AIM-9X
The AIM-9X Block II Sidewinder (AIM-9X Blk II) delivers a launch and leave, air combat munition that uses passive Infrared energy to acquire and track enemy air targets that employ advanced infrared countermeasures and is a critical component of fighter aircraft loadout required by the Chief of Naval Operations Guidance and the National Defense Strategy. This line item continues technical refresh of hardware and software and develops advanced capabilities to maintain threshold requirements. Primarily, the program will develop new hardware and software solutions to pace evolutions in threat aircraft countermeasure technology and redesign, develop, and integrate components facing obsolescence. Integration activities will focus on compatibility with advanced platforms. The program will deliver increased capability to the warfighter by incrementally fielding missile software updates to optimize hardware and incorporate capabilities based on updated intelligence of threat countermeasures. 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 Q2 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 in FY 2025 and FY 2026 Product Development under SIP risk reduction. This effort is not an FY 2027 new start.
Software development and test efforts for OFS 11.5 and 11.6 will continue to optimize the SIP IV Hardware with updated software algorithms. Development efforts for the Digital Fuze to upgrade the Active Optical Target Detector to address updated requirements and reduce cost will begin. Test articles to support flight test of the 11.X OFS…
Read the FY2027 plan →The program will advance hardware and software designs. This effort will focus on design and development of critical hardware components and compatibility with advanced platforms. The overall scope includes platform integration, material and energetics studies, and extensive modeling, simulation, and analysis. Activities will also…
Read the FY2027 plan →FY2027 planned work Continue funding transportation and travel costs associated with AIM-9X missile program efforts supporting the major test events and program decisions identified in the Product Development and Test and Evaluation sections above.
FY2026 to FY2027 change FY 2026 to FY 2027 increase is due to inflation.
FY2026 plans — current year Continue funding transportation and travel costs associated with AIM-9X missile program efforts supporting the major test events and program decisions identified in the Product Development and Test and Evaluation sections above.
FY2027 planned work FY 2027 will include DT and OT flight testing for OFS 10.5. FY 2027 flight tests will include DT Flight testing of the SIP IV Hardware, as well as beginning DT/IT testing of the OFS 11.6X Software and planning for OFS 11.6X OT testing.
FY2026 to FY2027 change FY 2026 to FY 2027 increase is due to additional test facility costs and test events added to support OFS 11.6X and testing of the Active Optical Target Detector for Digital Fuze.
FY2026 plans — current year OFS 10.5X is scheduled to be available by 3rd quarter FY 2026 to support OT testing. FY 2026 flight test will include OFS 10.5X OT testing. OFS 11.5X DT flight testing will start pending delivery of SIP IV hardware.