The AIM-174B Gunslinger missile embodies the US Navy’s commitment to innovation in long-range air-to-air capabilities—offering unmatched range, speed, and precision.
Popularly known as the “Gunslinger,” Raytheon has developed a new long-range air-to-air missile (AAM) for the United States Navy known as the AIM-174B. The new missile is an air-launched variant of the proven SM-6 surface-to-air missile (SAM). First publicly unveiled in 2024 during exercises in Hawaii and later spotted in Japan in 2025, the AIM-174B addresses the Navy’s growing need for extended-range capabilities in contested environments, particularly in the Indo-Pacific region.
As geopolitical tensions rise in the Indo-Pacific area of responsibility (AOR), with both China and Russia deploying advanced aircraft, warships, submarines, and hypersonic weapons—to say nothing of China’s robust anti-access/area-denial (A2/AD) capabilities—the AIM-174B Gunslinger is meant to restore American air superiority in this challenging AOR.
The Origins of AIM-174B Missile
Stemming from the RIM-174 Standard Extended Range Active Missile (ERAM), the AIM-174B can be launched from warplanes like the Navy’s F/A-18 Super Hornet. The weapon features a shortened booster to optimize for aerial deployment while retaining the core strengths of the SM-6. Raytheon, a leading American defense contractor, engineered this missile to counter emerging threats, including long-range bombers and advanced reconnaissance aircraft.
Earlier this year, the Missile Defense Agency (MDA) identified the AIM-174B as a candidate for counter-hypersonic roles, expanding its utility beyond traditional air-to-air missions. This development reflects a strategic pivot in US military doctrine, emphasizing agility, range, and multi-role functionality.
The missile’s nickname, “Gunslinger,” evokes its rapid, precise strike capability, thereby underscoring its design for decisive, long-range distance engagements.
The AIM-174B’s Specifications
At the heart of the AIM-174B’s prowess is its exceptional range, estimated to exceed 186 miles—potentially even reaching 300 miles under optimal conditions. This range dwarfs many existing AAMs, positioning the Gunslinger as a direct counterpart to Russia’s similar extended-range R-73 missile. The AIM-174B achieves a top speed of Mach 3.4, enabling it to close distances rapidly and engage high-value targets before they can react.
Weighing 1,900 pounds, the missile incorporates an active radar homing system for autonomous target tracking, reducing reliance on the launching aircraft’s sensors. This guidance technology allows for essential “fire-and-forget” operations, where the pilot from the launching F/A-18 can disengage after launch, enhancing survivability in hostile airspace. Additionally, the AIM-174B’s warhead is designed for maximum impact, potentially including “area effect” options for broader threat neutralization, as speculated in recent analyses.
The AIM-174B’s compatibility with existing US Navy aircraft like the F/A-18E/F Super Hornet ensures seamless integration into carrier strike groups. Its agility stems from its SM-6 heritage, which includes proven performance against diverse threats. In 2025 updates, the MDA’s interest in adapting it for hypersonic intercepts highlights its kinematic performance, capable of maneuvering against high-speed, evasive threats.
AIM-174B is meant to dominate long-range air-to-air combat, particularly against high-value assets that adversaries rely on for command and control. It can neutralize airborne early warning and control (AWACS) aircraft, reconnaissance platforms, maritime patrol planes, aerial refuelers, and bombers from standoff distances, disrupting enemy operations without risking close-quarters dogfights.
Could the Gunslinger Help America’s Chances in the Indo-Pacific?
In the Indo-Pacific theater, the AIM-174B could theoretically shift air supremacy away from China by targeting assets like the KJ-500 AWACS or China’s H-6 bombers, both of which are critical for China’s bid to project military power over the vast oceanic spaces of the Indo-Pacific AOR. The Gunslinger’s extended range allows US fighters to engage from beyond the reach of China’s A2/AD systems, enhancing force projection in potential conflicts over Taiwan, the South China Sea, or the East China Sea.
Beyond conventional air threats, AIM-174B’s exploration for counter-hypersonic missions marks a novel application, too. Hypersonic weapons traveling at speeds above Mach 5, pose a formidable challenge, but AIM-174B’s speed and guidance could enable mid-course intercepts, bolstering layered defense strategies. This multi-role versatility extends to SAM adaptations, though its air-launched configuration prioritizes mobility.
Shared production with allies would amplify AIM-174B’s impact. After all, the only thing holding this system back from being the game-changer the Pentagon hopes it will be is its scalability. The key complication for any system America brings to the battlefield is the fact that America’s defense industrial base is not capable of mass-producing most of its weapons in a timely and affordable manner. By involving allied nations in the production of the AIM-174, the United States would ameliorate this complicating factor.
Even if allies were to contribute to the mass production of this missile, however, it would still be an expensive and complex endeavor. And America’s allies have many of the same recurring problems in their defense industries that the United States does.
Nevertheless, the AIM-174B Gunslinger missile embodies the US Navy’s commitment to innovation in long-range air-to-air capabilities—offering unmatched range, speed, and precision. As hypersonic threats evolve, its potential in counter-hypersonic roles could define missile defense missions in which it is deployed. By enabling strikes against distant, high-value targets, the AIM-174B enhances deterrence and operational flexibility, ensuring US forces maintain superiority in future conflicts. As deployments continue into 2025 and beyond, this missile will likely play a pivotal role in shaping global air power dynamics.
But that will only be the case if America and its allies take this weapon system seriously and can mass produce the AIM-174B effectively and efficiently—and be able to produce replacements for when they are expended in a high-intensity conflict.
About the Author: Brandon J. Weichert
Brandon J. Weichert is a senior national security editor at The National Interest. Recently, Weichert became the host of The National Security Hour on America Outloud News and iHeartRadio, where he discusses national security policy every Wednesday at 8pm Eastern. He is also a contributor at Popular Mechanics and has consulted regularly with various government institutions and private organizations on geopolitical issues. Weichert’s writings have appeared in multiple publications, including The Washington Times, National Review, The American Spectator, MSN, The Asia Times, and others. His books include Winning Space: How America Remains a Superpower, Biohacked: China’s Race to Control Life, and The Shadow War: Iran’s Quest for Supremacy. His newest book, A Disaster of Our Own Making: How the West Lost Ukraine is available for purchase wherever books are sold. He can be followed via Twitter @WeTheBrandon.
Image: Wikimedia Commons.
