| AIM-174B Gunslinger | |
|---|---|
 AIM-174 missile on anF/A-18F, 4 May 2025 | |
| Type | Verylong-rangeair-to-air missile
|
| Place of origin |  United States of America |
| Service history | |
| In service | 2021 (2021)(?)–present; Testing may have begun as early as 2015 |
| Used by |  United States Navy |
| Production history | |
| Manufacturer | Raytheon |
| Specifications | |
| Mass | 1,900 lb (860 kg) |
| Length | 15.5 ft (4.7 m) |
| Diameter | 13.5 in (0.34 m) |
| Wingspan | 62.0 in (1.57 m) |
| Warhead | High-explosiveblast-fragmentation |
| Warhead weight | 140 lb (64 kg) |
Detonation mechanism | Radar and contact/impact/proximityfuze |
| Engine | Solid-fuel rocket motor |
Operational range | 150–250 mi (240–400 km)+ |
| Maximum speed | Mach 3.5 (2,664.2 mph; 4,287.7 km/h; 1.2 km/s) |
Guidance system | Inertial guidance, terminalactive andsemi-active radar homing |
Launch platform | Boeing F/A-18E/F Super Hornet |
TheAIM-174B Gunslinger is avery long-range[1][2]air-to-air missile (AAM) developed by U.S. defense contractorRaytheon and used by theUnited States Navy (USN). The AIM-174B is a derivative of theRIM-174B Standard Extended Range Active Missile (ERAM, Standard Missile-6, or SM-6)surface-to-air missile, a member of the extendedStandard Missile family, with the USN describing the AIM-174B as the "Air-Launched Configuration"[3] of the SM-6. The AIM-174B's existence was first revealed publicly in July 2024 atRIMPAC 2024 and has been confirmed to be capable of being carried and launched only by theBoeing F/A-18E/F Super Hornet.
Described as a "massive"[4] AAM, the Gunslinger has a confirmed range of 150 miles (130 nautical miles or 240 kilometers), though it is widely speculated that the range may be much greater.
In addition to the AIM-174'sair-to-air role, the Gunslinger is believed capable ofengaging other missiles (includingballistic missiles andhypersonic weapons), and may also serve as anair-to-ground andanti-ship missile.
Since the 2004 retirement of theAIM-54 Phoenix AAM, the USN has not fielded a dedicated long-range air-to-air missile.[5][6] The AIM-174's existence had been speculated about since at least 2021, with photos of SM-6s carried by Super Hornets making their way online.[7] The publicationNaval News reported that they were following developments of an "air-launched SM-6" since 2015,[8] whileThe Aviationist reported that photos of Super Hornets carrying "an SM-6 variant" appeared in 2018.[9]Aviation Weekly reported the "RIM-174/SM-6" being "integrated" into the Super Hornet platform in April 2021.[10]
It is speculated that the AIM-174 was developed as aspecial access program,[11] similar to theAIM-260 Joint Advanced Tactical Missile[12] (of which little is officially known).[13] As the AIM-260 is similarly a very long-range air-to-air missile, it is unclear what the relationship between the AIM-174B and AIM-260 will be, as the USN has co-operated with theUnited States Air Force (USAF) in developing the latter for use by both services. Both missiles are designed to counter the extreme-range air-to-air missiles being fielded or under-development by the United States' peer and near-peer potential adversaries, such as the RussianVympel R-37M or the ChinesePL-21.[14] Both the AIM-174 and -260 are separate from the currently under-developmentLong-Range Engagement Weapon of the USAF.
