New missile shifts power in South China Sea

The U.S. Navy’s deployment of a new extremely long-range air-to-air missile in the Indo-Pacific region threatens to overcome China’s advantage in aerial reach 

AIM-174B: Developed from U.S.’s primary ship-launched interceptor, Raytheon SM-6

Range: 400km – much further than next-best U.S. option, AIM-120 AMRAAM, with range of 150km

6.6m
Guidance
Warhead
Power control
Steering
Dorsal fins

AIM-174B outranges China’s PL-15 missile (above), which can destroy targets at 250km

In any type of South China Sea conflict, within so-called First Island Chain, AIM-174B would allow U.S. jets to keep threats further from aircraft carriers and safely strike “high-value” targets, such as command- and-control planes

CHINA
JAPAN
TAIWAN
South China Sea
PACIFIC OCEAN
First Island Chain

4m
310 miles
500km

Sources: Reuters, IISS, The Aviationist
© GRAPHIC NEWS