New US missile built to pierce China’s A2/AD bubble

The US has unveiled a next-generation air-to-air missile, signaling a potent new weapon to counter China’s expanding Anti-Access/Area-Denial (A2/AD) strategies around Taiwan and the wider South China Sea.

This month, The War Zonereported the US Navy has confirmed the existence of the AIM-174 missile, an air-launched variant of the SM-6 surface-to-air missile that marks a new chapter in its long-range defense capabilities.

The missile was first publicly acknowledged following sightings during US Navy exercises in 2024, including photographs of Super Hornet aircraft carrying the weapon during Hawaii’s Rim of the Pacific (RIMPAC) war games.

The AIM-174, with an estimated range of 320 kilometers, provides enhanced air-to-air, anti-ship and ballistic missile interception capabilities, extending beyond the reach of legacy naval missile systems.

The War Zone says the missile is part of the US Navy’s broader strategy to counter China’s increasing ability to deny US forces access to critical areas through a network of anti-ship weapons, long-range ballistic missiles and hypersonic threats.

According to the source, the AIM-174 allows US Navy aircraft to engage targets at extreme ranges beyond sensor visibility, leveraging advanced “kill web” systems that utilize networked sensor data from various air, sea and space-based platforms.

While The War Zone states that the missile’s full capabilities remain classified, its introduction significantly boosts the US Navy’s defensive and offensive capabilities in the Pacific theater, particularly in scenarios involving a potential conflict with China over Taiwan or the South China Sea.

As the AIM-174 enters operational service, it is expected to be crucial in extending the US Navy’s reach