Lockheed reaches deal to boost production of secretive JATM missile

WASHINGTON — The Pentagon and Lockheed Martin have reached an initial agreement to ramp up production of the AIM-260 Joint Advanced Tactical Missile (JATM), the secretive weapon set to succeed the AMRAAM.

The framework agreement sets the stage for future multi-year procurement (MYP) of JATM and boosting foreign military sales, the Pentagon stated in a news release. The announcement did not include information about the scale or timeline for the production ramp up, nor the dollar amount associated with the agreement.

In a news release today, Lockheed stated that the company “will support necessary investments to drive the production increase under this agreement.” However, the company did not provide further specifics about the level of internal investment it expects to provide under the deal.

The JATM deal is the latest in a series of framework agreements inked this year between the Pentagon and industry aimed at rapidly scaling up weapons production, with industry pledging to invest its own funds to modernize and build new facilities and the department promising stable, multiyear production deals.

Questions have swirled about when funding and final contracts for the framework agreements will ultimately appear. Lockheed previously nabbed framework deals for the Patriot’s PAC-3 and THAAD interceptors, which have since turned into undefinitized contract actions worth $59 billion and $35 billion respectively.

But final, definitized contracts for any of the dozen or so framework deals have proven elusive, with much of the Pentagon’s munitions spend tied up in its $350 billion reconciliation request, which has not been passed by Congress.

The Pentagon has held information about the classified JATM program under strict control, with the capability becoming public in 2019. In August, Australia announced plans to become the first international JATM customer.

“Today’s announcement reflects our commitment to sending clear, long-term demand signals across the defense industrial base, ensuring our Warfighters receive unmatched capability exactly when and where the mission demands,” Michael Duffey, the department’s head of acquisition and sustainment, said in a news release today.

Lockheed said that the new missile “has increased range and effectiveness over existing air-to-air weapons” and will be integrated on Air Force and Navy fighters including the F-22 and F-35.

“This agreement builds on years of collaboration to deliver this critical air dominance capability to the warfighter,” said Tim Cahill, president of Lockheed Martin Missiles and Fire Control. “We will deliver JATM at the speed our nation and allies demand while providing value for taxpayers and our shareholders.”