US 9X Sidewinder Block II Air Intercept Missile Reaches full Rate production.

The US Navy and Air Force air-intercept missile (AIM)-9X Sidewinder Block II that features a “lock on after launch” capability, has reached the full rate production.

Approximately 6,000 AIM-9X Blk II missiles will be procured through 2026, the company announced Monday.

The AIM-9X Blk II missile, which is upgraded from the Block (Blk) I series, incorporates new software, an upgraded guidance control unit and a longer battery life.

The new technology increases launch range and enhances the target detector functionality. A key characteristic is its rapid response capability in air combat scenarios.

The incorporated significant change into the Blk II series is the “lock on after launch” capability. The war fighter can launch at the target without knowing its exact position and does not require seeing the target to lock the missile on.

Once the missile is launched from the aircraft, the seeker - a sensor inside the missile - locates the target either via infrared emissions or via datalink and proceeds to execute its mission.

The missile’s purpose is to detect, acquire, intercept and destroy a wide range of high-performance airborne and surface threats.

The air-intercept missile is 119 inches in length, weighs 186.2 pounds and is capable of being launched from the Navy’s F/A-18 Hornet and Super Hornet, the Air Force’s F-15 Eagle and F-16 Fighting Falcon and various international partner aircraft equivalents.

PMA-259 is responsible for the acquisition, life-cycle management and sustainment of air-to-air missile systems for AIM-7, RIM-7, AIM-9 and AIM-120 programs.