Australia commits to buying secretive AIM-260 JATM missiles, first non-US user

MELBOURNE — Australia will be the first export customer for the American-made beyond-visual-range air-to-air AIM-260 Joint Advanced Tactical Missile (JATM). 

Defense Minister Richard Marles announced during a visit to a multinational air combat exercise in northern Australia that the country will invest “almost” $736 million AUD ($518 million USD) to buy “up to 450” missiles for the Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF). 

The Department of Defence said, “The acquisition of the AIM-260 JATM will provide Air Force platforms with a credible deterrent against airborne targets, complementing existing air-to-air missile capabilities and other surface-based missile capabilities across the Australian Defence Force (ADF). It will also further enhance Australia’s interoperability with the United States.”

The Lockheed Martin-made missile is a closely held weapon for the US, only having been publicly photographed for the first time in May, according to Air and Space Forces Magazine. Australia had been cleared by the State Department to buy the JATM in March — though the price tag for all the missiles, plus several test articles and associated equipment, should Australia pursue the full purchase, was at the time estimated to come to over $3 billion USD.

Canberra first plans to integrate the AIM-260 on the RAAF’s Boeing F/A-18F Super Hornet multi-role fighters, followed by its fleet of Lockheed-Martin F-35A Lightning II fifth-generation fighters and then its Boeing EA-18G Growler Electronic Attack aircraft. 

Speaking at a media doorstop during the visit to the Pitch Black air combat exercise in RAAF Base Darwin, Marles called the acquisition a “really significant purchase to upgrade the capability” of the RAAF, adding that it was in line with the force structure and posture set out in Australia’s Defence Strategic Review. 

Test Of First Indigenous Solid Rocket Motor

Separately, Australia also announced today that it had successfully flight tested an indigenously developed solid fuel rocket motor to be used in guided weapons. 

The Koonibba Rising 3.0 solid rocket motor was tested at a range in the south of the country, said Australia’s defense department in another release. The motor was developed under a partnership between Australia’s Defence Science and Technology Group and Thales Australia.

The department added that the 100kg– (220 pound-) class solid rocket motor incorporated “technologies and design features required for high-performance, military-relevant applications” and with the flight test conducted by Australian company Southern Launch. The DoD said that it performed “as designed” during the test. 

“This milestone marks another significant step towards Australia’s sovereign guided weapons capability, demonstrating the ability of Australian industry to design, manufacture, integrate and test rocket motor technologies relevant to future tactical missile systems” and “demonstrates a viable pathway for the domestic development, manufacture, testing and evaluation of future rocket motors,” said the announcement. 

Echoing Marles’ comments on the AIM-260, Australian Minister for Defence Industry Pat Conroy called the test a significant step for Australia’s defense industry. 

“It showcases the strength of collaboration between Defence, Australian industry and research organisations in delivering cutting-edge capabilities that support our national security and sovereign industrial resilience,” he said.