U.S. Congress Authorizes Landmark $3.1 Billion Export of AIM-260A JATM to Australia to Counter Chinese Aerial Superiority

The U.S. authorizes a $3.1B deal to provide Australia with 450 AIM-260 next-gen missiles for F-35 fighters to counter China’s aerial advantage.

By: AXL Media

Published: Apr 2, 2026, 4:06 AM EDT

Source: Information for this report was sourced from Military Watch Magazine

A Strategic Shift in Pacific Air Power

The authorization of the AIM-260A export marks a pivotal moment in Pacific defense strategy. For the first time since the Cold War, the U.S. has developed and cleared for export a primary air-to-air missile specifically designed to reclaim aerial dominance from the Chinese People’s Liberation Army (PLA). The $2.61 billion procurement of 450 missiles, supplemented by $550 million in sustainment, provides the RAAF with approximately 6.25 missiles per F-35A. This allows Australia to transition its current AIM-120 AMRAAM inventory to a reserve role while fielding a primary weapon capable of engaging high-end stealth threats like the Chinese J-20.

The Cost of Next-Generation Dominance

At a unit price of $5.8 million per missile (excluding sustainment), the AIM-260 represents a significant financial leap over its predecessors. To fully equip a single F-35A Block 4 fighter with its internal capacity of six missiles, the cost reaches $34.8 million—nearly half the cost of some early-model F-35 airframes. Due to these high production costs, the U.S. is expected to continue parallel production of the more affordable AIM-120D, reserving the AIM-260 for "high-end" frontline units stationed in volatile regions like the Indo-Pacific.

Technical Superiority and Counter-Stealth Capabilities

The AIM-260 was initiated in 2017 as a direct response to China's PL-15 program, which had begun to outrange U.S. missiles in Beyond-Visual-Range (BVR) combat. The JATM integrates several critical technological leaps: