How The Navy's New Very Long-Range AIM-174 Will Pierce China’s Anti-Access Bubble

The Navy has officially acknowledged the existence of a weapon we had posited was in development for years, an air-launched version of the hugely versatile, far reaching, and hard hitting ship-launched SM-6. Designated the AIM-174, this massive, F/A-18 Super Hornet-carried air-to-air weapon is by default longer-ranged than any other the U.S. has ever fielded. While it isn’t clear if the AIM-174 will also retain the SM-6’s secondary anti-ship and land attack capabilities, just what it could provide in the anti-air and possibly anti-ballistic missile roles could be truly revolutionary. Clearly built to take full advantage of the Pentagon’s emerging ‘kill webs,’ this is especially true when it comes to popping China’s vaunted anti-access bubble by going after its most prized force-multiplier assets. So, how exactly could this work and what does it bring to the table? We break it all down for you in detail. Chapters: 0:00 Intro 0:57 Developing the AIM-174 3:03 Employing the Navy’s Newest Missile 4:21 The Navy’s Air-to-Air Arsenal 6:51 Defending the Fleet 12:20 Pushing Back China’s Force Multipliers 16:12 Future Possibilities Check out our article about the AIM-174 over on TWZ at https://www.twz.com/air/disclosure-of... Special thanks to Growling Sidewinder and AZRZ Gaming for the use of their channel content to help us bring the AIM-174 to life for this video. You can find Growling Sidewinder at    / @growlingsidewinder   And you can find AZRZ Gaming at    / @azrzgaming   Find us at www.twz.com Follow TWZ on socials:   / thewarzonewire     / thewarzonewire     / thewarzonewire   The War Zone — also known by the shorthand TWZ — has become an essential resource for the national security community, the defense industry, and the interested public at large since it was launched in 2016. From its early beginnings to the present day, TWZ’s purpose remains the same. We stand at the nexus of military technology, strategy, and foreign policy. As a full-spectrum defense news and analysis site, TWZ covers the air, sea, land, space, and cyber domains of warfare, with an infusion of geopolitical context and technological analysis that provides viewers with deeper insights and a richer understanding of the subjects we cover than what they will find elsewhere. We have a true passion for the topics we cover and it’s an honor to be able to share that passion with our YouTube audience. Email [email protected] for inquiries.