The US Navy has a new, game-changing weapon for its F/A-18 fighters that can change the balance of power in favour of American forces over modern Russian warplanes or Chinese threats closer to the South China Sea. The potential game-changer is an AIM-174B air-to-air missile with unmatched range to take on China’s aerial dominance over contested terrains.
Unprecedented Range Advantage
Able to strike at a range of 400 km (250 miles), the AIM-174B trounces China’s best air-to-air missiles. The new missile extends the range from which US jets can track and kill aerial targets.
The missile’s range is particularly significant compared to the current US standard, the AIM-120 AMRAAM, which has a maximum range of about 150 km (93 miles). This dramatic increase in range could fundamentally alter aerial combat strategies in the region.
Strategic Implications
The new missile is strategically important, says Chieh Chung of the Taipei-based think tank Association of Strategic Foresight. The US can protect its most valuable assets, like carrier groups — and target key PLA centers’ from a great distance,” he said. The PLA (People’s Liberation Army), has long been a serious menace to US naval operations in the area.
A senior US defence technical analyst added that the AIM-174B allows the United States to “push in a little bit further” into the South China Sea during a potential conflict. This increased reach could deter aggressive actions and change Chinese behaviour by putting their larger, less maneuverable aircraft at greater risk.
Fast build and deployment
A major advantage of the AIM-174B is its quick development and employment. The missile is derived from an existing Raytheon AMRAAM — it’s based on the company’s SM-6 air defence missile. This is also an ideal production technique as it can be readily supported on current manufacturing lines without the major, time-consuming and expensive new development programs that other means would require.
The US Navy has not confirmed how many of the AIM-174B weapons are operationally deployed, but it is available to be used. The missile has thus far been flight tested only on US Navy F/A-18E/F Super Hornet fighter jets.
Allied Compatibility and Regional Strategy
Crucially, the AIM-174B is also integrated with one major US ally in the region: Australia. The relationship is largely a matter of practical compatibility between the two countries, which dovetails with the United States seeking to bolster its military relationships in Asia as part of an effort to contain China’s burgeoning clout.
Australia is regarded as a key partner for the United States in projecting power into the South China Sea via naval and aerial patrols. The key to this relationship is mirrored in the billions being poured into Australian military infrastructure.
Countering China’s Advantage
The new missile fills a vacuum in the US Air Force’s capabilities as it stands right this very second. Over the past years, Beijing has developed its stealth aircraft in the form of J-20 to challenge US aerial supremacy, together with PL-15 missiles which had a longer range than comparable American weapons.
As Kelly Grieco, a senior fellow at the Stimson Centre, puts it, “A Chinese fighter can acquire the advantage if they can outrange an American aircraft and take the lead. It is difficult to outrun anything moving at Mach 4.
The AIM-174B renders this Chinese advantage null and void as their aircraft have to become operational from a more standoff distance.
Future Possibilities
Although the AIM-174B is currently being examined for air-to-air engagements, experts say its flexibility could result in other uses as well. If the missile were fitted with an anti-radar seeker, then Peter Layton — a defence and aviation expert at Griffith Asia Institute explained that it may be possible to use these Missiles upon radar or particular Missile sites from further ranges.
The presence of the new missile has been seen as a game-changer even in small numbers and is affecting military plans for the region. It offers the US a potent new weapon to combat China’s growing air power in disputed areas like the South China Sea.
There will be significant effects on the aerial power balance in the South China Sea from the deployment of the AIM-174B. Should outside conflict occur, the missile could, therefore, better deter aggression while simultaneously creating new operational flexibility for US and allied fighting forces by giving them reach they never had before in a manned aircraft.
AIM-174B is a stark reminder that America is holding no step backward to maintain its military dominance in the Indo-Pacific theatre.
