The US Navy has taken a major step in strengthening its defense capabilities, introducing a new weapon that could change the balance of power in the Pacific. As military columnist David Ax points out in The Telegraph , this year the US Navy fielded a combination of Boeing F/A-18E/F Super Hornet fighters with Raytheon's latest AIM-174B ultra-long-range missiles.
Until now, the US Navy had been limited to air-to-air missiles with a range of up to 100 miles. At the same time, Chinese Xian H-6 bombers, carrying up to six anti-ship missiles, posed a serious threat to American aircraft carriers. Given the number of bombers and their weapons, the US was often on the verge of serious losses in the event of a conflict.
The new AIM-174B air-launched missile significantly improves the US Navy's ability to combat this threat. A carrier air wing, which typically has more than 40 Super Hornets, now has the ability to destroy more than a hundred bombers or missiles before escorting warships are needed to deploy surface-to-air missiles. This new arsenal helps to regain control of firepower that was previously in the adversary's favor.
However, this news is not without certain limitations. The cost of AIM-174B missiles is significant: until 2024, the US Navy has accumulated only 850 of these missiles, each of which costs about 5 million dollars. According to plans, by 2028 the fleet plans to purchase 300 missiles per year. However, according to the expert, even at this rate of supply, it will be difficult to provide enough missiles for a prolonged conflict, which could limit their effectiveness in large-scale military operations.
Thus, the new AIM-174B missile could become a key element in the US arsenal, but its success will depend on how quickly and effectively the Navy can integrate this weapon into its operations and ensure its sufficient numbers in the future.
