TL;DR: Lockheed Martin disclosed the AIM-260 JATM and signed a framework to speed its production.

TL;DR: On Sept. 17, 2026, Lockheed Martin disclosed details of the AIM-260 Joint Advanced Tactical Missile and signed a framework agreement with the Defense Department to accelerate production for the Air Force and Navy, according to Reuters.

Unveiling after years of secrecy

Lockheed Martin unveiled on Thursday, Sept. 17, 2026, details of a next-generation air-to-air missile developed to counter threats from China, according to Reuters. The company described the weapon in a Sept. 17 announcement as the AIM-260, Joint Advanced Tactical Missile, or JATM.

The missile, known as the AIM-260 Joint Advanced Tactical Missile (JATM), has been developed in secrecy for years as the U.S. military's answer to increasingly capable long-range air threats from China, according to Reuters. The Defense Post described the program as a highly classified U.S. Air Force-Navy program.

Development was underway by at least 2017, with initial fielding originally targeted for 2022, according to Air and Space Forces Magazine as cited by The Defense Post. Testing began in 2020, but integration challenges with fifth-generation aircraft contributed to delays, according to The Defense Post.

The missile is now nearing initial fielding on the F-22, according to The Defense Post. The company and the Defense Department said they have struck a broad framework agreement that will eventually result in a multi-year production contract for the weapon, which is still in development but close to entering production, according to Bloomberg.

Tim Cahill, president of Lockheed Martin Missiles and Fire Control, said in a statement that JATM is one of the nation's most important air dominance capabilities, according to Reuters. Cahill said that because of the classified nature of the program, it is also a story the company has not been able to tell, according to Reuters. Cahill said the company was proud to finally talk about the extraordinary work behind the missile and how it is working with the U.S. government to rapidly scale production, according to Reuters.

In a separate company statement carried by MarketScreener, Cahill said the agreement builds on years of collaboration to deliver the critical air dominance capability to the warfighter. Cahill said in that statement that the company will deliver JATM at the speed the nation and allies demand while providing value for taxpayers and shareholders, according to the MarketScreener publication of the Lockheed Martin announcement.

The first images of the weapon emerged in May, according to Reuters. Reporting on the unveiling was by Mike Stone in Washington, with editing by Sanjeev Miglani, according to Reuters.

What JATM is designed to do

Lockheed said the weapon offers greater range and effectiveness than existing air-to-air missiles, according to Reuters. The company described that performance as an advantage against Chinese fighter jets like the J-20, according to Reuters.

The Lockheed Martin announcement described JATM as the most sophisticated air dominance missile, capable of deterring and defeating current and projected enemy air threats, according to the MarketScreener publication of the announcement. The announcement said the state-of-the-art weapon has increased range and effectiveness over existing air-to-air weapons and provides an asymmetric advantage to the joint force, according to the same publication.

The AIM-260 is a long-range air-to-air missile being developed to complement and eventually succeed the medium-range AIM-120 AMRAAM, according to The Defense Post. The highly classified program is intended to provide greater range and advanced air-to-air capabilities as China fields increasingly capable missiles such as the PL-15 and PL-17, according to The Defense Post.

The new JATM is designed to fit in the internal weapons bays of the F-22 and F-35 fighters, according to Bloomberg. The AIM-260 will be used on stealth fighters like the F-22 Raptor and F-35, according to Reuters.

The company announcement said JATM is compatible with a variety of Air Force and Navy aircraft including the F-22 Raptor and F-35 Lightning II, making it a highly versatile combat system, according to the MarketScreener publication. JATM is produced by Lockheed Martin in partnership with the U.S. Air Force and U.S. Navy, according to the same company announcement.

Framework agreement, not yet a contract

Lockheed Martin signed a framework agreement with the U.S. Department of War to rapidly accelerate the production and delivery of the AIM-260 on Sept. 17, 2026, in Dallas, according to the MarketScreener publication of the Lockheed Martin announcement. The U.S. Department of Defense has signed a framework agreement with Lockheed Martin to expand production capacity for the missile, according to The Defense Post.

The agreement, which is not an official contract and does not yet have any appropriated funding behind it, establishes a framework for future Multi-Year Procurement of JATM, according to InsideDefense.com citing the Pentagon announcement. The Pentagon language said the framework executes congressional authority to secure the nation's highest-priority missile systems, according to InsideDefense.com.

The framework agreement lays the groundwork for a multiyear procurement contract aimed at strengthening the defense industrial base for the program, according to Reuters. This agreement forms the foundational agreement for a multiyear procurement contract, pending Congressional approval, that provides long-term demand to strengthen and expand the defense industrial base for the program, according to the MarketScreener publication of the company announcement.

The company and the Defense Department said the broad framework agreement will eventually result in a multi-year production contract, according to Bloomberg. Lockheed said it would fund investments needed to boost output under the deal, according to Reuters. Lockheed Martin will support necessary investments to drive the production increase under this agreement, according to the MarketScreener publication of the announcement.

Signed under the Arsenal of Freedom initiative to expand munitions production, the agreement establishes a framework for future multiyear procurement of the JATM, according to The Defense Post. It is intended to provide long-term demand signals to key suppliers, enabling Lockheed Martin and its munitions supply chain to invest in manufacturing capacity, workforce, and production efficiencies, according to The Defense Post.

