The AIM-120 AMRAAM is Raytheon's U.S.-built, all-weather beyond-visual-range missile family with inertial midcourse guidance, active radar terminal homing, and a first-service AIM-120A model. It entered U.S. service in 1991, became a combat air-to-air weapon in the 1991 Iraqi No-Fly-Zone Conflict, and is also fired from NASAMS launchers as a surface-to-air interceptor in Ukraine.
During a December 1992 southern no-fly-zone deployment, a 363rd wing F-16 pilot downed an Iraqi MiG-25; the 16th Air Force history identifies it as the first kill achieved with AIM-120 AMRAAM.
In the 28 February 1994 Banja Luka interception during Operation Deny Flight, the Air Force historical study records a USAF F-16 launching an AIM-120 against a J-21 aircraft.
During Operation Allied Force in 1999, the Air Force historical study records NATO F-15 and F-16 engagements against Serbian MiG-29s using AIM-120 missiles.
On 18 June 2017, a U.S. Navy F/A-18E fired an AIM-120 AMRAAM that destroyed a Syrian Su-22 after the aircraft attacked U.S.-backed forces near Tabqah.
Role detailsU.S. officials said an August 2022 Ukraine drawdown package included AMRAAM missiles for NASAMS, the United Kingdom announced AMRAAM anti-aircraft missiles for Ukrainian NASAMS use in October 2022, and the first NASAMS systems sent to Ukraine were reported operational against Russian missiles in November 2022.
Role detailsThe family page keeps the broad AIM-120 designation together while making the initial AIM-120A searchable and linking later C/D, C-5, and D records when a source or related page needs a more specific AMRAAM mark.
| Variant | Configuration | Designation notes |
|---|---|---|
| AIM-120A | Initial service model | NAVAIR lists September 1991 Air Force IOC for the AMRAAM family, while the National Museum of the U.S. Air Force identifies its display missile as an AIM-120A and describes the December 1992 F-16 MiG-25 shootdown as the first AMRAAM combat firing. Sources: NAVAIR AMRAAM fact file, National Museum Hughes AIM-120 AMRAAM, 363rd ISR Wing history |
| AIM-120B | Improved production model | The Air Force fact sheet describes AIM-120B/C as compatible with multiple U.S. fighter types and retains the active-radar AMRAAM guidance concept. Sources: USAF AIM-120 AMRAAM fact sheet |
 | Clipped-fin C/D family | A separate catalog record covers the C/D family for pages and sources that identify later AMRAAM marks more specifically. Sources: USAF AIM-120 AMRAAM fact sheet |
 | C-series subvariant | NAVAIR lists C5/6/7/D specification data, and a separate catalog record tracks the C-5 designation. Sources: NAVAIR AMRAAM fact file |
 | Current U.S. service variant | The D model is tracked separately because current sources distinguish it from earlier AMRAAM marks. Sources: RTX AMRAAM missile |
Published U.S. fact sheets list AMRAAM compatibility across U.S. fighter families rather than a single aircraft type.
| Carrier | Carrier type | Carriage evidence |
|---|---|---|
 | Air-superiority fighter family | The Air Force fact sheet lists F-15 aircraft among AMRAAM-compatible platforms. Sources: USAF AIM-120 AMRAAM fact sheet |
 | Multirole fighter | The Air Force fact sheet lists F-16 aircraft among AMRAAM-compatible platforms, and the 363rd ISR Wing history documents an F-16 AIM-120 kill over Iraq. Sources: USAF AIM-120 AMRAAM fact sheet, 363rd ISR Wing history |
 | Carrier-capable multirole fighter | The Air Force fact sheet lists F/A-18 C-F aircraft among AMRAAM-compatible platforms. Sources: USAF AIM-120 AMRAAM fact sheet |
 | Carrier-capable multirole strike fighter | NAVAIR lists AIM-120 AMRAAM missiles among the Super Hornet's armament options. Sources: F/A-18E/F Super Hornet (NAVAIR) |
 | Stealth air-superiority fighter | The Air Force fact sheet lists F-22 aircraft among AMRAAM-compatible platforms. Sources: USAF AIM-120 AMRAAM fact sheet |
 | Stealth multirole fighter family | The Air Force fact sheet lists developmental F-35 aircraft among AMRAAM-compatible platforms. Sources: USAF AIM-120 AMRAAM fact sheet |
NASAMS adapts AMRAAM from an aircraft missile into a ground-launched air defense interceptor.
| Launcher | Launcher type | Launch evidence |
|---|---|---|
 | Networked ground-based air defense system | Kongsberg describes AMRAAM as the baseline NASAMS missile, and the UK announced AMRAAM missiles for Ukraine to use with U.S.-pledged NASAMS systems. Sources: KONGSBERG NASAMS Air Defence System, UK AMRAAM missiles for Ukraine |
AMRAAM appears in two related roles on this page: fighter-launched beyond-visual-range air combat and NASAMS ground-based air defense. The same missile family therefore links air-superiority aircraft, naval fighters, and surface launchers.
U.S. and NATO fighters used AIM-120 missiles in Iraq no-fly-zone, Bosnia, Kosovo, and Syria air-to-air engagements.
Sources: 363rd ISR Wing history; Manned Aircraft Losses Over Former Yugoslavia; The War Zone Syrian Su-22 account.
Kongsberg describes AMRAAM as NASAMS' baseline missile, and UK and U.S. sources document AMRAAM support for Ukrainian NASAMS use.
Sources: KONGSBERG NASAMS Air Defence System; DoD Kahl AMRAAM for NASAMS briefing; UK AMRAAM missiles for Ukraine.
Official sources identify the initial AIM-120A, the larger A/B aerosurface group, and the later C/D branch used in current air-launched and surface-launched contexts.
Sources: NAVAIR AMRAAM fact file; National Museum Hughes AIM-120 AMRAAM; USAF AIM-120 AMRAAM fact sheet.
NAVAIR lists September 1991 as the AMRAAM service-entry date.
Sources: NAVAIR AMRAAM fact file
The 363rd ISR Wing history records an Iraqi MiG-25 downed over the southern no-fly zone and identifies the engagement as the first AIM-120 AMRAAM kill.
Sources: 363rd ISR Wing history
The Air Force historical study records AIM-120 use in the Banja Luka interception over Bosnia.
Sources: Manned Aircraft Losses Over Former Yugoslavia
The Air Force historical study records AIM-120 missile use in NATO air-to-air engagements against Serbian MiG-29s during Operation Allied Force.
Sources: Manned Aircraft Losses Over Former Yugoslavia
Business Insider and The War Zone report that a U.S. Navy Super Hornet fired AIM-120 AMRAAM in the Su-22 shootdown over Syria.
Sources: Business Insider Syrian Su-22 shootdown, The War Zone Syrian Su-22 account
Under Secretary of Defense for Policy Colin Kahl clarified that an August 2022 Ukraine aid package included AMRAAM missiles for NASAMS rather than additional NASAMS launchers.
Sources: DoD Kahl AMRAAM for NASAMS briefing
The UK announced AMRAAM anti-aircraft missiles for Ukraine to use with U.S.-pledged NASAMS air defense systems.
Sources: UK AMRAAM missiles for Ukraine
Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin said U.S.-sent NASAMS systems were operational in Ukraine and had intercepted Russian missiles during Kremlin bombardments.
Sources: DoD Austin NASAMS operational transcript
