US Navy Unveils AIM-424 Malice, a New Air-to-Air Missile With a 463-Kilometer Range
The US Navy officially unveiled its new long-range air-to-air missile, the AIM-424 “Malice,” at the Tailhook Symposium in Reno, Nevada, on August 22, 2026. Built by Raytheon, an RTX business, the missile is capable of hitting targets beyond 250 nautical miles, or roughly 463 kilometers, away.
At a Glance
- Range: beyond 250 nautical miles (463 km)
- Manufacturer: Raytheon (RTX)
- Unveiled: August 22, 2026, Tailhook Symposium, Reno, Nevada
- Weight: about 680 kg; length 4.11 m; diameter 34 cm
- Propulsion and warhead: solid-propellant rocket motor, blast-fragmentation warhead
- Target platforms: F/A-18E/F Super Hornet, F-35C Lightning II, future F/A-XX
- Flight testing was conducted in April 2026 by Air Test and Evaluation Squadron VX-23
Background
Images released on the Navy’s official Fact Files page show four AIM-424 rounds loaded on an F/A-18E Super Hornet, and a separate photo shows a test round fitted inside an F-35C’s internal weapons bay next to an AIM-120 AMRAAM. The photos were taken on April 3, 2026, but were not made public until the August unveiling.
Raytheon president Phil Jasper said in a statement: “Strengthening fleet defense and maintaining superiority are essential to address rapidly emerging long-range air-to-air threats. Our Advanced Technology team’s approach is at the core of doing just that with the development of the AIM-424. With increased range, lethality, and combat effectiveness for naval forces, the AIM-424 delivers a generational leap in air dominance combat capability that can out range any threat.”
The AIM-424 offers a range far beyond the Navy’s existing AIM-120 AMRAAM family, aiming to give US carrier aviation an offensive reach advantage against long-range air defense systems and adversary fighter aircraft.
Regional Impact
Turkey is developing its own air-to-air missile family through TÜBİTAK SAGE, with the short-range BOZDOĞAN and medium-range GÖKDOĞAN missiles being integrated onto the KAAN and F-16 fleets. The emergence of very-long-range systems like the AIM-424 signals that the global air-superiority race is increasingly defined by reach, a trend that could push Turkey’s own missile roadmap toward a comparable range leap over the longer term.
FAQ
Which aircraft will carry the AIM-424 Malice?
It is planned for the F/A-18E/F Super Hornet, F-35C Lightning II, and the future sixth-generation F/A-XX fighter.
What exactly is its range?
Official disclosures put it beyond 250 nautical miles, or roughly 463 kilometers.
What stage is the program at?
Flight testing took place in April 2026; a date for operational fielding has not been announced.
