The US Navy officially unveiled an all-new very long-range air-to-air missile designated as the AIM-424 "Malice" during the Tailhook Association convention held over the weekend in Reno, Nevada. The newly introduced missile system features a published operational range specified as in excess of 250 nautical miles, which translates to approximately 463 kilometers. According to official descriptions provided by the US Navy, the weapon represents a next-generation missile specifically intended to strengthen fleet defense capabilities and maintain a decisive air domain overmatch against advanced threats in modern military operations.
The AIM-424 Malice missile is developed by Raytheon and relies on a solid-propellant rocket motor for its primary propulsion. Official technical dimensions released for the air-to-air weapon list its overall physical measurements at 13.5 feet in total length, 13.5 inches in diameter, and an approximate weight of 1,500 pounds. In terms of destructive payload, the missile is equipped with a blast fragmentation warhead designed for long-range air-to-air engagement scenarios.
Visual documentation released in conjunction with the official unveiling illustrates key carriage configurations for the new missile system. One official image shows an aircraft from Air Test and Evaluation Squadron 23, specifically a Super Hornet, carrying four AIM-424 Malice missiles mounted on external aircraft pylons. Significantly, another released photograph depicts two AIM-424 missiles mounted internally inside the weapons bay of an F-35C fighter, demonstrating internal carriage compatibility on stealth carrier aircraft.
The US Navy confirmed that the AIM-424 long-range air-to-air missile system is currently being developed for deployment across fourth-generation, fifth-generation, and sixth-generation combat aircraft platforms. According to official navy statements, primary target aircraft platforms identified for integration include the F/A-18E/F Super Hornet, the F-35C stealth fighter, and the future F/A-XX aircraft program intended for the carrier air wing of the future.