In May 2025, the USN "playbook"Naval Aviation 2025[15] revealed that the official nickname for the AIM-174B is "Gunslinger".[16]
The Gunslinger has armed only USNF/A-18E/F Super Hornets,[17] though there is speculation that other airframes could mount the weapon, such as the USAF'sMcDonnell Douglas F-15E Strike Eagle,Boeing F-15EX Eagle II,Boeing B-52 Stratofortress, or theNorthrop Grumman B-21 Raider.[18][19] The Gunslinger has been deployed operationally to four USNNimitz-class supercarriers as of February 2026; theUSS Carl Vinson (CVN-70),USS George Washington (CVN-73),USS Abraham Lincoln (CVN-72), and theUSS George H. W. Bush (CVN-77).[20][21]
Photos reveal that the Gunslinger is externally virtually identical to the RIM-174, apart from the marked lack of the solid-fuel rocket Mk 72 booster on the AIM-174.[22] The missile will likely utilize a solid-fuel rocket engine, as carried by the RIM-174.[23] The Gunslinger may also employ warheads capable of "area effects".[24] The "standard" warhead is 140 lb (64 kg) and consists of ahigh-explosive charge withblast-fragmentation properties,[25] and is over three times the weight of anAIM-120 AMRAAM warhead,[26] and seven times the weight of anAIM-9X Sidewinder warhead.[27]
Variously described as a "large"[28] and "outsized"[19] weapon, the Gunslinger is 1,900 lb (860 kg),[29] nearly double the weight of the AIM-54C Phoenix,[30] and is over five times heavier than the AIM-120 AMRAAM.[31]
The Gunslinger is capable of speeds of at leastMach 3.5 (2,664.2 mph; 4,287.7 km/h; 1.2 km/s).[32][33][34]
In September 2024, photos emerged of a F/A-18F Super Hornet of theVX-9 'Vampires' carrying four AIM-174Bs, three AIM-120 AMRAAMs, two AIM-9Xs, anIRST21 sensor mounted in an FPU-13/Adrop tank,[35] and anAN/ASQ-228 ATFLIR pod simultaneously.[36]
While details regarding the AIM-174's range are vague, certain surface-launched RIM-174 variants are capable of about 290 mi (250 nmi; 470 km) launches;[37] with the benefit of being launched at speed and higher altitude (where the air is "thinner" and thus induces lessdrag),[38] the AIM-174's range may extend hundreds of miles[39][40] though the USN has only confirmed a range of 130 nmi (150 mi; 240 km).[41][42][43] Estimates of the Gunslinger's maximum range are around 250 mi (220 nmi; 400 km) to 300 mi (260 nmi; 480 km).[44][45][46]
While the AIM-174 lacks the SM-6's Mk 72 rocket booster, in the thinner air of higher-altitudes (relative to a surface launch) and retaining the speed of the launching aircraft (several hundred miles per hour, at minimum), an air-launched AIM-174 may be capable of extreme ranges (300–400+ kilometres), relative to other air-launched missiles.[47] The AIM-174 may also be capable of "lofting," a technique whereby the launched missile immediately ascends upwards to attain altitudes generally between 80,000 ft (24,384 m) to 100,000 ft (30,480 m) in order to take advantage of the even thinner air, relative to typical flight altitudes.[48] Such a launch profile can greatly extend missile ranges. The AIM-174's predecessor,[49] theAIM-54 Phoenix BVRAAM, was capable of employing lofting (along with certainAIM-7 Sparrow variants[50][51][52] and all AIM-120 AMRAAM variants).[53] Between the AIM-174's advantages over a surface-launched SM-6 and the possibility of lofted-launch profiles, the AIM-174's range may extend to hundreds ofnautical miles.[38] The USN also routinely understates the publicly-available ranges and capabilities of weapon systems for strategic security purposes.[54] At minimum, the AIM-174 represents a roughly 30% increase in range over the 99 nmi (114 mi; 184 km) of the retired AIM-54C and a roughly 50% increase over the 87 nmi (100 mi; 161 km)[55] of the in-service AIM-120D AMRAAM.
Very long-range AAMs such as the extant R-37M and the nascent PL-21 are typically intended for use against large airborne targets.[56][57] As such, it is speculated that the AIM-174 could be used offensively to strike attankers orairborne early warning aircraft andelectronic warfare aircraft far behind the "frontlines" or defensively to strike largebombers — such as China'sXi'an H-6 — threatening USN fleets.[58][59]
As the RIM-174/SM-6 is capable ofanti-ship andanti-ground strikes, the possibility exists for the AIM-174 to be utilized in such capacities.[60][61] Derived from the SM-6 family — whose variants are capable of anti-ship missile defense andanti-ballistic missile launches — the AIM-174 will likely retain such anti-missile capabilities.[62][63] The United StatesMissile Defense Agency has also indicated that the Gunslinger has "counter-hypersonic missile" capabilities.[64]
Related lists
[...v]ery Long-Range AIM-174[...]
The US Navy has entered into service a very long-range air-to-air missile[...]
The SM-6 Air Launched Configuration (ALC) was developed as part of the SM-6 family of missiles and is operationally deployed in the Navy today.
Designated the AIM-174, this massive, F/A-18 Super Hornet-carried air-to-air weapon is by default longer-ranged than any other the U.S. has ever fielded.
[The AIM-174] fills the gap left by the retirement of the AIM-54 Phoenix. [...T]he AIM-54['s retirement] left a significant void in long-range engagement capabilities.
