Friday, November 21, 2025
No AIM-260 JATM For Saudi F-35s; U.S. Could Retain Qualitative Military Edge For Israeli Military: Expert
By Sakshi Tiwari
Saudi Arabia has finally received approval from US President Donald Trump to purchase F-35 Lightning II stealth fighters. However, US officials and defense experts have said that the aircraft will likely be less advanced than Israel’s F-35I Adir.
President Donald Trump designated Saudi Arabia a major non-NATO ally of the United States during a visit by Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman to Washington, DC, on November 18 and signed a “historic strategic defence agreement.”
Additionally, the White House announced that Trump authorized a future delivery of F-35 stealth fighters to Saudi Arabia, and the country had agreed to buy 300 US tanks.
The US President did not reveal the number of jets that will be sold, but previous reports suggested that Riyadh had formally requested 48 F-35 fighters. There is speculation in the media that the number of jets could be reduced to two squadrons, or 24 aircraft.
Approval for the sale of F-35s was granted despite stiff opposition from the IDF (Israel Defense Forces), which fears that the delivery of these cutting-edge stealth fighters would erode its Qualitative Military Edge (QME) in the tumultuous Middle East.
Notably, the sale was approved just days after the Israeli Air Force (IAF), which operates a special F-35 Adir variant, raised objections to the sale of F-35 fighter jets to Saudi Arabia in a formal position paper submitted to political leaders.
The US has a long-standing agreement with Israel, which stipulates that US weapons supplied to Israel should be “superior in capability” compared to those sold to Israel’s neighbors and rivals in the region. Therefore, to strike a balance, the US could downgrade the F-35s meant for Saudi Arabia, US officials and defense experts told Reuters.
Saudi Arabia has finally received approval from US President Donald Trump to purchase F-35 Lightning II stealth fighters. However, US officials and defense experts have said that the aircraft will likely be less advanced than Israel’s F-35I Adir.
President Donald Trump designated Saudi Arabia a major non-NATO ally of the United States during a visit by Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman to Washington, DC, on November 18 and signed a “historic strategic defence agreement.”
Additionally, the White House announced that Trump authorized a future delivery of F-35 stealth fighters to Saudi Arabia, and the country had agreed to buy 300 US tanks.
The US President did not reveal the number of jets that will be sold, but previous reports suggested that Riyadh had formally requested 48 F-35 fighters. There is speculation in the media that the number of jets could be reduced to two squadrons, or 24 aircraft.
Approval for the sale of F-35s was granted despite stiff opposition from the IDF (Israel Defense Forces), which fears that the delivery of these cutting-edge stealth fighters would erode its Qualitative Military Edge (QME) in the tumultuous Middle East.
Notably, the sale was approved just days after the Israeli Air Force (IAF), which operates a special F-35 Adir variant, raised objections to the sale of F-35 fighter jets to Saudi Arabia in a formal position paper submitted to political leaders.
The US has a long-standing agreement with Israel, which stipulates that US weapons supplied to Israel should be “superior in capability” compared to those sold to Israel’s neighbors and rivals in the region. Therefore, to strike a balance, the US could downgrade the F-35s meant for Saudi Arabia, US officials and defense experts told Reuters.
File Image: F-35 Adir
The scope of these modifications is currently unknown, but experts believe that, unlike Israel, which has US-approved permissions to modify its F-35s independently, Saudi Arabia could be prohibited from making such alterations.
This would prevent Riyadh from tailoring the jets to its specific needs or upgrading them over time. Whether Saudi Arabia has that technical capability is a different question.
The US could make the Saudi F-35s technologically inferior to Israeli jets based on the software package commissioned for the jet. The F-35’s software governs sensor fusion, data sharing, and mission planning. The US can integrate the Saudi versions with a less capable baseline configuration, restricting access to full-spectrum updates, AI-driven targeting, and network-centric warfare tools that Israel enjoys.
Additionally, it can ensure that the Saudi jets do not receive certain other advanced Israeli features, such as enhanced electronic warfare suites for jamming radars and disrupting enemy communications, thereby limiting their defensive and offensive versatility in contested airspace.
It can also limit the number of jets that Saudi Arabia acquires so that Israel can have a numerical superiority. Israel currently has 45 of these jets, with 30 more on order.
Additionally, the US can restrict the weapons Saudi Arabia receives alongside the F-35. Douglas Birkey, the executive director of the Mitchell Institute for Aerospace Studies, told Reuters that even if it receives the jet, Saudi Arabia is unlikely to obtain the AIM-260 JATM (Joint Air Tactical Missile).
