Advanced UAVs with artificial intelligence, developed as part of the Collaborative Combat Aircraft (CCA) program for the US Air Force and designed to work together with manned combat aircraft, will be armed with AIM-260 Joint Advanced Tactical Missile (JATM) air-to-air missiles. This was recently reported by the American edition of The Drive, giving some details.
These AI drones will have a high degree of autonomy, and the mentioned missiles should have a range of 200 km. Moreover, the military is looking forward to these missiles and is making efforts for their early appearance. It is expected that this ammunition will be similar in size and will replace or supplement the AIM-120 AMRAAM missile, which is currently in service with the US Air Force.
The publication clarified that promising UAVs will be in close cooperation with the pilots of the current and next generations of military aircraft, which will increase the range of fighters and bombers, as well as increase their versatile effectiveness. The AIM-260 JATM missile should receive a multi-mode seeker capable of operating in the radar and infrared ranges, which would help increase the resistance of the ammunition to the use of electronic warfare by the enemy.
In June 2022, Popular Mechanics reported that the US Air Force F-22 Raptor and US Navy F/A-18E/F Super Hornet fighters will be the first to receive AIM-260 JATM missiles. But more recently, about a month ago, the US Air Force said that a multi-year purchase of the AMRAAM advanced medium-range air-to-air missile and the AGM-158 JASSM series cruise missile would help transition to JATM.
We want to get to JATM as quickly as possible.
- said then the deputy chief of staff of the US Air Force for plans and programs, Lieutenant General Richard Moore.