The announcement follows State Department clearance in March for Australia to purchase the JATM. At that time, the estimated price for the full package, including all missiles, several test articles, and associated equipment, was put at more than $3 billion USD. The Lockheed Martin missile is a tightly guarded weapon for the US, having been publicly photographed for the first time only in May.
The Department of Defence said the acquisition will provide Air Force platforms with a credible deterrent against airborne targets, complementing existing air-to-air missile capabilities and other surface-based missile capabilities across the Australian Defence Force. The department added that it will further enhance Australia’s interoperability with the United States. Canberra plans to integrate the AIM-260 first on the RAAF’s Boeing F/A-18F Super Hornet fighters, followed by its Lockheed Martin F-35A Lightning II fleet, and then its Boeing EA-18G Growler electronic attack aircraft.
Speaking at a media doorstop in Darwin, Marles called the acquisition a really significant purchase to upgrade the capability of the RAAF. He said the move was in line with the force structure and posture set out in Australia’s Defence Strategic Review.
Separately, Australia announced today that it had successfully flight tested an indigenously developed solid-fuel rocket motor for use in guided weapons. The Koonibba Rising 3.0 solid rocket motor was tested at a range in the south of the country. It was developed under a partnership between Australia’s Defence Science and Technology Group and Thales Australia, with the flight test conducted by Australian company Southern Launch. The 100kg-class motor incorporated technologies and design features required for high-performance, military-relevant applications, and the Department of Defence said it performed as designed during the test.
The department said the milestone marks another significant step towards Australia’s sovereign guided weapons capability, demonstrating the ability of Australian industry to design, manufacture, integrate, and test rocket motor technologies relevant to future tactical missile systems. It said the test demonstrates a viable pathway for the domestic development, manufacture, testing, and evaluation of future rocket motors.
Australian Minister for Defence Industry Pat Conroy called the test a significant step for the country’s defense industry. It showcases the strength of collaboration between Defence, Australian industry, and research organisations in delivering cutting-edge capabilities that support our national security and sovereign industrial resilience, he said.
Australia plans to integrate the AIM-260 across its fighter and electronic attack fleets in sequence, beginning with the Super Hornet, though the source does not specify a timeline for those integration steps.