It represents the first dedicated long-range, air-to-air missile employed by the U.S. Navy since the retirement of the AIM-54 Phoenix in 2004[...]
In 2021, a VX-31 F/A-18F was spotted carrying an inert SM-6 without its 21-inch MK72 first-stage booster, prompting discussion that the missile could be a new outsized air-to-air weapon for extremely long-range engagements.
[...]Naval News is following a possible lead that points to a potential air-launched SM-6 dating back as far as 2015.
Although the news broke in 2021 only, the first sighting of a Super Hornet carrying an SM-6 variant occurred in 2018 when an F/A-18F from VX-31 was photographed with the same missile under its wing, indicating that the U.S. Navy has been developing an air-launched version of the SM-6/RIM-174 for at least six years.
a photo obtained by Aerospace DAILY shows what appears to be a Raytheon RIM-174 SM-6 missile integrated on a left wing pylon of a Boeing F/A-18F Super Hornet in flight.
[...]the AIM-174 was a previously classified Special Access Program.
[...]AIM 260A JATM assets cannot be housed in shared facilities with legacy munitions; and must be supported by a facility designed to meet specific operational requirements, and the stricter Special Access Program Facility security requirements.
The AIM-260 remains secretive about procurement and delivery given its status as a Special Access Program (SAP). It is likely that the effort to integrate SM-6 is also a SAP[...]
[...]the U.S. Navy joins allies and adversaries in fielding an extra long range beyond-visual-range air-to-air missile (BVRAAM). Examples include Europe's Meteor, Russia's R-37M (AA-13 "Axehead"), China's PL-15 (CH-AA-10 "Abaddon") and PL-21 (CH-AA-X-12).
GUNSLINGER AIM-174B
This would be a perfect weapon for the F-15E and F-15EX, and even the B-52 and B-21[...]
[...]the B-21, or closer to its size, would also be capable of carrying outsized weapons [...] one option very well-suited to the role would be the AIM-174[...]
Abraham Lincoln is the third carrier known to be operating with AIM-174Bs, behind USS Carl Vinson (CVN 70)[...] [...t]he missile was spotted again in May with a squadron attached to the forward-deployed USS George Washington (CVN 73)[...]
[…]an F/A-18 Super Hornet loaded with a training version of the AIM-174B missile aboard the Nimitz-class aircraft carrier USS George H.W. Bush on October 5, 2025[.]
The air-launched AIM-174B, however, is shorter because the Mk.72 rocket booster behind the tail fins was removed.
The weapon is an Air Launched Configuration (ALC) of the ship-launched RIM-174 Standard Missile-6 (SM-6), a big weapon weighing 1.6 tons with two solid fuel rockets[...]
Additionally, the AIM-174B's warhead is designed for maximum impact, potentially including "area effect" options for broader threat neutralization, as speculated in recent analyses.
[...]armed with a 140-pound blast-fragmentation warhead[...]
[...]AIM-120 AMRAAM: 44 lb. warhead[...]
Large AIM-174Bs[...]
According to the stencils visible on the photos of the missile[...] the AIM-174B[...] weighs 1,890 lb ± 14 lb (857 kg ± 6 kg).
Length: 143.9 inches (366 centimeters) Launch Weight: 335 pounds (150.75 kilograms)
Capable of reaching speeds up to Mach 3.5, the missile has an official range of 200 nautical miles.
It has a top speed of Mach 3.5 (2,685 miles/4,322 kilometers per hour)[...]
Known tech specs and vital stats of the Gunslinger include: [...]Max Airspeed: Mach 3.5
The centerline-mounted IRST [...] the Lockheed Martin-developed IRST21 [...t]he IRST sensor assembly is installed in the front portion of a redesigned FPU-13/A centerline fuel tank.
A series of photos have emerged showing a U.S. Navy F/A-18F Super Hornet with a remarkable and hitherto unseen air-to-air load-out, including four of the very long-range AIM-174B air-to-air missiles. The fighter is also loaded with three medium-range AIM-120 AMRAAMs, and a pair of short-range AIM-9X Sidewinders, along with an infrared search and track system (IRST) and an ATFLIR targeting pod.
The SM-6 has a range of 240~460 km[...]
[...]launched from altitude and speed by a fighter, its range would be extended quite dramatically, giving it the ability to hit some aerial targets over multiple hundreds of miles.
a weapon such as the AIM-174B, which can attack aerial targets as far away as 400 km (250 miles)
[...]launching it at high speed and altitude would result in significantly greater range compared to the surface-launched variant.
