The Defense Department and Lockheed Martin detailed a broad framework that sets up a long-term production agreement covering the Joint Advanced Tactical Missile, a classified air-to-air weapon for U.S. Air Force and Navy jets. In a Thursday statement, the Pentagon called the arrangement essential for Lockheed and the wider munitions supply chain to make longer-term bets on people and factory capacity.
JATM is still in development but is close to transitioning into production. Once deployed, it is expected to become the top-tier air-to-air missile in the U.S. inventory. That mantle has long belonged to RTX Corp.'s AIM-120 AMRAAM, first introduced in 1993 and upgraded repeatedly since. Lockheed Martin received the initial classified development award in August 2017, and Washington has framed the capability as central to deterring China.
Money is lining up behind the program. In the budget proposal from the Trump administration for the fiscal year that starts on October 1, JATM receives an additional $2 billion, signaling quicker production and earlier fielding. The Air Force and Navy are together seeking $2.9 billion for development and procurement in 2027, compared with $894 million in the current fiscal year. In March, the Pentagon also disclosed a planned sale to Australia of 460 missiles plus test gear, a package valued at $3.1 billion.
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"We will deliver JATM at the speed our nation and allies demand while providing value for taxpayers and our shareholders," said Tim Cahill, president of Lockheed Martin Missiles and Fire Control. It's the first framework agreement for a classified system overseen by Michael Duffey, the Pentagon's senior acquisition official, who said, "Speed, scale, and stability drive acquisition excellence, and these gears must turn in unison." His office has already used similar frameworks for marquee systems like the most advanced Patriot missile, Tomahawk cruise missiles, and THAAD interceptors. The AIM-260 is built to fit inside the F-22 and F-35 weapons bays, and the Air Force says it will extend to the F-16 and F-15 as well. Translation for your wallet: more sustained orders tied to multiple fighter fleets, a bigger production runway, and steadier demand across the munitions supply chain.
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