Secretive AIM-260 Air-To-Air Missile Live-Fire Testing Surged Last Year With Navy Help

Members of the U.S. Navy’s Air Test and Evaluation Squadron 31 (VX-31) contributed to an important increase in live-fire testing of the secretive AIM-260A long-range air-to-air missile last year, it has emerged. In 2024, the “Dust Devils” of VX-31 also made important contributions to the initial fielding of the AIM-174B air-launched version of the Standard Missile 6 (SM-6), which was in response to an “emergent Pacific Fleet requirement.”

The new details about VX-31’s support to the AIM-260A and AIM-174B programs come via the announcement of awards that members of the squadron received last month, which user @AirPowerNEW1 on X was first to spot. The Dust Devils are based at Naval Air Weapons Station China Lake in California. The squadron supports various test and evaluation activities with a mixed fleet of aircraft that currently includes F/A-18F Super Hornets, EA-18G Growlers, and AV-8B+ Harriers, as well as MH-60S Seahawk helicopters.

A group of VX-31 aircraft – from front to back, an F/A-18F Super Hornet, an EA-18G Growler, another F/A-18F, and an AV-8B+ Harrier – fly in formation in January 2025. USN

“CDR Christopher Putre, Commanding Officer of Air Test and Evaluation Squadron THREE ONE (VX-31) presents LCDR Orion Flurett with a Navy and Marine Corps Achievement Medal on December 19, 2024, in China Lake, CA. LCDR Flurett, recognized for his meritorious service while serving as Developmental Test-9 Detachment Officer In Charge, VX-31, FROMN [sic; from] July to August 2024,” one post on VX-31’s official Facebook account reads. “LCDR Flurett demonstrated extraordinary leadership and foresight, he planned, managed, and coordinated 78 personnel and two aircraft supporting the live-fire testing of the AIM-260 Joint Advanced Tactical Missile. In particular, his keen oversight and initiative were critical to receiving approval from NAVAIR [Naval Air Systems Command], VX-31, CTWP, and Eglin AFM [sic; Eglin Air Force Base] leadership for the last-minute increase to category C testing, resulting in the successful completion of 8 sorties encompassing 26.3 mishap-free flight hours, directly contributing to future air wing capabilities.”

A screen capture of the VX-31 Facebook post about the award related to testing of the AIM-260. Facebook screen capture

The post does not specify what types of aircraft supported this increased testing, or whether or not they came from VX-31 or another unit involved in AIM-260A testing. JATM is a joint program that the Navy is working on together with the U.S. Air Force. Active testing of the new missile, including live-fire shots, has already been ongoing for years now. F/A-18E/F Super Hornets are expected to be among the first types to carry AIM-260s operationally along with Air Force F-22 Raptor stealth fighters.

It’s unclear when the AIM-260 might be slated to enter operational service now. When the existence of the JATM first became public in 2019, the goal was to start fielding the missiles in 2022, but there are no indications that this has occurred.

Details about the AIM-260 itself remain limited and no imagery of the missile has emerged to date. The Air Force did confirm to TWZ last month that a recently released JATM rendering reflects the real design. Key requirements for the AIM-260 are known to include substantially greater range than the existing AIM-120 Advanced Medium-Range Air-to-Air Missile (AMRAAM), but in a package with the same form factor. The JATM is likely to have new advanced guidance and networking capabilities, as you can read more about here.

A slide from an unclassified briefing from Naval Air Systems Command’s Program Executive Office for Unmanned Aviation & Strike Weapons (PEO U&W) posted online in February 2025 showing missiles in its air-to-air portfolio including the AIM-260A and AIM-174B. USN

A close-up of the AIM-260A rendering from the PEO U&W briefing, which the Air Force has confirmed reflects the missile’s real design. USN

On the AIM-174B front, “CDR Christopher Putre, Commanding Officer of Air Test and Evaluation Squadron THREE ONE (VX-31) presents CDR James Kobyra and LT Mollie Sebald with a Letter of Appreciation on December 19, 2024, in China Lake, CA for their instrumental contribution to the successful certification and testing of Captive Air Training Missiles [CATM]” in support of that program, a separate VX-31 Facebook post says. “Through August and September of 2024, they provided exceptional leadership for the rapid execution on the CATM project, facilitating and demonstrating the feasibility and relevance of the missiles for fleet flight operations. Their efforts enabled the program to meet and [sic; an] emergent Pacific Fleet requirement and provided the fleet with a key capability while meeting a time critical need. Also, they provided a program and the fleet with a cost effective, and tactically relevant capability at delivery time the exemplifies speed to the fleet.”

A screen capture of the VX-31 Facebook post about the award related to testing of the AIM-174. Facebook screen capture

VX-31, as well as VX-9, the “Vampires,” also based at China Lake, have been actively supporting the development of the AIM-174B for years now. The recent award announcement does provide some additional context around the missile’s public unveiling as part of the biennial Rim of the Pacific exercise off Hawaii last year, which ran from June 27 to August 1. The Navy previously confirmed that the AIM-174B has already entered at least limited operational service.

An F/A-18F from VX-9 seen carrying four AIM-174s, as well as other missiles and stores. USN

CATM-174Bs seen under the wing of a VX-9 Super Hornet last year. point_mugu_skies

The AIM-174B is derived from the combat-proven SM-6, which is a highly-capable multi-purpose missile in U.S. service in multiple ship and ground-launched configurations. SM-6 can engage aerial threats, including ballistic missiles in the terminal phase of flight and highly maneuverable hypersonic weapons under specific circumstances, as well as targets at sea and on land when used in a quasi-ballistic mode. The fact that the Navy’s development of an air-launched version of SM-6 was driven at least in part by a requirement from U.S. Pacific Fleet is fully in line with TWZ‘s previous analysis. You can learn more about how the AIM-174B will factor into the Navy’s future air combat ecosystem, especially for fleet defense and attacking high-value assets, and in the context of a high-end fight with China in the Pacific, in our past in-depth feature and the video below.

The Navy has otherwise been extremely tight-lipped about the AIM-174B.

“It exists,” Navy Rear Adm. Keith Hash, head of NAVAIR’s Naval Air Warfare Center Weapons Division (NAWCWD), said during a panel discussion at the WEST 2025 conference in January when asked about the new air-launched version of the SM-6. “That’s an operational capability. And, as you can see, that one being revealed and shown into the area, there are many more behind [it], things that we’re doing there, making sure that we are staying ahead of the conflict, making sure that we’re prepared for the fight that’s going on. And those activities and that development is active and strong.”

The VX-31 award announcements underscore just how significant the addition of the AIM-174B to the Navy’s arsenal really is, especially when it comes to being prepared for a future major conflict with China in the Pacific, as well as the importance of ongoing work on the AIM-260.

Contact the author: [email protected]