Australia Ordered the Latest AIM-260 Missiles — They Are to Arm F/A-18F, EA-18G, and F-35A

Australia will become the first foreign country to acquire the latest AIM-260 long-range air-to-air missiles.

This was reported by The War Zone.

The purchase was announced by Australian Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Defence Richard Marles during Exercise Pitch Black in RAAF Base Darwin — Australia’s premier air combat training exercises.

Australia will spend nearly 736 million Australian dollars on the purchase, equivalent to approximately 480 million U.S. dollars.

According to the Australian government, the Royal Australian Air Force’s F/A-18F Super Hornet fighters will be the first to carry the AIM-260. In the future, the missile is planned to be integrated with F-35A fighter jets and EA-18G Growler electronic warfare aircraft.

In the future, the MQ-28 Ghost Bat unmanned guided aircraft may also join the program. This aircraft has already demonstrated the capability to deploy weapons from an external pylon by firing an AIM-120 missile.

At the same time, the integration of the AIM-260 with the EA-18G Growler appears to be new information. Previously, the F/A-18E/F Super Hornet and the F-22 Raptor were cited as the U.S. platforms considered priority carriers for this missile.

Back in November 2025, the U.S. government approved the potential sale of 450 AIM-260 missiles to Australia.

The total value of the deal is estimated at approximately $2.6 billion, and with related equipment, it could rise to $3.1 billion. The first deliveries are expected no earlier than the third quarter of 2033.

This timeline is due to the significant strain on production capacity and the priority given to meeting the needs of the U.S. Armed Forces.

At the same time, the official specifications of the AIM-260 remain classified. It is known only from government discussions that the missile will be equipped with an active seeker featuring a two-way data link, which will be used for trajectory correction, as well as an inertial navigation system.

The AIM-260 is expected to reach speeds of Mach 5. Its maximum range has not been disclosed, but company representatives claim it will be ‘significantly greater’ than that of the AIM-120D-3, whose exact specifications have also not been officially released.