Additional details were not disclosed, according to InsideDefense.com.

Who put the deal together

The Pentagon said the agreement came together via the coordinated work of the acquisition office, the Munitions Acceleration Council, the Economic Defense Unit, the Navy and the Air Force, according to InsideDefense.com.

DOD acquisition chief Michael Duffey said in a statement that speed, scale, and stability drive acquisition excellence, according to InsideDefense.com. Duffey said these gears must turn in unison, according to InsideDefense.com. Duffey said the announcement reflects a commitment to sending clear, long-term demand signals across the defense industrial base, according to InsideDefense.com. Duffey said the goal is ensuring warfighters receive unmatched capability exactly when and where the mission demands, according to InsideDefense.com.

The company announcement described the agreement as another direct outcome of the Department of War's Acquisition Transformation Strategy, according to the MarketScreener publication. The announcement described that strategy as one of the most significant reforms to U.S. warfighting acquisition in decades, according to the same publication. The announcement said it reflects years of collaboration to modernize acquisition and deliver critical capability at the speed and scale required by today's security environment, according to the same publication.

Why production is accelerating now

Lockheed Martin unveiled the missile details and a new agreement with the Defense Department to boost production as the Pentagon rebuilds munitions stockpiles, according to Reuters. The war on Iran depleted U.S. and allied missile stocks, spurring a push to rapidly acquire less expensive long-range precision-strike weapons, according to Reuters.

The framework announcement follows the release of reports by the DOD inspector general and the Congressional Budget Office highlighting the depletion of U.S. missile stocks amid Operation Epic Fury, according to InsideDefense.com. CBO estimates that the operation against Iran has cost an estimated $38 billion thus far, with $21.7 billion to replenish munitions stocks, according to InsideDefense.com.

The inspector general reported that Duffey's office has identified strategic inventory shortfalls resulting from the massive expenditure of munitions against Iran, as well as bottlenecks in the defense industrial base, according to InsideDefense.com.

The Pentagon and Lockheed Martin are moving to speed up the production of the new classified air-to-air missile for U.S. Air Force and Navy jets that is seen as vital to deterring China, according to Bloomberg. The unveiling included a new agreement with the Defense Department to boost production as the Pentagon rebuilds munitions stockpiles, according to Reuters.

Funding request and procurement status

The U.S. Air Force and U.S. Navy first publicly sought funding for JATM procurement in their FY2026 budget request, seeking nearly $670.5 million for procurement and $647.8 million for continued development, according to The Defense Post. Quantities were not disclosed, according to The Defense Post.

The framework agreement lays the groundwork for the multiyear procurement contract aimed at strengthening the defense industrial base for the program, according to Reuters. The agreement establishes a framework for future Multi-Year Procurement of JATM, according to InsideDefense.com.

The MarketScreener publication of the Lockheed Martin announcement said the multiyear procurement contract remains pending Congressional approval. The agreement does not yet have any appropriated funding behind it, according to InsideDefense.com.

Lockheed Martin will support necessary investments to drive the production increase under this agreement, according to the MarketScreener publication of the company announcement. The Defense Post reported that the framework is intended to provide long-term demand signals to key suppliers for investment in manufacturing capacity, workforce, and production efficiencies.

Australia order and allied role

Australia has announced it will buy roughly $521 million worth of JATM missiles, according to Reuters. The quantity and unit price were not disclosed, according to Reuters.

Australia recently announced a nearly $736 million investment to equip the Royal Australian Air Force with JATM, according to the MarketScreener publication of the Lockheed Martin announcement. That announcement said the agreement strengthens Australia's air dominance, enhances interoperability, and provides a credible deterrent that supports the security of the United States and its allies, according to the same publication.

The company statement said it will deliver JATM at the speed the nation and allies demand, according to the MarketScreener publication of the announcement. The Defense Post described JATM as a next-generation air-to-air missile covered by the U.S. framework agreement to expand production capacity.

The Jerusalem Post, republishing Reuters reporting, also reported the Australian purchase figure of roughly $521 million without disclosing quantity or unit price. The two published figures reflect different reports of the Australian investment value published on Sept. 17, 2026, with Reuters reporting roughly $521 million and the company announcement reporting nearly $736 million.

What happens next

The company and the Defense Department said the framework will eventually result in a multi-year production contract, according to Bloomberg. The announcement forms the foundational agreement for that multiyear procurement contract, pending Congressional approval, according to the MarketScreener publication of the company announcement.

Lockheed said it would fund investments needed to boost output under the deal, according to Reuters. The Defense Post reported that those types of investments cover manufacturing capacity, workforce, and production efficiencies across Lockheed Martin and its munitions supply chain.

The missile is still in development but close to entering production, according to Bloomberg. The Defense Post reported that the missile is now nearing initial fielding on the F-22 after testing that began in 2020 and integration challenges with fifth-generation aircraft.

The Defense Department has not disclosed additional details beyond the framework structure and participating offices, according to InsideDefense.com. The quantity and unit price for the Australian purchase were not disclosed, according to Reuters. The quantities covered by the FY2026 U.S. procurement and development request were not disclosed, according to The Defense Post.

Sources referenced