AIM-120 AMRAAM

Also known as

AIM-120
AMRAAM
Advanced Medium-Range Air-to-Air Missile

The AIM-120 AMRAAM is Raytheon's U.S.-built, all-weather beyond-visual-range air-to-air missile family with active radar terminal homing. NAVAIR says it entered service in September 1991, and the Navy lists the F/A-18E/F Super Hornet among the aircraft that can carry it.

AIM-120 AMRAAM, Air-to-air missile, Munitions

Image source: AIM-120A AMRAAM AAM.jpg

Profile / Specs

Profile

Origin: United States
Built by: Raytheon
Type: Air-to-air missile
Service note: 1991-present

air-to-air radar-guided

Specifications

Length: 12 ft (3.66 m)
Weight: 356 lb (161 kg) for AIM-120C/D variants
Wingspan: 19 in (48.3 cm) for AIM-120C/D variants
Guidance: Inertial midcourse with active radar terminal homing
Warhead: Blast fragmentation

Variants

AIM-120A
AIM-120B
AIM-120C
AIM-120D

Carrier Aircraft

NAVAIR lists the Super Hornet as one of the aircraft that can carry AIM-120 AMRAAM missiles.

Carrier

Carrier type

Carriage evidence

F/A-18E/F Super Hornet, Carrier-capable multirole strike fighter, Aircraft & UAVs

F/A-18E/F Super Hornet

Carrier-capable multirole strike fighter

NAVAIR lists AIM-120 AMRAAM missiles among the aircraft's armament options.

Sources: F/A-18E/F Super Hornet (NAVAIR)

Service And Conflict Use

Service History

In service: Operational with U.S. Navy, Marine Corps, and Air Force tactical aircraft since September 1991.
Used by: United States Navy, United States Marine Corps, United States Air Force

Media

AIM-120 AMRAAM Images

AIM-120 AMRAAM, Air-to-air missile, Munitions - view 1 — Source: AIM-120 AMRAAM loading.jpg

AIM-120 AMRAAM, Air-to-air missile, Munitions - view 2 — Source: F-15A Louisiana ANG launching AIM-120 2002.JPEG

Related Weapon Systems

AAM-4B, Medium-range air-to-air missile, Munitions

MunitionsAAM-4BMedium-range air-to-air missileThe AAM-4B is Japan's domestically built medium-range air-to-air missile for F-2 and F-15 fighters. Ministry of Defense budget papers keep funding it as fighter ammunition, and CSIS notes the missile was the first air-to-air design with an AESA seeker.

AIM-120C-5 AMRAAM air-to-air missile, Beyond-visual-range air-to-air missile, Munitions

MunitionsAIM-120C-5 AMRAAM air-to-air missileBeyond-visual-range air-to-air missileThe AIM-120C-5 AMRAAM is a U.S.-built beyond-visual-range air-to-air missile variant with active radar homing and the narrower C-series airframe. AMRAAM entered U.S. service in September 1991, SIPRI recorded a 2003 export deal for 106 AIM-120C-5 missiles, and Pakistan Air Force F-16s were reported firing the type in the 2019 border clash.

AIM-120C/D AMRAAM air-to-air missile, Beyond-visual-range air-to-air missile, Munitions

MunitionsAIM-120C/D AMRAAM air-to-air missileBeyond-visual-range air-to-air missileThe AIM-120C/D AMRAAM is the clipped-fin United States beyond-visual-range air-to-air missile family with inertial midcourse guidance and active radar terminal homing. Lockheed Martin's F-35C Fast Facts sheet lists two AIM-120C/D missiles in the carrier variant's standard internal weapons load, and RTX describes AMRAAM as a U.S. Air Force and Navy air-to-air missile family.

AIM-120D AMRAAM air-to-air missile, Beyond-visual-range air-to-air missile, Munitions

MunitionsAIM-120D AMRAAM air-to-air missileBeyond-visual-range air-to-air missileThe AIM-120D AMRAAM is Raytheon's latest U.S. medium-range, radar-guided, launch-and-leave air-to-air missile. Air Combat Command describes the D model as field-reprogrammable with data-link electronics and GPS antennas, and an AFCENT photo shows it being attached to an F-15E pylon in 2019.

AIM-54 Phoenix missile, Air-to-air missile, Munitions

MunitionsAIM-54 Phoenix missileAir-to-air missileThe Hughes AIM-54 Phoenix was the U.S. Navy's long-range air-to-air missile for the F-14 Tomcat fleet-defense role. NAVAIR described it as the Navy's only long-range air-to-air missile, and the missile's only operational carrier was the F-14.

ASTRA BVRAAM, Beyond-visual-range air-to-air missile, Munitions

MunitionsASTRA BVRAAMBeyond-visual-range air-to-air missileASTRA BVRAAM is India's indigenous beyond-visual-range air-to-air missile developed by the Defence Research and Development Organisation and produced by Bharat Dynamics Limited. BDL's product material describes the weapon as a solid-rocket, active-radar-homing missile with an 80-110 km engagement range, and Tejas test-fired the missile in March 2025.

Sources

RTX AMRAAM missilePublisher: RTX | Note: Supports AMRAAM manufacturer background and current product description. | Accessed: 2026-06-27 NAVAIR AMRAAM fact filePublisher: U.S. Navy | Note: Supports AMRAAM service-entry context, dimensions, and family background. | Accessed: 2026-06-27 USAF AIM-120 AMRAAM fact sheetPublisher: U.S. Air Force | Note: Supports AMRAAM guidance, warhead, and general specifications. | Accessed: 2026-06-27 F/A-18E/F Super Hornet (NAVAIR)Publisher: NAVAIR | Note: Supports F/A-18E/F Super Hornet armament compatibility with AIM-120 AMRAAM. | Accessed: 2026-06-27 AIM-120A AMRAAM AAM.jpgPublisher: Wikimedia Commons | Note: Image provenance and licensing page for the primary AMRAAM image. | Accessed: 2026-06-27 AIM-120 AMRAAM loading.jpgPublisher: Wikimedia Commons | Note: Image provenance and licensing page for the AMRAAM loading gallery image. | Accessed: 2026-06-27 F-15A Louisiana ANG launching AIM-120 2002.JPEGPublisher: Wikimedia Commons | Note: Image provenance and licensing page for the AIM-120 launch gallery image. | Accessed: 2026-06-27