Long-Range Engagement Weapon
The Long-Range Engagement Weapon (LREW) is a United States Air Force concept for a next-generation beyond visual range air-to-air missile. Concept images shows a large, two-stage missile launched from an internal weapons bay of an Lockheed Martin F-22 Raptor. There have been some reports that the LREW is too big to fit in the F-22 or Lockheed Martin F-35 Lightning internal weapons bay and is suited for the Boeing F-15EX Eagle II or Northrop Grumman B-21 Raider.[1][2][3] It is currently being developed by Raytheon. This program is separate from Raytheon's own AIM-174B Gunslinger very long-range air-to-air missile as well as from the AIM-260 JATM, developed by Lockheed Martin.[4]
According to Aviation Week, the Navy's AIM-424 Malice may have been developed under the LREW program, as it is a large, two-stage, clean configuration missile sized to fit within the F-35C's internal bay, and was revealed in August 2026 to already be in flight testing on the F-35C and F/A-18, with plans to integrate on the future F/A-XX.[5]
See also
- Small Advanced Capabilities Missile
- AIM-260 JATM
- Raytheon Peregrine air-to-air missile[6]
Missiles of similar role, configuration, and era
- Astra Mark-3 – (India)
- Joint New Air-to-Air Missile (UK, Japan)
- PL-21 – (China)
Related lists
References
- ↑ Rogoway, Tyler (2 November 2017). "The Pentagon Is Quietly Developing A Next Generation Long-Range Air-To-Air Missile".
- ↑ Pike, John. "LREW (long-range engagement weapon)". Global security.
- ↑ "New long-range missile project emerges in US budget". 2 November 2017.
- ↑ "Meet The AIM-260, The Air Force And Navy's Future Long-Range Air-To-Air Missile". The War Zone. The drive. 22 June 2019. Retrieved 21 July 2019.
- ↑ Everstine, Brian; Trimble, Steve (22 August 2026). "U.S. Navy Testing New Long-Range Air-to-Air Missile". Aviation Week & Space Technology. Retrieved 22 August 2026.
- ↑ "Peregrine Air-to-Air Missile". Raytheon. Archived from the original on 2019-12-25. Retrieved 2019-12-25.