New missiles to keep the old F-22 at the level of the Chinese J-20
Raytheon, a major U.S. defense contractor, announced significant advances in the range and capabilities of its AIM-120 Advanced Medium-Range Air-to-Air Missile (AMRAAM) , bringing it closer to the performance parameters established for the secretive Joint Advanced Tactical Missile (AMRAAM). JATM) next generation AIM-260.
These developments suggest the possibility of a complementary “look up/look down” combination of the two missiles in future US air combat scenarios.
John Norman, Raytheon's vice president for air and space systems requirements and capabilities, provided these details Sept. 10 during a call with reporters.
According to Air and Space Forces Magazine, he spoke about how RTX, Raytheon's parent company, plans to maintain the F-22's deterrent credibility, an especially relevant topic given the current doubts and uncertainties surrounding the Next-Generation Air program Dominance which should replace it, but it is not even known if it will come to light.
Norman highlighted the remarkable evolution of the AMRAAM over its 30-year life, noting that its range now exceeds that of many other missiles from competing threat countries.
He also revealed that the AIM-120 will play a “complementary” role to Lockheed Martin's AIM-260 JATM , a next-generation missile designed to address more advanced threats.
“The range we can achieve with the AMRAAM is close to that threshold of capability that the Air Force would like to have with the JATM when it becomes operational,” Norman said.
While specific range capabilities have not been disclosed, industry sources suggest the AIM-120D3 variant is approaching a range of 160km. Meanwhile, the AIM-260 JATM is expected to reach over 120 miles (190 km), giving US forces a critical advantage in long-range engagements.
AIM 120 C3
How AMRAAM will complement JATM
The AIM-260 JATM, developed by Lockheed Martin for the US Air Force and Navy, remains shrouded in secrecy, but Norman highlighted its “exquisite capability” to counter advanced electronic countermeasures and other emerging threats.
“It addresses all the countermeasures that threats will employ against us,” Norman noted, further stating that the JATM would be a “defense-busting and very expensive” weapon.
On the other hand, “the AMRAAM has shown phenomenal performance in tests,” Norman said, adding that its capability and affordability will ensure its place in the U.S. arsenal for the foreseeable future.
According to Norman, the AMRAAM will serve as a more cost-effective “capability weapon” for widespread use, while the JATM will function as a premium, specialized solution for high-level threats. This high-low mix could provide U.S. forces with a flexible tool for air superiority in different combat situations.
Beyond its role in air-to-air combat, the AIM-120 has also demonstrated versatility by integrating into land platforms.
The missile can be launched from NASAMS (National Advanced Surface-to-Air Missile System), making it adaptable as an air-to-air and surface-to-air weapon, a feature that extends its value to military forces around the world. This is not yet planned for the JATM.
One of Raytheon's current challenges is ensuring that fighter pilots are thoroughly familiar with the advanced capabilities of the AIM-120.
Norman pointed out that significant efforts are made to educate fighter pilots at the Air Force Weapons School and through test and evaluation squadrons, such as the 85th and 422nd Test and Evaluation Squadrons.
The highly classified AIM-260 JATM is the weapon against Chinese fighters
The AIM-260, known as the Joint Advanced Tactical Missile (JATM), is an emerging element in the field of advanced air-to-air munitions, but specific details about its capabilities and deployment timeline remain strictly confidential.
US officials have already admitted that the development of the AIM-260 was significantly influenced by advances in Chinese air-to-air missile technology.
PL-15 long-range air missiles on J-20 fighters
In particular, China's PL-15 missile, which boasts an estimated range of 200-300 km (120-190 miles), was a major driver of the initiative.
As a result, the PL-15's impressive range and capabilities sparked concern within the Pentagon, serving as a major catalyst for accelerating the AIM-260 program.
The AIM-260 is expected to be a significant upgrade over the AIM-120. It was designed to compete with Chinese and Russian developments in long-range air-to-air missile technology.
The Air Force first revealed the existence of the JATM program in 2019, although development of the missile dates back to at least 2017. The Air Force initially anticipated that flight tests for the AIM-260 would be completed by 2021, while operational tests should have started in 2022.
It was later reported that launch tests in real-world conditions would begin in the summer of 2023, while production was expected to begin by the end of the year. The current timeline of his progress is unknown.
The missile remains in development, shrouded in the secrecy of a Special Access Program (SAP). The sensitivity surrounding the missile's development was underscored by the Air Force's request for about $6.5 million in fiscal 2020 to create a secure storage facility at Hill Air Force Base in Utah.
While details on the AIM-260's propulsion system have not yet been officially released, speculation points towards advanced options such as ramjets or dual-pulse rocket engines. These propulsion technologies could potentially improve the missile's range and performance.
The AIM-260 is also expected to be equipped with a sophisticated multi-mode search system, which could include both active radar and infrared imaging capabilities. This dual-sensor system would significantly improve the missile's accuracy and its ability to withstand electronic warfare countermeasures.
Artistic view of F-22 launching AIM-260 missile (USAF)
The integration of these technologies is particularly advantageous for the engagement of poorly observable (stealth) targets where radar signatures are minimal.
Given the expected lengthening of its range, it is very likely that the AIM-260 will incorporate a bidirectional data link similar to that of the AIM-120D-3. This feature would allow mid-course checking. This feature would allow the targeting to be updated or redone mid-course, further improving the missile's effectiveness.
The AIM-260 is expected to share a similar design to subsequent generation variants of the AIM-120 missile. This design choice is critical to ensuring compatibility with the internal weapons bays of stealth aircraft such as the F-22 Raptor. Stealth fighters generally require internally carried munitions to maintain their low observability characteristics.
The AIM-260 will be used for the first time on the F-22 Raptor , equipping its primary weapons bay, and on the Navy's F/A-18E/F Super Hornets .
Plans call for integrating the missile with the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter. However, it has been reported that the AIM-260 will not be retrofitted to older aircraft models such as the F-15 Eagle and F-16 Fighting Falcon.
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The article New missiles to keep the old F-22 at the level of the Chinese J-20 comes from Economic Scenarios .
This is a machine translation of a post published on Scenari Economici at the URL https://scenarieconomici.it/nuovi-missili-per-mantenere-il-vecchio-f-22-al-livello-del-cinese-j-20/ on Fri, 13 Sep 2024 19:42:39 +0000.