Australia is preparing to spend nearly A$736 million, or about $520.1 million, to equip the Royal Australian Air Force with the AIM-260 Joint Advanced Tactical Missile. Defence Minister Richard Marles confirmed the planned procurement, making Australia the first international operator expected to receive the US-developed air-to-air weapon. The missile will initially be integrated with Australia’s F/A-18F Super Hornets before expanding to the F-35A Lightning II and EA-18G Growler fleets. The purchase follows US approval of a broader foreign military sale worth more than $3 billion. That package could include up to 450 missiles, integration equipment, test units, spares and related support, with deliveries projected to begin in 2033. The AIM-260 is a next-generation beyond-visual-range weapon intended to succeed the AIM-120 AMRAAM. Much of its technical information remains classified because development began in 2017. Analysts expect it to exceed the predecessor’s reported 160-kilometre range. The US plans to deploy the missile on aircraft including the F-22 and Super Hornet and eventually the F-47 sixth-generation fighter.
