Military Aircraft Procurement Missile Systems & Strategic Weapons Defense Industry & Major Contractors Defense Policy & Military Strategy

U.S. Navy unveils AIM-424 Malice air-to-air missile with range beyond 250 nautical miles

The U.S. Navy and Raytheon have revealed the AIM-424 Malice, a next-generation long-range air-to-air missile designed to engage targets more than 250 nautical miles away. The weapon is intended for the F/A-18, F-35 and future F/A-XX fighters as the Navy responds to China’s expanding long-range threat.

Discovered 2026-08-23T01:15:37.681112-07:00 | 2026-08-23T01:15:37.681112-07:00

Briefing

What Hype is tracking

Malice would extend the engagement reach of carrier-based fighter aviation beyond 250 nautical miles, materially affecting air-combat tactics and carrier strike-group defenses.
The missile’s planned integration with the F/A-18, F-35 and future F/A-XX links the weapon to current and next-generation naval aviation modernization.
The reveal follows the Navy’s public disclosure of Malice as a tested and evaluated weapon with a range exceeding 250 nautical miles, underscoring the program’s emergence as a visible response to China’s air-combat capabilities.

Reported By

haber.aero milmag.pl lentoposti.fi FlightGlobal defence-industry.eu Naval News