US Navy Deploys New Long-range Missile in Indo-Pacific
The United States Navy has recently deployed new long-range air-to-air missiles in the Indo-Pacific area. The move could take away China's lead in the area, experts say.
The AIM-174B is the longest-range air-to-air missile the U.S. has ever fielded. Its deployment was officially acknowledged in July.
The AIM-174B can fly several times farther than the next-best U.S. missile, the AIM-120. The AIM-174B does not require new production lines to manufacture and it works with the aircraft of at least one ally, Australia.
Missiles can attack long-distance targets
The AIM-174B, which can attack aerial targets as far away as 400 kilometers, has a longer range than China's PL-15 missile. The greater range permits U.S. jets to keep threats farther from aircraft carriers. The missile can also safely strike "high-value" targets, such as command-and-control planes, from a greater distance.