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US Navy Showcases Long-Range Strike Capability with AIM-174B Missile in Japan to Counter Chinese Threat.
On May 4, 2025, the US Navy publicly displayed its AIM-174B long-range air-to-air missile for the first time during the annual Friendship Day held at Marine Corps Air Station (MCAS) Iwakuni, a joint US-Japan military base. The event, designed to strengthen ties between the US forces and the local Japanese community, provided a strategic setting for revealing this capability, marking a notable step in integrating extended-range strike systems into the US Navy's carrier-based aviation arsenal.
The AIM-174B is a very long-range air-to-air missile derived from the RIM-174 SM-6 (Standard ERAM) surface-to-air missile (Picture source: US DoD)
Inside Hangar 5300, visitors were able to view an F/A-18F Super Hornet from Strike Fighter Squadron 102 (VFA-102), part of Carrier Air Wing 5 (CVW-5), positioned alongside an F-35C Lightning II from VFA-147. The Super Hornet was armed with two inert CATM-174B training missiles mounted on its inner pylons, in addition to a centerline external fuel tank. While no live munitions were displayed, this exhibition represents the first known public appearance of the missile since its operational deployment in July 2024.
Developed by Raytheon for the US Navy, the AIM-174B is a very long-range air-to-air missile derived from the RIM-174 SM-6 (Standard ERAM) surface-to-air missile. It is described as an “air-launched configuration” of the SM-6, maintaining the structural design of the RIM-174 but without the MK72 solid-fuel booster, allowing for integration with F/A-18E/F Super Hornets—the only aircraft currently certified to carry it. Weighing approximately 860 kg and measuring 4.7 meters in length, the AIM-174B retains solid-fuel propulsion, a 64-kg blast fragmentation warhead, and guidance systems combining inertial navigation with active and semi-active radar homing. It can reach speeds of up to Mach 3.5, with a minimum confirmed range of 130 nautical miles (around 240 km), although unofficial estimates suggest a significantly greater reach, especially when launched at high altitude and speed.
The AIM-174B is designed to counter the challenges posed by long-range missiles fielded by China and Russia, such as the PL-21 and the R-37M. Its main role is to engage large, high-value airborne targets such as radar aircraft, refueling platforms, or electronic warfare assets operating behind the front lines. Capable of using lofted flight profiles reaching altitudes above 30,000 meters, the missile extends the US Navy’s air denial capability in contested maritime regions. While primarily intended for air-to-air interception, its origins as a naval missile suggest potential secondary roles, including engagements against maritime or ballistic targets, contributing to its operational flexibility amid growing long-range threats.
Since 2018, the US Navy has conducted trials to adapt the SM-6 for air launch. Prototypes were observed on Super Hornets from test squadrons VX-31 and VX-9 as early as 2021, but operational integration accelerated only in 2024. The missile was first seen mounted on a frontline platform—a VFA-192 “Golden Dragons” F/A-18E Super Hornet—during the RIMPAC 2024 exercise in Hawaii. In September of that year, photos emerged of a VX-9 aircraft carrying a full loadout of four AIM-174Bs, along with AIM-120s, AIM-9Xs, and the ASG-34A Infrared Search and Track (IRST) system integrated into a modified fuel tank, illustrating advanced multirole load configurations.
Although the air-launched AIM-174B lacks the MK72 booster used in ship-launched versions, its deployment from fast, high-flying aircraft likely allows it to exceed the performance of its naval counterpart. This capability positions the AIM-174B as one of the longest-range air-to-air weapons ever fielded by the US Navy, filling the gap left by the retirement of the AIM-54 Phoenix in 2004, which was previously carried by the F-14 Tomcat.
The AIM-174B is designed to counter the challenges posed by long-range missiles fielded by China and Russia, such as the PL-21 and the R-37M (Picture source: X Channel @wingback_t )
The missile’s integration into Carrier Air Wing 5 aboard the USS George Washington indicates its operational presence in forward-deployed forces across the Indo-Pacific. CVW-5, the US Navy’s only permanently forward-deployed air wing, operates from Yokosuka, Japan—a region of strategic significance given the expanding military capabilities of China and the growing tensions in the South China Sea. In this environment, long-range engagement capacity is seen as essential, particularly in response to systems such as the Chinese PL-15 and PL-21 missiles, which reportedly reach ranges of 200 to 300 kilometers. The AIM-174B offers the capability to engage surveillance, command, and tanker aircraft before they can threaten US forces.
The joint display of the F/A-18F and the F-35C during the Iwakuni Friendship Day also highlighted the operational complementarity between platforms. Although the F-35C cannot carry the AIM-174B internally due to its size, it can serve as an advanced sensor node under the Networked Integrated Fire Control – Counter Air (NIFC-CA) concept, designating targets for missiles launched from Super Hornets while maintaining stealth.
The missile’s presence at Iwakuni appears to be a deliberate signaling effort directed at both allies and potential adversaries, underscoring the evolving strike capabilities of the US Navy. By showcasing the system during a public, non-classified event, the Navy reinforces a posture of deterrence through transparency and supports a broader strategy of power projection and freedom of navigation across the Indo-Pacific region.
Having reached Initial Operational Capability (IOC) in July 2024 aboard CVW-2 on the USS Carl Vinson, the AIM-174B is now likely entering wider deployment within the US fleet. Its design, based on the proven SM-6, opens the door to additional mission roles including ship and missile defense, although its principal function remains long-range air superiority.
The missile's development has progressed in parallel with that of the AIM-260 Joint Advanced Tactical Missile (JATM), which is expected to offer greater range and internal carriage compatibility with the F-35. However, with the AIM-260 not yet operational, the AIM-174B appears to meet an urgent requirement by adapting an existing and tested system to bridge the current capability gap.
The first public appearance of the AIM-174B in Japan marks a significant milestone in US Navy capability development. Adapted from a proven naval missile, this new system restores long-range air-to-air engagement capacity for carrier-based aviation, a key asset in the vast operational theater of the Pacific. Through this calculated unveiling, the US Navy demonstrates its intent to stay ahead of emerging threats while reinforcing deterrence and coordination with regional allies.