XAIM-160 Block 4

Description

The XAIM-160 is an experimental Advanced Long Range Hypersonic Air to Air Missile (ALRHAAM). The Block 4 test model achieved an average max speed of Mach 6.67 with a 97% hit rate on targets over 200nm away over 489 launches. An astounding improvement over the less than 34% hit rate compared to the Block 3. The missile was not without faults however. When launched at targets closer than 40nm the missile's small control surfaces, designed for use at high mach numbers, did not have sufficient authority to reliably hit home. The missile also possesed a fairly small warhead of only 7.5lbs, making scoring a direct hit necessary for a guaranteed target kill. None the less the XAIM-160 would continue testing and in 2023 the first AIM-160As would enter service.