The AIM-260 is a highly classified weapon with an expected range of 120 miles (about 194 kilometers) or more. The US has not publicly acknowledged any plans to export the missile, much less to Israel. However, based on the defense cooperation between the two countries, which allows Tel Aviv to receive priority access to cutting-edge munitions, there are speculations that Israel may be offered the missile.
It must be noted that Israel was the first country to receive and operationally deploy the F-35, and the only country that has the freedom to upgrade the aircraft without restrictions.
If approved for export, the AIM-260 could be integrated on Israel’s F-35I, enabling internal carriage for stealthy, long-range engagements.
Long-range air-to-air missiles typically enable fighter aircraft to engage and neutralize enemy aircraft and other High-Value Airborne Assets from very far ranges. Once IDF acquires AIM-260, the Israel Air Force will have a clear edge over the Royal Saudi Air Force (RSAF).
Therefore, while Saudi Arabia’s acquisition of F-35 will certainly end Israel’s stealth monopoly in the region, the integration of a long-range missile will ensure that it continues to operate the most sensitive, advanced tech in the region.
That, however, does not put Saudi Arabia in a position of complete disadvantage. The country currently operates one of the most powerful and diverse fleets in the Middle East, which includes the F-15C/D (an aircraft with 100 kills and zero losses), the F-15S and F-15SA (the advanced F-15 variant on which the F-15EX is based), Tornado upgraded to the GR4 standard, and Eurofighter Typhoon.
Even if it acquires the F-35, the 24-48 jets would form a very small part of the massive Royal Saudi Air Force (RSAF) inventory.
The possible F-35 “downgrade” would ensure that Israel retains a military edge, but the RSAF would still benefit from the aircraft’s core advantages, such as low observability and data-linking, to name a few.
The Royal Saudi Air Force (RSAF) relies on advanced 4.5-generation fighters such as the F-15SA Strike Eagle and Eurofighter Typhoon Tranche 2, which have undergone significant upgrades to modern avionics and networking. These platforms excel in individual sensor performance and basic data-sharing.
While stealth is a very important tool in modern combat, it is barely invincible. Stealth reduces radar cross-section (RCS) dramatically, but it never reaches zero, and the aircraft could still very much be detected by the adversary.
Interestingly, in 2012, a German Eurofighter Typhoon beat the F-22 Raptor in a couple of dogfights at the Red Flag air combat exercises over Alaska. The F-22 is positioned as the most advanced fifth-generation stealth air superiority fighter jet by the US.
In fact, a French Rafale (comparable to the Eurofighter that Saudi Arabia operates) managed to “score a kill” against the American F-35 stealth fighter at a multinational military exercise in Finland.
A cash-rich Saudi Arabia has the option to explore the acquisition of other fifth-generation stealth fighters, such as the Turkish KAAN. Or, it could join a sixth-generation fighter program, the GCAP.
The F-35 would be a valuable addition to the Saudi inventory, but the full squadron delivery will not be completed before 2030, meaning nothing will radically change in the region for quite a few years.
By the time deliveries are complete, Israel could acquire the sixth-generation F-47, as previously discussed in a EurAsian Times report.
Before the deal is finalized, a formal qualitative military edge (QME) evaluation will be necessary, the US officials told Reuters. For the sale of F-35 to Saudi Arabia to go through, it will have to be approved by Congress, which could be hindered due to Israel’s influence over Capitol Hill. This essentially means that the sale is not set in stone, at least as of now.
The AIM-260 As An Air Superiority Determinant
The existence of the AIM-260 JATM was initially confirmed in 2019 during an Air Force Life Cycle Management Center industry conference. Due to its sensitivity, the AIM-260 JATM is classified as a Special Access Program (SAP), and details about the missile remain scarce.
Developed by Lockheed Martin in collaboration with the US Air Force and Navy, the ‘AIM-260′ is a long-range missile that will succeed the AIM-120 Advanced Medium-Range Air-to-Air Missile (AMRAAM), which has a range of 150 kilometers.
Although there is a paucity of details about the classified missile, speculation suggests it will be powered by ramjets or dual-pulse rocket motors to enhance its performance and range.
Additionally, experts and military observers believe the AIM-260 will feature an advanced multi-mode seeker system, possibly incorporating infrared imaging and active radar. They assert that with this dual-seeker design, the missile’s accuracy and resistance to electronic warfare countermeasures would both be greatly increased.
The scope of these modifications is currently unknown, but experts believe that, unlike Israel, which has US-approved permissions to modify its F-35s independently, Saudi Arabia could be prohibited from making such alterations.
This would prevent Riyadh from tailoring the jets to its specific needs or upgrading them over time. Whether Saudi Arabia has that technical capability is a different question.
