# AIM-9 Product Improvement — Program Element 0207161F

**Program element:** 0207161F  
**Component:** U.S. Air Force  
**Appropriation:** 3600 — RDT&E, Air Force  
**Budget Activity:** 7 — Operational System Development  
**Vintage:** President's Budget PB2027  
**Canonical URL:** https://hitchintel.com/programs/0207161F

## Summary

U.S. Air Force funding ramps 16% to a $98.9M request in FY2027. In the FY2027 defense authorization, the House cut 4.9% (to $94.0M); the Senate funded it in full; House appropriators funded it in full. BAE leads the industry work.

## Funding profile

| Fiscal Year | Estimate Type | Amount ($M) |
|---|---|---|
| FY2025 | Actual | 33.7 |
| FY2026 | Enacted | 85.4 |
| FY2027 | Request | 98.9 |
| FY2028 | Outyear | 126.8 |
| FY2029 | Outyear | 123.3 |
| FY2030 | Outyear | 121.8 |
| FY2031 | Outyear | 63.0 |

> Estimate types are not summed — the profile mixes actuals, enacted law, the request, and outyear projections.

## Congressional marks (FY2027)

| Stage | Marked ($M) | Change ($M) |
|---|---|---|
| Request | 98.9 | — |
| House NDAA (HASC) | 94.0 | −4.9 |
| Senate NDAA (SASC) | 98.9 | +0.0 |
| House Approps (HAC-D) | 98.9 | +0.0 |

> FY2027 NDAA authorization marks, as of 2026-07-27. Not appropriations or final law.

## Projects (1)

| Project | Title | FY2025 actual | FY2026 enacted | FY2027 request | Move |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 674132 | AIM-9 Product Improvement | 33.7 | 85.4 | 98.9 | +16% |

> Projects are the summable leaves: the program element total is their sum, never added to it.

### Project 674132 — AIM-9 Product Improvement

The AIM-9X Block II Sidewinder (AIM-9X Blk II) continues the evolution of the AIM-9 series of missiles. This missile program delivers a launch and leave, air combat munition that uses passive Infrared (IR) energy to acquire and track enemy air targets and complements the radar guided Advanced Medium Range Air-to-Air Missile (AMRAAM). The missile provides fighter aircrew with the first shot, first kill opportunities that are essential for survival during air combat maneuvering in the visual arena. The AIM-9X delivers these opportunities with unmatched offensive and defensive capabilities against inner boundary threats, even when IR countermeasures are employed. The AIM-9X also supports air superiority in the Beyond Visual Range air-to-air battle. Anti-tamper features have been incorporated to protect improvements inherent in this design. The AIM-9X Block II missile provides the Joint Force with fighter aircraft lethality and survivability necessary to counter threats identified in the National Defense Strategy. The AIM-9X Compact Variant (CV) repackages the AIM-9X Blk II technology into a compact airframe optimized for internal carriage on advanced aircraft with improved kinematic performance. The program will deliver increased capability to the warfighter with greater standoff range, increased aircraft weapon station capacity, and maintains inner boundary performance. In FY 2027, the program will execute engineering, manufacturing, and development for the phase 4 of the System Improvement Program (SIP) hardware and software effort. Specifically, development of Operational Flight Software (OFS) 11.6X will continue. The SIP IV hardware Engineering Change Proposal (ECP) will be complete Q3 FY 2027. In addition, the program will continue AIM-9X CV risk reduction development activities to advance hardware and software designs. The AIM-9X CV integration activities will focus on ensuring compatibility with advanced platforms. CV risk reduction efforts were funded by USN in FY 2025 and FY 2026 Product Development under SIP risk reduction. This effort is not an FY 2027 new start. USAF effort to start FY28. AIM-9X is a Post Milestone C, Acquisition Category IC joint service program led by the Department of the Navy. The Block II program has completed independent operational testing and was found to be operationally effective and suitable.

**Named R-3 performers** (share of this project's FY2027 R-3 total, so they need not reach 100%)**:** BAE (77.7, 79%), RMD (16.4, 17%), NAWC WD (1.6, 1.7%), Eglin AFB (0.5, 0.5%).

| Activity (R-2A) | FY2025 | FY2026 | FY2027 |
|---|---|---|---|
| AIM- 9X Product Development | 30.8 | 40.0 | 16.9 |
| Counter Unmanned Aircraft Systems Development | 0.0 | 44.1 | 77.7 |
| AIM-9X, Test and Evaluation | 2.9 | 1.4 | 4.3 |

> R-2A activities carry the prior, current and budget year only — no five-year plan. Coverage is partial, so count them, never total them.

## Where the FY2027 request goes

| Category | Share | $M |
|---|---|---|
| Industry primes | 98% | 96.5 |
| Other / unspecified | 2.4% | 2.4 |

**Top named industry performers:** BAE ($77.7M, 79%), RMD ($16.4M, 17%).

> R-3 exhibit contract funding, not USAspending obligations.

## Mission & acquisition strategy

The AIM-9X Block II Sidewinder (AIM-9X Blk II) continues the evolution of the AIM-9 series of missiles. This missile program delivers a launch and leave, air combat munition that uses passive Infrared (IR) energy to acquire and track enemy air targets and complements the radar guided Advanced Medium Range Air-to-Air Missile (AMRAAM). The missile provides fighter aircrew with the first shot, first kill opportunities that are essential for survival during air combat maneuvering in the visual arena. The AIM-9X delivers these opportunities with unmatched offensive and defensive capabilities against inner boundary threats, even when IR countermeasures are employed.

Milestone C decision for LRIP was held June 24, 2011. The Block II program received USN Initial Operational Capability (IOC) in March 2015 and FRP Approval in August 2015. The Air Force achieved IOC in September 2016. In February 2019, the Acquisition Program Baseline (APB) for SAF was revised to increase total missile procurements and extend missile procurements through 2035. The program awarded FRP-8 in March 2022, and FRP-9 awarded in December 2022. Counter Unmanned Aircraft Systems Development: Development effort for cost effective Counter-Unmanned Aircraft System (c-UAS) solution by maturing air-to-air design to TRL 6/7 to counter growing UAS threat.

## Related program elements

- [0207161N — Tactical Aim Missiles](https://hitchintel.com/programs/0207161N) (Navy)
- [0207253F — Compass Call](https://hitchintel.com/programs/0207253F) (Air Force)
- [0604727N — JNT Standoff Weapon Systems](https://hitchintel.com/programs/0604727N) (Navy)
- [0207163F — Amraam](https://hitchintel.com/programs/0207163F) (Air Force)

## Source & machine access

- **Source:** FY2027 Department of the Air Force RDT&E Budget Justification, Exhibits R-2/R-3, PE 0207161F (PB PB2027); FY2027 NDAA committee marks (as of 2026-07-27).
- **MCP:** `mcp.hitchintel.com` — `budget_get_program_element(pe="0207161F")`.

*HitchAI is an independent intelligence service, not affiliated with the U.S. Department of Defense. Budget figures are requests/estimates, not obligations.*