Lockheed Martin AIM-260 Joint Advanced Tactical Missile (JATM)

[Deino]

Via Fighterman_FFRC on X


https://x.com/Fighterman_FFRC

 

[TomcatViP]

SH?!
Interesting.

 

[Shusui]

Yep. Looks even smaller than an AIM-120. I wonder if the F-22 will still be limited to six or would it be worth looking at new ejectors to get it to eight.

Same size as AIM-120 I think. I don't see how you decided it was smaller.

SH?!
Interesting.

It was sitting next to some SH's when I first saw it.

 

[Sferrin]

Same size as AIM-120 I think. I don't see how you decided it was smaller.

Mk1 eyeball says it seems small compared to the AIM-120. Maybe it's the lack of fins and a smaller tail that gives that impression.

 

[icyplanetnhc (Steve)]

The AIM-260 does appear to have a small forward aerodynamic surface right by the yellow band. Perhaps a vortex generator of some kind?

 

[joshjosh]

An AIM-260/AIM-120 Super Hornet comparison with the most similar photo I could find.

 

[vanishingelephant]

Mk1 eyeball says it seems small compared to the AIM-120. Maybe it's the lack of fins and a smaller tail that gives that impression.

Its the slender nose cone giving you that impression vs 120 more than the fins imo.

 

[Shusui]

Mk1 eyeball says it seems small compared to the AIM-120. Maybe it's the lack of fins and a smaller tail that gives that impression.

View attachment 812303

It is because the nose is slimmer, the AIM-120 is far more blunt on the front end.

 

[Sferrin]

It is because the nose is slimmer, the AIM-120 is far more blunt on the front end.

I wonder how much of a speed difference there is.

 

[J McInn]

Curious if it's just a different angle in the picture, but it looks like the AIM-260 is mounted a bit further back on the cheek station.

 

[quellish]

The AIM-260 does appear to have a small forward aerodynamic surface right by the yellow band. Perhaps a vortex generator of some kind?

Could be antenna or sensor.

 

[Training_Dummy]

As has been stated numerous times in this thread SuperHornet and Raptor are the threshold platforms for JATM.

USAF as I understand is the lead service for the program but China Lake personnel continue to make substantial (and some public) contributions to testing efforts.

Are my eyes deceiving or is this good confirmation there are four hexagons in the smaller patch array and three larger hexagons in the larger patch array? Calling them patch arrays for now, don’t know what they are.

 

[wtna7]

How does the AIM-260JA™ perform? (Detailed analysis)

 

[Josh_TN]

Could be antenna or sensor.

@Shusui reported a small projection at this location that I think the forum thought were most likely vortex generators - but either way, why would it be painted red?

 

[HaveVoid]

Curious if it's just a different angle in the picture, but it looks like the AIM-260 is mounted a bit further back on the cheek station.

This was my thought as well - perhaps more of its length sits further aft of the attachment points, proportionally speaking, and it sits further back and looks shorter in length? Add that in with the thinner/sharper nose profile.

 

[Scott Kenny]

Yep. Looks even smaller than an AIM-120. I wonder if the F-22 will still be limited to six or would it be worth looking at new ejectors to get it to eight.

It'd take work to pack an additional missile or two into the main bay(s?), like having to add extra reinforcement to the top of the bay to take the hit from the ejectors.

Now, if the AIM-260 can hang on the Sidewinder rail in the side bays...

 

[Scott Kenny]

An AIM-260/AIM-120 Super Hornet comparison with the most similar photo I could find.View attachment 812306

I think the AIM-260 may be a bit longer than an AMRAAM, and all that length is behind the lugs.

 

[Josh_TN]

Personal guess is that it’s a perspective issue of the angle of the photo. I cannot imagine size or shackle points changed.

 

[Shusui]

@Shusui reported a small projection at this location that I think the forum thought were most likely vortex generators - but either way, why would it be painted red?

Could be both sensors and projections, I see no reason why not --> saving space is probably very important on these.

 

[flateric]

I guess an original source deserves posting

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[raptor82]

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View: https://www.instagram.com/p/DYYKsdxEVfw/?igsh=MWQ3Y3J4aWhzN2N1cA==

 

[MarineEngineer]

TTK? PK?

