Quick answer: The AIM-120 AMRAAM (Advanced Medium-Range Air-to-Air Missile) is a US-made, radar-guided missile for beyond-visual-range air combat. It is in the news because on 28 October 2026 Japan announced an agreement with the US to set up a final assembly and inspection facility for AMRAAM in Japan. The announcement followed a Pentagon contract with RTX worth up to US$20.7 billion.
Why AIM-120 AMRAAM is in the news
According to Air & Space Forces Magazine, Japanese Defence Minister Shinjiro Koizumi announced the agreement on 28 October 2026, after meeting US Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth at the ADMM-Plus in the Philippines. The facility will handle final assembly and inspection of AMRAAM, which Koizumi called essential for the F-35. Its location is yet to be announced. The effort began in July 2024.
The deal comes alongside a US multi-year AMRAAM contract with RTX worth up to US$20.7 billion (five years plus two option years). The US Air Force published the award on 23 October. RTX plans to raise output to at least 1,900 missiles a year, and the contract also covers sales to 16 partner countries.
What about Pakistan?
Some headlines say Pakistan “may receive” AMRAAMs. That claim dates from October 2025, when a US contract notice of 30 September 2025 listed Pakistan among several buyers. On 10 October 2025 the US Embassy clarified that the notice covered only sustainment and spares, with no new AMRAAMs for Pakistan and no upgrade to its capabilities. Pakistan reportedly bought about 700 AMRAAMs in 2007 for its F-16s. We found no verified report from October 2026 of a new supply to Pakistan.
Key facts about AIM-120 AMRAAM
- Origin: developed in the United States by Hughes Aircraft and Raytheon. It replaced the AIM-7 Sparrow.
- Deployed: September 1991 (USAF fact sheet).
- Guidance: inertial guidance in mid-course and active radar homing at the end. This is what gives it “fire-and-forget” capability.
- Size: about 3.66 m long and 17.8 cm in diameter, with a launch weight of about 151 kg (official USAF figures).
- Latest version: AIM-120D, which adds GPS guidance and improves range and resistance to jamming. The new contract includes AIM-120D-3 missiles.
- Platforms: F-15, F-16, F-22, F-35 and the Navy’s F/A-18.
Concepts: BVR and fire-and-forget
Beyond Visual Range (BVR) combat means engaging an aircraft too far away to see, using radar and data links. Within-visual-range dogfights use short-range missiles such as heat-seekers.
Fire-and-forget means the missile guides itself near the target. With the older, semi-active AIM-7 Sparrow, the fighter had to keep its radar on the target until impact. AMRAAM flies most of the way on inertial navigation and then uses its own radar seeker. The US Air Force says this lets a pilot fire at several targets and then manoeuvre away.
BVR missile comparison: Astra, Meteor and AMRAAM
| Feature | Astra Mk1 | Astra Mk2 | Meteor | AIM-120 AMRAAM |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Developer | DRDO, India | DRDO, India | MBDA (European consortium: UK, France, Germany, Italy, Spain, Sweden) | Hughes and Raytheon (now RTX), USA |
| Propulsion | Rocket motor | Rocket motor (longer-range version) | Ramjet: solid-fuel, variable-flow ducted rocket | Solid rocket motor |
| Terminal seeker | Active radio-frequency seeker; indigenous seeker tested in July 2025 | Not officially detailed | Active RF seeker, inertial mid-course with data link | Active radar, inertial mid-course |
| Officially stated range | More than 100 km (MoD) | Not officially announced | Not published; MBDA claims the largest no-escape zone of any air-to-air missile | USAF fact sheet says only “20+ miles”; the true figure is classified |
| Indian link | Su-30 MKI; test-fired from Tejas | In development | Armed on IAF Rafale | Not used by India |
Meteor’s edge is its ramjet. A rocket motor burns out early, but the ramjet keeps thrusting until intercept, so the missile has energy left to chase a target that turns away.
Exam angle: how NDA, CDS and AFCAT can ask this
- Matching questions such as “Astra: DRDO, Meteor: MBDA, AMRAAM: USA” are common in AFCAT and CDS GK.
- Ramjets are air-breathing engines with no compressor, a likely science-GK link.
- Know the difference between semi-active and active radar homing, and what “fire-and-forget” means.
Practice MCQs
Q1. In October 2026, which country agreed with the US to host a final assembly and inspection facility for AMRAAM?
(a) South Korea (b) Australia (c) Japan (d) Poland
Answer: (c). Japan announced the agreement on 28 October 2026.
Q2. The Meteor missile carried by the IAF’s Rafale is powered by:
(a) a solid rocket motor (b) a ramjet (ducted rocket) (c) a turbofan (d) a scramjet
Answer: (b). Meteor uses a solid-fuel, variable-flow ducted rocket ramjet.
Q3. Astra, India’s beyond-visual-range air-to-air missile, was developed by:
(a) HAL (b) BDL (c) DRDO (d) BEL
Answer: (c). DRDO developed Astra, with industry partners including HAL.
Q4. AMRAAM was developed as a successor to which missile?
(a) AIM-9 Sidewinder (b) AIM-7 Sparrow (c) AIM-54 Phoenix (d) R-77
Answer: (b). AMRAAM replaced the semi-active AIM-7 Sparrow.
Frequently asked questions
What does AMRAAM stand for?
AMRAAM stands for Advanced Medium-Range Air-to-Air Missile. Its US designation is AIM-120.
Is Pakistan getting new AMRAAM missiles?
We found no verified report of this. In October 2025 the US Embassy said the contract that listed Pakistan was only for sustainment and spares, and that it included no new AMRAAMs.
What is a fire-and-forget missile?
It is a missile that guides itself to the target after launch, so the pilot does not need to keep tracking it. AMRAAM does this with its own active radar seeker.
What is the range of Astra Mk1?
The Ministry of Defence describes Astra as having a range of more than 100 km. It has been tested from the Su-30 MKI with an indigenous radio-frequency seeker.
Also read on NCA: ADMM-Plus explained | Monthly defence current affairs PDFs | NDA coaching in Chandigarh
Sources: Air & Space Forces Magazine (28 Oct 2026), US Air Force AIM-120 fact sheet, The Tribune (ANI), 10 Oct 2025, MBDA Meteor datasheet, MoD statement on Astra test (IANS). Facts as reported up to 1 November 2026.
Featured image background: USAF / Wikimedia Commons, Public domain.
