--- title: "US Navy Unveils AIM-424 Malice Missile with 465 km Range: A Record for the Air-to-Air Class" description: "The US Navy unveiled the AIM-424 Malice missile with a claimed range of 465 km — a record for the air-to-air class. In size it is comparable to the AIM-120 and fits into the internal bays of the F-35 and F-22." date: 2026-08-23T17:11:42.000Z lang: en url: https://xab.info/en/posts/aim-424-malice-missile-465-km-us-navy tags: [us-navy, aim-424-malice, air-to-air-missile, raytheon, f-35, missile-defense] publisher: "XAB.info" --- # US Navy Unveils AIM-424 Malice Missile with 465 km Range: A Record for the Air-to-Air Class ![F-22 Raptor fighter jet in flight against a cloudy sky — a potential carrier of the new AIM-424 Malice missile](https://xab.info/media/2026/08/23/aim-424-malice-raketa-465-km-vms-ssha/aim-424-malice-raketa-465-km-vms-ssha-1.webp) ## 🎯 Key Points - The US Navy revealed the specifications of the AIM-424 Malice missile with a claimed range of 465 km at the Tailhook conference in Reno on August 22, 2026. - The missile was developed by Raytheon, is comparable in size to the AIM-120 AMRAAM, and fits into the internal bays of the F-35 and F-22. - Experts note that the weapon's greater value lies in ship defense rather than engaging aircraft at extreme ranges; entry-into-service timelines have not been announced. According to a report by a correspondent of the Vietnam News Agency in Washington, the US Navy is testing a new air-to-air missile, the AIM-424 Malice, capable of engaging targets at a range of 465 km. According to the publication, this significantly exceeds the range of any other known weapon of its class. The missile's specifications were revealed on August 22, 2026, at the US Navy's Tailhook conference in Reno, Nevada. ### Dimensions and Integration with Stealth Aircraft According to US Navy information, the AIM-424 Malice was developed by Raytheon (a subsidiary of RTX Corp.) and is comparable in size to the existing AIM-120 AMRAAM missile. This is a key design advantage: the new missile fits neatly into the internal weapons bays of stealth aircraft, specifically the F-35 and F-22, allowing them to retain their stealth characteristics while carrying long-range weaponry. ### Tactical Value — Ship Defense Peter Layton, a former Royal Australian Air Force officer and visiting fellow at the Griffith Institute for Asia, noted that long-range missiles can be used to engage critical aircraft — command-and-control aircraft and aerial refueling tankers. However, in his assessment, their greater value lies in defending warships, including carrier strike groups at long range. ### Limitations and the Question of Timelines The same expert pointed out a technical caveat: engaging aircraft from extremely long ranges requires sensor systems capable of detecting a target at such a distance and guiding the missile onto it. Moreover, high-speed aircraft can neutralize such attacks simply by heading in the opposite direction. The US Navy has not yet announced when the AIM-424 Malice will officially enter service. ### Context: The Return of Long-Range Weaponry The Pentagon has long shown interest in long-range air-to-air missiles; in fact, such weapons have been absent from the US arsenal since the era of the AIM-54 Phoenix missile and its sole carrier, the F-14 Tomcat fighter. In 2026, Lockheed Martin Corp. received a contract worth approximately 1 billion dollars to begin production of the AIM-260 — another long-range air-to-air missile. Meanwhile, the AIM-174B, an air-to-air variant of the SM-6 surface-to-air missile system with a registered range of over 400 km, has been in service for several years. ### Contradictory Data The primary sources contain minor inconsistencies. First, the lead of the report refers to "testing" of the missile, whereas the main body and the headlines of several publications speak of the presentation of specifications at the Tailhook conference; there is no independent confirmation of active flight testing by the Pentagon in the text. Second, the exact range figure varies: the body of the report states 465 km, while the headlines (including vietnam.vn) say "over 450 km." Both values are consistent in order of magnitude, but the exact figure has not been officially confirmed as of publication. ## 🔍 Fact-Check Verification - [US conducts tests of an air-to-air missile with a range of over 450 km.](https://www.vietnam.vn/ru/my-thu-nghiem-ten-lua-khong-doi-khong-co-tam-ban-hon-450km) - Совпадает с основным текстом по названию ракеты, разработчику и интеграции; в заголовке дальность округлена до «более 450 км» против 465 км в теле. - [US Navy reveals specifications of the long-range AIM-424 missile](https://www.mk.ru/politics/2026/08/23/vms-ssha-raskryli-kharakteristiki-sverkhdalnoboynoy-rakety-aim424.html) - Подтверждает раскрытие характеристик ВМС США; акцент на «раскрытии», а не на активных испытаниях. - [US tests a new-generation long-range missile](https://tengrinews.kz/usa/ssha-ispyityivayut-raketu-novogo-pokoleniya-bolshoy-dalnosti-606853/) - Подтверждает факт испытаний/представления ракеты большой дальности; детали по габаритам и носителям совпадают. - [Will defend the CSG at long range: US Navy unveils the AIM-424 Malice missile](https://topwar.ru/288526-zaschitit-aug-na-dalnih-podstupah-vms-ssha-predstavili-raketu-aim-424-malice.html) - Подтверждает название AIM-424 Malice и тактический акцент на защите авианосных ударных групп. ## ❓ FAQ ### Q: What is the claimed range of the AIM-424 Malice missile? **A:** The body of the VNA report states a range of 465 km, while the headlines of several publications say "over 450 km." Both values are consistent in order of magnitude, but the exact figure has not been officially confirmed. ### Q: Which aircraft can carry this missile? **A:** In size, the AIM-424 Malice is comparable to the AIM-120 AMRAAM, so it fits into the internal weapons bays of the F-35 and F-22 stealth aircraft. ### Q: When will the missile enter service? **A:** The US Navy has not yet announced a timeline for the official entry of the AIM-424 Malice into service.