US Navy Regains Air Dominance with New Long-Range Missile
AI-generated context summary requested by a Free News Reader user. Sourced via Gemini from publicly available information — no paywalled content was accessed.
You hit a paywall. Here’s the context on this topic based on publicly available information. We did not access any paywalled content. View original article.
US Navy Regains Air Dominance with New Long-Range Missile
- The US Navy has unveiled the AIM-424 Malice, a new long-range air-to-air missile with a stated range exceeding 250 nautical miles, designed to enhance fleet defense.
- Publicly announced on August 22, 2026, the Malice missile is intended to equip fourth, fifth, and sixth-generation aircraft, including the F/A-18E/F Super Hornet and the F-35C.
Full Summary — powered by AI
The US Navy recently disclosed its latest long-range air-to-air missile, the AIM-424, officially named “Malice.” This new weapon, developed by Raytheon, was publicly announced on August 22, 2026, at the Tailhook Symposium in Reno, Nevada, and is already undergoing flight testing.
The Malice missile boasts a range exceeding 250 nautical miles (approximately 463 kilometers), a significant increase over previous long-range missiles in the Navy’s inventory. It is designed to be compatible with fourth, fifth, and upcoming sixth-generation aircraft, including the F/A-18E/F Super Hornet and, crucially, the F-35C Lightning II, where it can be carried in internal weapons bays. This internal carriage capability is a key advantage, as previous long-range missiles like the AIM-174B Gunslinger, with a range of at least 150 nautical miles, were too large for internal bays and could only be carried externally on the Super Hornet.
The development of the Malice missile addresses the need for the US Navy to engage potential adversaries at greater distances, especially in the context of advanced long-range missiles developed by other nations. The Malice is expected to strengthen fleet defense and maintain air superiority for naval and Marine aviation forces. Its development follows the retirement of the iconic AIM-54 Phoenix missile in 2004, which had an operational range of nearly 100 nautical miles and was exclusively carried by the F-14 Tomcat. The Malice is seen as a spiritual successor to the Phoenix, providing a renewed long-range capability.