The U.S. Navy has publicly disclosed the AIM-424 Long Range Air-to-Air Missile, officially designated as Malice. The system was announced at the Tailhook Symposium in Reno, Nevada, on August 22, 2026. Official specifications and two photographs were released on the Navy’s Fact Files website the same day. The weapon is intended to extend air-to-air engagement ranges for Navy and Marine Corps aviation forces.
Raytheon is identified as the contractor for the program. The missile measures 13.5 feet in length and 13.5 inches in diameter, with a wingspan of 26.2 inches. It weighs 1,500 pounds and utilizes a solid-propellant rocket motor.
The warhead is described as a blast-fragmentation type. Aviation Week noted that the weapon is substantially larger than the AIM-120 and appears similar in size to the AIM-174B based on published images.
The stated range of the AIM-424 exceeds 250 nautical miles, or 463 kilometers. It is designed for integration with fourth-, fifth-, and sixth-generation aircraft, including the F/A-18, F-35, and the future F/A-XX. A Navy spokesperson stated that the system is intended to strengthen fleet defense and maintain air-domain overmatch against advanced threats. The service emphasized that the missile provides greater reach, survivability, and tactical flexibility.
Phil Jasper, President of RTX, commented on the development, stating that the Advanced Technology team’s approach is central to the program. He described the AIM-424 as delivering a generational leap in air dominance capability that can outrange any threat. The Navy noted that specific capabilities and deployment timelines remain classified to protect operational security.
Aviation Week reported that the Malice concept may have roots in a Long Range Engagement Weapon disclosed in 2017. That earlier concept depicted a two-stage missile launched from a stealth aircraft’s internal weapons bay. Fiscal 2017 budget documents indicated a successful two-year demonstration was completed before technology transfer to the military services.