The US could make the Saudi F-35s technologically inferior to Israeli jets based on the software package commissioned for the jet. The F-35’s software governs sensor fusion, data sharing, and mission planning. The US can integrate the Saudi versions with a less capable baseline configuration, restricting access to full-spectrum updates, AI-driven targeting, and network-centric warfare tools that Israel enjoys.
Additionally, it can ensure that the Saudi jets do not receive certain other advanced Israeli features, such as enhanced electronic warfare suites for jamming radars and disrupting enemy communications, thereby limiting their defensive and offensive versatility in contested airspace.
It can also limit the number of jets that Saudi Arabia acquires so that Israel can have a numerical superiority. Israel currently has 45 of these jets, with 30 more on order.
Additionally, the US can restrict the weapons Saudi Arabia receives alongside the F-35. Douglas Birkey, the executive director of the Mitchell Institute for Aerospace Studies, told Reuters that even if it receives the jet, Saudi Arabia is unlikely to obtain the AIM-260 JATM (Joint Air Tactical Missile).
The AIM-260 is a highly classified weapon with an expected range of 120 miles (about 194 kilometers) or more. The US has not publicly acknowledged any plans to export the missile, much less to Israel. However, based on the defense cooperation between the two countries, which allows Tel Aviv to receive priority access to cutting-edge munitions, there are speculations that Israel may be offered the missile.
It must be noted that Israel was the first country to receive and operationally deploy the F-35, and the only country that has the freedom to upgrade the aircraft without restrictions.
If approved for export, the AIM-260 could be integrated on Israel’s F-35I, enabling internal carriage for stealthy, long-range engagements.
Long-range air-to-air missiles typically enable fighter aircraft to engage and neutralize enemy aircraft and other High-Value Airborne Assets from very far ranges. Once IDF acquires AIM-260, the Israel Air Force will have a clear edge over the Royal Saudi Air Force (RSAF).
Therefore, while Saudi Arabia’s acquisition of F-35 will certainly end Israel’s stealth monopoly in the region, the integration of a long-range missile will ensure that it continues to operate the most sensitive, advanced tech in the region.
That, however, does not put Saudi Arabia in a position of complete disadvantage. The country currently operates one of the most powerful and diverse fleets in the Middle East, which includes the F-15C/D (an aircraft with 100 kills and zero losses), the F-15S and F-15SA (the advanced F-15 variant on which the F-15EX is based), Tornado upgraded to the GR4 standard, and Eurofighter Typhoon.
Even if it acquires the F-35, the 24-48 jets would form a very small part of the massive Royal Saudi Air Force (RSAF) inventory.
The possible F-35 “downgrade” would ensure that Israel retains a military edge, but the RSAF would still benefit from the aircraft’s core advantages, such as low observability and data-linking, to name a few.
The Royal Saudi Air Force (RSAF) relies on advanced 4.5-generation fighters such as the F-15SA Strike Eagle and Eurofighter Typhoon Tranche 2, which have undergone significant upgrades to modern avionics and networking. These platforms excel in individual sensor performance and basic data-sharing.
While stealth is a very important tool in modern combat, it is barely invincible. Stealth reduces radar cross-section (RCS) dramatically, but it never reaches zero, and the aircraft could still very much be detected by the adversary.
Interestingly, in 2012, a German Eurofighter Typhoon beat the F-22 Raptor in a couple of dogfights at the Red Flag air combat exercises over Alaska. The F-22 is positioned as the most advanced fifth-generation stealth air superiority fighter jet by the US.
In fact, a French Rafale (comparable to the Eurofighter that Saudi Arabia operates) managed to “score a kill” against the American F-35 stealth fighter at a multinational military exercise in Finland.
A cash-rich Saudi Arabia has the option to explore the acquisition of other fifth-generation stealth fighters, such as the Turkish KAAN. Or, it could join a sixth-generation fighter program, the GCAP.
The F-35 would be a valuable addition to the Saudi inventory, but the full squadron delivery will not be completed before 2030, meaning nothing will radically change in the region for quite a few years.
By the time deliveries are complete, Israel could acquire the sixth-generation F-47, as previously discussed in a EurAsian Times report.
Before the deal is finalized, a formal qualitative military edge (QME) evaluation will be necessary, the US officials told Reuters. For the sale of F-35 to Saudi Arabia to go through, it will have to be approved by Congress, which could be hindered due to Israel’s influence over Capitol Hill. This essentially means that the sale is not set in stone, at least as of now.
The AIM-260 As An Air Superiority Determinant
The existence of the AIM-260 JATM was initially confirmed in 2019 during an Air Force Life Cycle Management Center industry conference. Due to its sensitivity, the AIM-260 JATM is classified as a Special Access Program (SAP), and details about the missile remain scarce.
