Reno, Nevada — The U.S. Navy has officially revealed the AIM-424 Long Range Air-to-Air Missile (LRAAM), also known as “Malice,” at the Tailhook Symposium in Reno, Nevada, on August 22, 2026. The Navy also added the missile to its official Fact Files, releasing its first public specifications and photographs. The weapon is being developed by Raytheon, an RTX company, and is already undergoing flight testing.
The AIM-424 is designed to strengthen fleet defense against advanced long-range aerial threats and support the Navy’s “first look, first shot, first kill” approach by providing greater reach, survivability and tactical flexibility. The missile is intended for fourth-, fifth- and sixth-generation aircraft, including the F/A-18E/F Super Hornet, F-35C Lightning II and future F/A-XX fighter.
AIM-424 Specifications
The Navy lists the missile at 13.5 feet (4.11 meters) long, with a 13.5-inch (0.34-meter) diameter and a 26.2-inch (0.67-meter) wingspan. It weighs 1,500 pounds (680.4 kg) and uses a solid-propellant rocket motor with a blast-fragmentation warhead. Its stated range is in excess of 250 nautical miles (463 km).
Aviation Week reported that the AIM-424 is a two-stage missile and is significantly larger than the AIM-120 AMRAAM. The released imagery shows the missile is also comparable in overall size to the AIM-174B, although the AIM-424 is shorter and has a narrower wingspan.
Testing and Aircraft Integration
Navy photographs show the AIM-424 being carried externally by an F/A-18E Super Hornet, including a configuration from April 2026 showing four missiles. Other imagery shows the missile installed inside the F-35C’s internal weapons bay, with an AIM-120 positioned on the bay door. Captive-carry and weapons-bay fit checks have also been documented.
The missile's development traces back to the Long Range Engagement Weapon (LREW) concept publicly discussed in 2017. That earlier concept involved a two-stage air-to-air missile designed for internal carriage by a stealth aircraft. The AIM-424 is now being developed alongside the AIM-260 Joint Advanced Tactical Missile (JATM).
Raytheon President Phil Jasper said the company's Advanced Technology team developed the AIM-424 to strengthen fleet defense and maintain air superiority against emerging long-range air threats. He said the missile provides increased range, lethality and combat effectiveness for naval forces.
The Navy has not announced an initial operational capability or full deployment timeline for the AIM-424. Detailed performance information also remains classified.
The missile's publicly stated range of more than 250 nautical miles is intended to give carrier aviation a longer engagement envelope against high-value aerial threats, including aircraft capable of carrying long-range anti-ship weapons. The Navy has also indicated that the AIM-424 has greater range and speed than the AIM-174B while retaining maneuverability despite its size.
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