US military receives new air-to-air weapon with range exceeding 300 km

The US military has received a new generation of ultra-long-range air-to-air weapon systems.

According to Slash Gear, the missile in question is the AIM-174B Gunslinger, developed by Raytheon Technologies for the US Navy’s F/A-18F Super Hornet fighter jets.

The missile is reported to be capable of striking targets at distances exceeding 200 miles (around 320 km), making it the longest-range weapon of its kind in the US arsenal. For comparison, this is roughly the distance between Boston and New York.

Its main advantage lies in the ability to launch from a safe stand-off distance, before entering close combat airspace. This allows 4.5-generation aircraft to effectively counter advanced fighters, including China’s Chengdu J-20.

In addition to aerial targets, the missile could potentially be used against drones and even ground-based targets, further expanding its tactical capabilities.

By Jeyhun Aghazada