Developed by Lockheed Martin in collaboration with the US Air Force and Navy, the ‘AIM-260′ is a long-range missile that will succeed the AIM-120 Advanced Medium-Range Air-to-Air Missile (AMRAAM), which has a range of 150 kilometers.
Although there is a paucity of details about the classified missile, speculation suggests it will be powered by ramjets or dual-pulse rocket motors to enhance its performance and range.
Additionally, experts and military observers believe the AIM-260 will feature an advanced multi-mode seeker system, possibly incorporating infrared imaging and active radar. They assert that with this dual-seeker design, the missile’s accuracy and resistance to electronic warfare countermeasures would both be greatly increased.
An F-22 Raptor firing AIM-260 JATM in a USAF rendering
The AIM-260 is expected to contain a two-way datalink, similar to the latest AIM-120D-3 AMRAAM variant. The missile’s effectiveness would be further increased by this feature, which would enable mid-course targeting updates or re-targeting.
Israel’s fleet enables networked warfare with real-time data fusion from its advanced C4I (command, control, communications, computers, and intelligence) systems, amplifying the AIM-260’s two-way datalink for mid-course guidance updates. Saudi forces, with less mature integration, would face interoperability gaps.
The AIM-260 beyond-visual-range missile would be crucial in a potential combat, as it would enable the aircraft to destroy high-value assets, such as the adversary’s AEW&C aircraft and refuelling tankers flying deep inside the ‘safe zone’.
The AIM-260 would be designed to counter stealth aircraft and operate in contested environments with heavy electronic jamming, thereby ensuring effectiveness against advanced adversaries like China and Russia.
The US is purportedly advancing work on this missile because the first-strike advantage is often decisive in modern combat. With the AIM-260, USAF and US Navy’s fighter jets would have an air-to-air weapon capable of striking a wide spectrum of aerial threats hundreds of miles away. The same goes for an Israeli F-35 and AIM-260 combination.
Interestingly, the USAF earlier stated that the JATM “is the number-one air-delivered weapon priority for both the Air Force and the Navy, and out-prioritizes other weapon system improvements and modernization efforts on any fielded aircraft.”
The US Air Force (USAF) and US Navy have, for the first time, publicly requested $670.5 million in funding for the acquisition of the classified air-to-air AIM-260 Joint Advanced Tactical Missile (JATM) in the fiscal 2026 budget request that was released on June 26. They have also requested $687 million for the continued development of the missile.
Initially introduced for the F-22 Raptor, the missile will eventually be fitted to the F-35 and the Navy’s F/A-18E/F. In fact, the AIM-260 JATM will also likely arm the US Navy’s sixth-generation combat aircraft, which is currently under development.
The missile has been tested at Eglin Air Force Base, Fla., but when it will enter serial production is currently unknown.
The AIM-260 is expected to contain a two-way datalink, similar to the latest AIM-120D-3 AMRAAM variant. The missile’s effectiveness would be further increased by this feature, which would enable mid-course targeting updates or re-targeting.
Israel’s fleet enables networked warfare with real-time data fusion from its advanced C4I (command, control, communications, computers, and intelligence) systems, amplifying the AIM-260’s two-way datalink for mid-course guidance updates. Saudi forces, with less mature integration, would face interoperability gaps.
The AIM-260 beyond-visual-range missile would be crucial in a potential combat, as it would enable the aircraft to destroy high-value assets, such as the adversary’s AEW&C aircraft and refuelling tankers flying deep inside the ‘safe zone’.
The AIM-260 would be designed to counter stealth aircraft and operate in contested environments with heavy electronic jamming, thereby ensuring effectiveness against advanced adversaries like China and Russia.
The US is purportedly advancing work on this missile because the first-strike advantage is often decisive in modern combat. With the AIM-260, USAF and US Navy’s fighter jets would have an air-to-air weapon capable of striking a wide spectrum of aerial threats hundreds of miles away. The same goes for an Israeli F-35 and AIM-260 combination.
Interestingly, the USAF earlier stated that the JATM “is the number-one air-delivered weapon priority for both the Air Force and the Navy, and out-prioritizes other weapon system improvements and modernization efforts on any fielded aircraft.”
The US Air Force (USAF) and US Navy have, for the first time, publicly requested $670.5 million in funding for the acquisition of the classified air-to-air AIM-260 Joint Advanced Tactical Missile (JATM) in the fiscal 2026 budget request that was released on June 26. They have also requested $687 million for the continued development of the missile.
Initially introduced for the F-22 Raptor, the missile will eventually be fitted to the F-35 and the Navy’s F/A-18E/F. In fact, the AIM-260 JATM will also likely arm the US Navy’s sixth-generation combat aircraft, which is currently under development.
The missile has been tested at Eglin Air Force Base, Fla., but when it will enter serial production is currently unknown.
No comments:
Post a Comment