US Navy Equips F/A-18E Jets With New AIM-174B Missiles To Counter Long-Range Indo-Pacific Threats.

On August 19, 2025, during the Northern Edge 2025 exercise in the Gulf of Alaska, a U.S. Navy F/A-18E Super Hornet from Strike Fighter Squadron 14 was photographed on USS Abraham Lincoln (CVN 72) equipped with the AIM-174B Beyond Visual Range Air-to-Air Missile (BVRAAM), as reported by DVIDS. The image, illustrates the Navy’s growing emphasis on equipping its carrier-based fighters with extended-range weaponry at a time when the Indo-Pacific is increasingly contested by Chinese long-range aviation and missile systems. This deployment underscores how the Navy is enhancing its air wings while awaiting the full integration of the F-35C and the development of the future F/A-XX fighter.

Follow Army Recognition on Google News at this link

By deploying the AIM-174B on the USS Abraham Lincoln during Northern Edge 2025, the Navy demonstrated that the enhancement of air-to-air lethality will not wait for next-generation fighters (Picture source: U.S. Navy)

The AIM-174B marks a return to very-long-range air-to-air capability, something absent since the retirement of the AIM-54 Phoenix from the F-14 Tomcat. Adapted from the SM-6 (RIM-174) long-range surface-to-air missile, it uses an enlarged airframe that offers considerably greater range than the AIM-120D AMRAAM, which tops out at more than 160 kilometers. Analysts suggest that its performance could approach the 370-kilometer envelope of the SM-6. Guidance relies on an active radar seeker derived from AMRAAM technology, while midcourse corrections can be provided through datalink not only by the launch aircraft but also by E-2D Hawkeye early warning aircraft or surface combatants, enabling the missile to exploit its full potential through networked targeting.

The missile entered service records in 2024, though it had quietly appeared on Super Hornets in earlier evaluations. Its integration gives carrier air wings a tool to match emerging threats in the Indo-Pacific, where Chinese forces are fielding advanced missiles such as the PL-15 and PL-17, backed by modern AEW&C aircraft and the launch capacity of new CATOBAR carriers like the Fujian. Combined with the stealthy J-20 fighter, these systems aim to push back U.S. forces at extended ranges. The AIM-174B counters this by allowing American fighters to engage at similar or greater distances, backed by a dense sensor network provided by U.S. carrier strike groups.

When compared to Russian and Chinese equivalents, the AIM-174B’s value becomes clearer. Russia’s R-37M, carried by MiG-31 interceptors, can reportedly reach 300 kilometers, but the AIM-174B benefits from far deeper integration with U.S. Navy sensor and command systems, providing a flexible and survivable engagement profile. China’s PL-17 may rival it in raw distance, but the AIM-174B’s proven SM-6 heritage and its reliance on a distributed architecture of fighters, AEW&C, and surface ships make it especially suited for large-scale maritime operations.

The strategic implications are significant. By deploying AIM-174B on Super Hornets, the Navy extends the reach of its carrier air wings, threatening adversary fighters, bombers, and surveillance aircraft long before they can close with U.S. forces. This strengthens deterrence in the Indo-Pacific, where control of airspace over maritime approaches is essential to countering Chinese anti-access and area-denial strategies. It also signals that U.S. carriers can remain relevant against adversaries fielding advanced long-range weapons and stealth aircraft.

Budgetary details of the AIM-174B are linked to the broader SM-6 program, already one of the Navy’s most resource-intensive missile lines. Raytheon, the prime contractor, continues to receive major multi-year contracts for SM-6 production, with recent awards exceeding a billion dollars. While the AIM-174B itself has not been separately itemized, its production is expected to follow the same channels, gradually scaling up as it becomes a standard feature of carrier strike groups.

By deploying the AIM-174B on the USS Abraham Lincoln during Northern Edge 2025, the Navy demonstrated that the enhancement of air-to-air lethality will not wait for next-generation fighters. Instead, it is equipping existing aircraft with advanced weapons that give them the reach and lethality necessary to confront Russia and China. For the Super Hornet, the AIM-174B is not just an upgrade, it is a way to ensure continued relevance in the most demanding air combat environment in the world.