TTK = Time To Kill
PK = Probability of Kill

 

[NMaude]

TTK = Time To Kill
PK = Probability of Kill

I know this best as SSKP (Single Shot Kill Probability).

 

[Forest Green]

Secretive AIM-260 Air-To-Air Missile Finally Breaks Cover​

https://www.twz.com/air/secretive-aim-260-air-to-air-missile-finally-breaks-cover

 

[AndersJ]

Secretive AIM-260 Air-To-Air Missile Finally Breaks Cover​

https://www.twz.com/air/secretive-aim-260-air-to-air-missile-finally-breaks-cover

Interesting. And getting more range out of a much later designed missile than the AMRAAM even though it's not a whole lot different in size or weight is not strange given the advances in electronics, battery technology, structures, warhead technology and aerodynamics that have occurred since then all add up. After all, the range of a missile is very much dependent on the start to fuel weight ratio.

 

[Ronny]

Secretive AIM-260 Air-To-Air Missile Finally Breaks Cover​

https://www.twz.com/air/secretive-aim-260-air-to-air-missile-finally-breaks-cover

I wonder if its range can come close to R-37M?

 

[Training_Dummy]

There is literally nothing in this TWZ “article” that is interesting because it adds nothing that wasn’t already discussed at length in this thread.

 

[bring_it_on]

If its on TWZ, and its interesting, its probably taken from this thread.

 

[Ainen]

I wonder if its range can come close to R-37M?

With the usual caveats for missile range, I'd expect it to be higher for a normal fighter-versus-fighter launch.
Not Mig-31 lob.

 

[paralay]

the length is the same or slightly different

 

[Training_Dummy]

Despite the lack of some sort of official written confirmation it seems confusing not to accept the premise that JASM was designed to fit within the AMRAAM form factor and at a minimum should be considered interchangeable from a carriage or stores envelope.

As to if the US should have gone with a wider missile or different form factor has been for some time a topic for another part of the forum. There are no shortage of forum members who would be happy to share their preferences of what the USN or USAF should have done wrt missile development - the topic is sadly long and rich with many missed opportunities. An American tradition, as it were.

 

[JS23]

Sorry if this is an obvious question, but I’ve been looking at all the missile marking guides I can find, and I can’t see anything about the red line intersecting the warhead indicator band on what would seem to be the underside. Does anyone know what that indicates?

 

[joshjosh]

Sorry if this is an obvious question, but I’ve been looking at all the missile marking guides I can find, and I can’t see anything about the red line intersecting the warhead indicator band on what would seem to be the underside. Does anyone know what that indicates?

It's hard to tell from these photos, but this may be a control surface that protrudes from the missile body. Someone here, who credibly claimed to have seen the missile a while back, described this as a small control surface. Others have speculated that these could be antennas.

 

[Ainen]

Stupid question: is AIM-260 tied to block IV F-35(like Meteor), or they're going to appear sooner/with older standard airframes?

 

[overscan (PaulMM)]

Certainly this seems to prove @Shusui's story was genuine.

 

[Seragina]

Looks like it's 7.75" ±0.38 in diameter and about 139" long to me.
Those small strakes don't seem to be in the same number as the tail fins?

 

[JS23]

If the second stage only has a single control surface, does that mean that the second stage is like a rolling airframe missile and rapidly spinning when in flight?

 

[MihoshiK]

If the second stage only has a single control surface, does that mean that the second stage is like a rolling airframe missile and rapidly spinning when in flight?

There is no second stage.

The two small fins near the front of the missile are thought to be vortex generators, for improved aerodynamics.

 

[Ronny]

With the usual caveats for missile range, I'd expect it to be higher for a normal fighter-versus-fighter launch.
Not Mig-31 lob.

Yes mig-31 can go to insane altitude.
Though I’m still conflicting on whether AIM-260 can reach R-37M range since R-37M is significantly bigger.

 

[Sferrin]

Yes mig-31 can go to insane altitude.
Though I’m still conflicting on whether AIM-260 can reach R-37M range since R-37M is significantly bigger.

So is Genie but . . .