM. (Picture Source: US DoD)

The JATM is being developed by Lockheed Martin in partnership with the U.S. Air Force and U.S. Navy. The missile is intended to provide greater range and effectiveness than current air-to-air weapons and is expected to equip the F-22 Raptor and F-35 Lightning II among other platforms. This compatibility places the AIM-260 within the broader U.S. air combat architecture, in which low-observable fighters rely on their own sensors as well as information received from other platforms to detect, identify and engage targets at distance. Australia has also described the JATM as a high-speed long-range air-to-air missile.

On September 17, 2026, Lockheed Martin announced that it had signed a framework agreement with the U.S. Department of War to accelerate production and deliveries of the AIM-260. According to the company’s statement, Lockheed Martin will support the investments required to expand industrial capacity. The agreement also establishes the basis for a future multiyear procurement contract, subject to congressional approval. This approach is intended to provide longer-term demand and support expansion of the industrial base associated with the JATM program.

The move toward multiyear procurement changes the scale of the program. For industry, greater visibility over future orders can support investment planning, supplier coordination and the expansion of production capacity. For the armed forces, the objective is different but directly connected: turning an advanced weapon into a capability available in sufficient numbers across operational squadrons. In a prolonged air campaign, the performance of an individual missile matters, but stock depth also influences sortie generation and the ability to replace weapons expended in combat.

The production increase also has an international dimension. On August 6, 2026, the Australian government announced an investment of nearly A$736 million to acquire the AIM-260 through the U.S. Foreign Military Sales process. Canberra is set to become the first JATM customer outside the United States. The Royal Australian Air Force plans to integrate the missile first on its F/A-18F Super Hornets, followed by the F-35A Lightning II and EA-18G Growler. Three aircraft types with different operational roles are therefore expected to gain access to the same long-range missile family, extending the program beyond its original U.S. framework.

At the tactical and operational level, this combination broadens the options available to aircrews. An F-22 or F-35 can use its low-observable design, onboard sensors and information received from other platforms to seek a favorable engagement position while reducing its exposure. A missile with greater reach increases the distance at which that information can be converted into a firing opportunity. Higher production rates have an equally practical effect. Larger inventories allow more aircraft to be armed, preserve operational reserves and support repeated sortie cycles in campaigns where beyond-visual-range engagements can consume available weapons quickly.

The AIM-260 is entering a force that continues to operate the AIM-120 AMRAAM across a wide range of aircraft. The JATM adds a capability intended for longer-range air-to-air engagements, while the AMRAAM remains widely present in U.S. and allied inventories. This overlap allows forces to allocate weapons according to mission requirements and threat conditions. It also avoids placing immediate operational demand on a single new missile family. Expanding JATM production therefore adds another layer to the existing air-to-air arsenal while supporting a gradual shift toward longer-range combat capabilities.

From a strategic perspective, accelerating JATM production also responds to a more immediate issue of stock depth. In its budget documentation, the U.S. Navy has described its AIM-120 AMRAAM inventory as “critically low,” while the service is also investing in increased industrial capacity across several missile families. The AIM-260 is therefore entering service in an environment where improved weapon performance alone is insufficient if industry cannot provide the quantities required for sustained operations. Australia’s planned acquisition adds allied demand to the same equation. For Washington, the challenge is now to make the JATM not only a next-generation missile for the F-22 and F-35, but also a weapon available in sufficient numbers to support U.S. and allied forces over time.

Written By Erwan Halna du Fretay - Defense Analyst, Army Recognition Group
Erwan Halna du Fretay holds a Master’s degree in International Relations and has experience studying conflicts and global arms transfers. His research interests lie in Security and strategic studies, particularly the dynamics of the defense industry, the evolution of military technologies, and the strategic transformation of armed forces.