UPDATED: Australia cements interest in AARGM-ER missile with FMS request
Australia has firmed up its intention to procure the latest AARGM-ER missile produced by Northrop Grumman. (Photo: USN)
The US has approved Australia’s FMS request for supply of the upcoming AARGM-ER missile, but the weapon is appealing to other F-35 users as well.
Australia is already a customer for Northrop Grumman’s AGM-88E Advanced Anti-Radiation Guided Missile (AARGM), having made a purchase in June 2013. Now the country has confirmed its intention to acquire the latest extended-range version known as the AARGM-ER.
In June 2022, the Defense Security Cooperation Agency (DSCA) issued a notification approving the potential sale of AGM-88E2 missiles to the Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF).
Capt Alex Dutko, Program Manager, Direct and Time-Sensitive Strike (PMA-242) of the USN, reaffirmed that this notification ‘has now been turned into a case, and a quantity of weapons are on contract with FRP 11 [full-rate production
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