AFA 2021: Boeing unveils Long-Range Air-to-Air Missile concept

Boeing's half-scale two-stage Long-Range Air-to-Air Missile concept on display on 21 September at the Air Force Association's annual convention. A two-stage concept allows the back half to drop off in flight, allowing the vehicle to gain aerodynamic efficiencies. (Janes/Pat Host)

Boeing displayed at the Air Force Association's (AFA's) annual convention a half-scale model of a Long-Range Air-to-Air Missile (LRAAM) concept it developed in response to an Air Force Research Laboratory (AFRL) broad agency announcement (BAA) for LRAAM technologies.

Zac Wood, Boeing's manager for global sales and marketing at Phantom Works advanced weapons, told Janes on 21 September at the show that the AFRL sought capabilities in multipulse, air breathing, and two-stage missile design. While Boeing did respond to all three technology areas, Wood said Boeing developed the two-stage LRAAM for the portion that desired a two-stage design.

Wood believes the AFRL wanted a two-stage design to evaluate ways to extend the missile, as a two-stage concept allows the back half to drop off in flight, allowing the vehicle to gain aerodynamic efficiencies. The LRAAM has solid rocket motor propulsion and could be deployed from fourth-, fifth-, and even sixth-generation aircraft, although this would be up to the US Air Force (USAF) to decide. He said the range of the weapon is classified.

While Boeing's LRAAM concept is in response to an AFRL BAA, the company predicts a procurement effort to complement existing programmes of record.

The AFRL had not responded to a request for comment at the time of publication.