Stated in the U.S. Navy’s budget documentation for Fiscal Year 2027, the Navy is putting the AGM-88G Advanced Anti-Radiation Guided Missile Extended Range (AARGM-ER) air launched anti-radiation missile program on a strategic pause, resulting in drastically reduced funding levels.
U.S. Navy procurement and thus almost all the funding for the AGM-88G are to cease for the missile effective on the budget’s passage, with the only resources available to the program being either through contracts awarded by foreign governments or already dedicated funds set aside during previous budgets to order long lead time components (known as advanced procurement). The U.S. Navy is set to restart procurement in FY 2028, but at levels far below FY 2026 and FY 2025 at only 40 purchased.
Total funding allocated in FY 2027 comes out to just over $24.304 million dollars, a total reduction from FY 2026 levels of about $200 million. However, FY 2027 specific funding levels paint an even bleaker picture, with $24.284 million of the $24.304 million (representing about %99 of the FY 2027 funds) coming from FY 2026 advanced procurement. Consequently, AARGM-ER designated funds from the FY 2027 budget alone (without previous years) comes out to a mere $20,000 in total.
AARGM-ER had remained a top priority amongst Navy munitions programs, with ~$2.43 billion in total committed to procurement throughout the missile’s lifespan for a total of 435 AGM-88G rounds ordered as of FY 2026. Deliveries of the missile were scheduled to start sometime this year, with the first live all-up-round originally due to be accepted into Navy service later this November.
Development Difficulties
The Northrop Grumman manufactured AGM-88G was to serve as a critical upgrade to the previous AGM-88E AARGM, via implementation of a new guidance section (introducing active millimeter wave radar homing), a new control section, software upgrades, and a new booster. Additionally, a new missile outline trimmed the external guidance fins present on the AGM-88E, which would enable internal carriage in F-35A/C variant Joint Strike Fighters.
While the program has progressed in terms of funding allocated until now, development has likely been mired in developmental and engineering challenges for some time. AARGM-ER has faced several developmental delays, with last years Navy budget documentation noting the change in Initial Operational Capability (IOC) date from quarter 4 of 2024 to quarter 4 of 2026 with the end of development related testing getting pushed to 2028, citing technical issues uncovered during flight testing and qualification. Despite this, the ultimate fate of the program is unclear.
What’s Next?
The absence of AARGM-ER would leave front line aviation assets in the U.S. Navy such as the F-35C, F/A-18E/F Super Hornet, and E/A-18G Growler without a truly advanced capability to counter adversary surface-to-air missile systems. The extent of consequences on allied AARGM-ER operators in the shape of Finish, Australian, Dutch, Norwegian, and Italian air forces is yet to be seen, but the potential absence of the main driver of procurement and program advancement in the shape of the U.S. would be likely to have negative downstream effects.
Further integration work on other aircraft types such as the P-8 Poseidon, the F-16, and Eurofighter Typhoon is also likely to be under further scrutiny. Additional casualties of the strategic pause could also include plans to integrate AARGM to be and submarine launched, which Naval News has previously reported on, or the Advanced Reactive Strike (AReS).
A potential candidate for AARGM-ER’s replacement upon cancellation is the Advanced Emission Supression Missile (AESM) program, which Naval News has also previously reported on. AESM was announced in February of this year, with stipulated requirements for carriage on the F-35Cs, F/A-18E/Fs, and E/A-18Gs and required to be the longest range, radar killing, stand-off munition to enter U.S. Navy service. The initial contract posting also expected demand to be roughly ~300 rounds a year, surpassing the peak procurement of AARGM-ER.
Northrop’s own Stand In Attack Weapon (SiAW) could represent another option for the Navy to pursue. However, SiAW is directly descended from the AARGM-ER program, evolving from a requirement handed down from the U.S. Air Force which required a standoff munition capable of hitting moving and time sensitive targets. It is unknown if SiAW is effected by any of the development issues present in the AARGM-ER program.
