The US Navy's Next-Gen Missile Can Strike Targets Over 280 Miles Away

The United States Navy utilizes a lot of different types of ordnance for combat operations, ranging from 20mm heavy armor-piercing projectiles for the Phalanx CIWS to the Trident II submarine-launched ballistic missile. Because the Navy has a large air force of its own, it also stocks plenty of air-to-air missiles (AAM), and there are tons of different types. On August 22, 2026, the Navy unveiled its newest AAM that's undergoing flight testing, the AIM-424 Long Range Air-to-Air Missile (LRAAM), also known as Malice.

The AIM-424 is being developed specifically for the F/A-18 Super Hornet, the F-35C Lightning II, and the F/A-XX program, which aims to replace the Super Hornet with a sixth-generation fighter. While details are limited as of writing, the AIM-424 is expected to outperform the AIM-120 Advanced Medium-Range Air-to-Air Missile (AMRAAM), which has a range of over 20 miles. The AIM-424 has a range of 288 miles, which is greater than the Navy's current long-range AAM, the AIM-174B Gunslinger (with an estimated range of over 186 miles). This makes the AIM-424 the current longest-range AAM in the U.S. arsenal.

The Navy began development of the AIM-424 to meet future requirements and a need for a longer-range AAM option to counter potential threats from China. The near-peer nation developed air-launched cruise and anti-ship ballistic missiles with ranges exceeding 1,151 miles. To counter such long-range weapon systems, the Navy plans to create as much of a standoff distance as possible between its aircraft carriers and beyond-the-horizon threats. The AIM-424 has been in development for over a decade, though it's unclear when it will be ready to go live.

When the Navy disclosed the AIM-424 to the public, it didn't provide a great deal of information regarding its specifications and capabilities. What was revealed indicates that the missile will have two stages, and it's close in size to the AIM-174B. Raytheon is the defense contractor working on the missile, which uses a solid-propellant rocket motor. The AIM-424 stretches 13.5 feet in length, has a 13.5-inch diameter, a wingspan of 26.2 inches, and weighs 1,500 lbs.

While the size of the missile's warhead hasn't been disclosed to the public, it is a blast fragmentation warhead. These are common in AAMs, as they enable the missile to damage a target without making direct impact. According to the Navy, the AIM-424 "directly supports the Department's contribution to integrated deterrence by increasing range, lethality, and combat effectiveness for Marine and Naval aviation forces that are defending our fleets, our interests, and our homeland." In the above image, the AIM-424 is the missile loaded inside the F-35C's internal weapons bay.

The missile to the left, mounted to the door, is the AIM-120, which is clearly smaller than the longer-range Malice. While it's unclear when the AIM-424 will enter service, given the period of development and the imagery the Navy has released to date, it's likely to be here sooner rather than later. That said, only time will tell, as any new ordnance acquisition is a long process for the military, which requires a great deal of testing before missiles can be loaded onto multi-million-dollar aircraft like the F/A-18 Super Hornet.