It has a top speed of Mach 3.5 (2,685 miles/4,322 kilometers per hour) and a range of 130 nautical miles (150 miles/241 kilometers).
While the US Navy has confirmed a minimum range of 130 nautical miles (149 miles/240 kilometers)[...]
Conversely, the highly expensive ($4.3M) AIM-174B, an air-launched derivative of the Navy's SM-6 interceptor, provides extremely long engagement ranges (150-300+ miles)[...]
At the heart of the AIM-174B's prowess is its exceptional range, estimated to exceed 186 miles—potentially even reaching 300 miles under optimal conditions.
[...]the service has introduced into service a likely 300–400+ kilometre-range AAM[...]
1 Quadratic polynomial[, peak altitude:] 33 km[;] 2 4th-order polynomial[, peak altitude:] 30 km[;] 3 4th-order polynomial[, peak altitude:] 25 km
Thirty-two years after the US Navy cancelled its project to replace the Hughes AIM-54 Phoenix long-range air-to-air missile (AAM), the service has introduced into service a likely 300–400+ kilometre-range AAM to fulfil an apparently similar role known as the AIM-174B.
RLOFT (AIM-7MH)
SPARROW[…] utilizes trajectory shaping to greatly increase its performance envelope.
AIM/RIM-7M[...] Trajectory shaping[...]
Weapons such as the US AIM-120 AMRAAM can climb shortly after launch to high altitude, thus extending the range[...]
Also, published figures are often severely degraded for security purposes, so the actual range of the SM-6 remains unknown, especially across its various use cases. Regardless, launched from altitude and speed by a fighter, its range would be extended quite dramatically, giving it the ability to hit some aerial targets over multiple hundreds of miles.
[...]the R-37M [...o]riginally developed to shoot down NATO AWACS and tanker aircraft from hundreds of kilometers away[...]
The PL-21[...] is not designed to engage agile enemy fighters. [...] Its purpose is to neutralize high-value airborne assets: airborne warning and control systems (AWACS), aerial refueling tankers, and electronic warfare aircraft.
The extensive range and air-launched capability are poised to greatly bolster the US Navy's fleet defense and high value asset attack, weakening the stranglehold of China's anti-carrier strategy[...] This would hold crucial backline airborne assets line airborne early warning (AEW) and tanker aircraft at risk, and even directly strike China's distant H-6 "carrier killer" bombers, destroying them before they launch their weapons.
AIM-174B is meant to dominate long-range air-to-air combat, particularly against high-value assets that adversaries rely on for command and control. It can neutralize airborne early warning and control (AWACS) aircraft, reconnaissance platforms, maritime patrol planes, aerial refuelers, and bombers from standoff distances, disrupting enemy operations without risking close-quarters dogfights.
The AIM-174 designation points to an air-to-air focus, but the surface-launched SM-6 has the ability to strike targets at sea and on land. [sic] capabilities the air-launched version could well retain. Future air-launched variants or derivatives of the SM-6 family could be further optimized for anti-ship or air-to-ground strikes.
The AIM-174B [...] can even be adapted for air-to-ground strikes against warships or other land- or sea-based targets.
The AIM-174B [...] can be equally effective against enemy munitions, such as ballistic and cruise missiles.
The new missile could possibly also provide a capability against air-launched ballistic missiles.
[...T]he Missile Defense Agency (MDA) identified the AIM-174B as a candidate for counter-hypersonic roles[...]
Markings are visible on the AIM-174s that show they are technically "captive" CATM-174Bs not capable of being fired.
An XAIM-174B (or NAIM-174B) missile under the wing of another VFA-192 Super Hornet seen at Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam, Hawaii, earlier this month
The larger missile, labeled "DATM-174B," is a "dummy" AIM-174B missile, without motor or warhead, which can be used for ground handling and loading training.
Known tech specs and vital stats of the Gunslinger include: Maximum Operational Range: At least 130 nautical miles[,] Max Airspeed: Mach 3.5[,] Warhead Weight: 140 lbs.[,] Overall Weight: 1,900 lbs.[,] Length: 15.5 ft[,] Diameter: 13.5 in[,] Wingspan: 61.8 in
While the US Navy has confirmed a minimum range of 130 nautical miles (149 miles/240 kilometers), the AIM-174B is reportedly capable of engaging targets up to 250 miles (402 kilometers) away.
The United States has introduced a new long-range air-to-air missile, the AIM-174B, into the Indo-Pacific region, potentially altering the balance of power amidst growing tensions with China. This missile, deployed on the US Navy's F-18 Super Hornet, boasts an operational range of approximately 400 kilometers.