Interceptor · Air
AIM-9X Sidewinder
Infrared-guided air-to-air missile with high off-boresight engagement capability.
by RTX · First fielded 2003
- Milestones3
- Operators—
- Components—
- Programs—
- Capabilities—
- Inputs—
Timeline3
- First deliveryConfirmed
First production AIM-9X delivery ceremony
The ceremony unveiled the first production missile; this is not asserted to be the earliest public disclosure of AIM-9X.
- MilestoneConfirmed
Air Force AIM-9X IOC celebrated
The Navy and Raytheon celebrated achieved Air Force IOC at Elmendorf AFB. This date identifies the ceremony; the underlying declaration date is unspecified.
- Contract awardConfirmed
$1.1B Navy production contract (Block II)
The latest 10 milestones. Solid entries are confirmed, outlined reported, dashed estimated or still to come; dotted italic entries are speculative. Dates show only the precision the sources give.
In Service
- First fielded
- 2003
Cost to the Government
Missiles · RTX / Raytheon
AIM-9X Sidewinder
Published Air Force budget figures with the procurement scope retained; international orders and annual development funding are shown separately.
USAF flyaway / missile
$622,000
FY2027 discretionary request · Nominal USD; source budget basis
P-40 resource summary, USAF only. Nominal dollar years and annual purchase sizes differ. The FY2027 figure excludes the separately requested mandatory funding; it is not an all-service or lifetime average.
U.S. Air Force ↗U.S. inventory
Not verified
A current U.S. inventory was not established. Annual procurement, cumulative deliveries and production capacity are not a stockpile count.
USAF discretionary purchase request
648
FY2027 · U.S. only; stated source scope
Requested missiles, not deliveries or inventory. Mandatory purchases are shown separately where specified.
U.S. Air Force ↗Annual RDT&E funding
$66.3M / yr
FY2025 · FY2025 budget book · Nominal USD; source budget basis
Missiles & Munitions 5-6. Annual research, development, test and evaluation funding in the March 2024 budget presentation; FY2024 and FY2025 are request figures. Not a lifetime R&D total or actual expenditure.
DoD Comptroller ↗Cost & funding breakdown
USAF gross weapon-system unit figure
$647,000
FY2027 discretionary request · Nominal USD; source budget basis
Includes procurement support allocated in the P-40 table. Not an export-package price.
U.S. Air Force ↗Annual purchases are not the stockpile
The budget book separates discretionary procurement from mandatory funding. Neither requested quantity measures missiles remaining after training, transfers or use. Historical unit figures retain their source dollar year.
Operations & sustainment
Annual operations & support
Not verified
A complete, system-specific annual operating and support cost was not established. Procurement, replacement rounds and contract support are different measures.
Cost over time · 6 observations
Each row retains its original scope and dollar basis. Changing quantities, service life and inflation can change the estimate without changing the price of building one unit.
| Observation | Measure | Amount | Dollar basis | Evidence |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| FY2025 · PB2027 discretionary table | USAF flyaway / missile P-40 resource summary, USAF only. Nominal dollar years and annual purchase sizes differ. The FY2027 figure excludes the separately requested mandatory funding; it is not an all-service or lifetime average. | $505,000 | Nominal USD; source budget basis | U.S. Air Force ↗ |
| FY2026 · PB2027 discretionary table | USAF flyaway / missile P-40 resource summary, USAF only. Nominal dollar years and annual purchase sizes differ. The FY2027 figure excludes the separately requested mandatory funding; it is not an all-service or lifetime average. | $486,000 | Nominal USD; source budget basis | U.S. Air Force ↗ |
| FY2027 discretionary request | USAF flyaway / missile P-40 resource summary, USAF only. Nominal dollar years and annual purchase sizes differ. The FY2027 figure excludes the separately requested mandatory funding; it is not an all-service or lifetime average. | $622,000 | Nominal USD; source budget basis | U.S. Air Force ↗ |
| FY2023 · FY2025 budget book | Annual RDT&E funding Missiles & Munitions 5-6. Annual research, development, test and evaluation funding in the March 2024 budget presentation; FY2024 and FY2025 are request figures. Not a lifetime R&D total or actual expenditure. | $66.4M / yr | Nominal USD; source budget basis | DoD Comptroller ↗ |
| FY2024 · FY2025 budget book | Annual RDT&E funding Missiles & Munitions 5-6. Annual research, development, test and evaluation funding in the March 2024 budget presentation; FY2024 and FY2025 are request figures. Not a lifetime R&D total or actual expenditure. | $78.4M / yr | Nominal USD; source budget basis | DoD Comptroller ↗ |
| FY2025 · FY2025 budget book | Annual RDT&E funding Missiles & Munitions 5-6. Annual research, development, test and evaluation funding in the March 2024 budget presentation; FY2024 and FY2025 are request figures. Not a lifetime R&D total or actual expenditure. | $66.3M / yr | Nominal USD; source budget basis | DoD Comptroller ↗ |
Contracts & purchasing · 1 records
Award values, ceilings and purchase agreements have different meanings. These records are not added together as total spending.
2025-06-04 · Production award
U.S. Navy → RTX / Raytheon
$1.1B · quantity not established
Block II production. The announcement gives a 2,500-per-year production goal, not the number bought under this award.
RTX ↗
Connected missiles & systems
Air-defense system and missile
NASAMS →Manufacturer lists supported missile families; individual national configurations vary.
Kongsberg ↗Launcher and interceptor
IFPC Increment 2 / Enduring Shield
Army FY2027 IFPC procurement explicitly includes AIM-9X interceptors and magazines.
U.S. Army ↗
International buyers
No international purchase documented in this review.
Coverage & open research
- Current U.S. inventory and complete annual operating-and-support costs require additional public evidence.
- Buyer records are selected examples, not a complete global order book.
- The displayed R&D reference is annual funding or a specified multi-year request window, not a verified lifetime total.
- Additional primary-source international purchase and delivery records remain to be reviewed.
- Unit cost (per round)Confirmed$507KThen-year $ · 504 units
Army IFPC Inc 2 AIM-9X interceptor buy (via Navy/Raytheon contract), FY 2027 request P-5: $507.050K per missile for 504 (FY2025 $586.222K; FY2026 $516.513K). Navy/Air Force WPN/Missile Procurement books not machine-fetchable.
Source - Unit cost (per round)Reported$472KEstimate / observation: 2020-02-18 · Then-year $ · FY2021
FY2021 Air Force budget request average unit price for AIM-9X (Block II and Block II+) as reported by The War Zone from official budget documents; Navy FY2021 average was $430,818 (not recorded separately: same natural key).
Source
| Fiscal year | Appropriation | Request | Enacted | Qty | Budget line | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| FY2027 | RDT&E | $221M | — | — | — | SourceConfirmed |
| FY2027 | Procurement | $594M | — | 954 | — | SourceConfirmed |
| FY2027 | Total | $815M | — | 954 | — | SourceConfirmed |
| FY2026 | RDT&E | $121M | $120M | — | — | SourceConfirmed |
| FY2026 | Procurement | $185M | $235M | 319 | — | SourceConfirmed |
| FY2026 | Total | $306M | $355M | 319 | — | SourceConfirmed |
| FY2025 | RDT&E | — | $66.3M | — | — | SourceConfirmed |
| FY2025 | Procurement | — | $188M | 293 | — | SourceConfirmed |
| FY2025 | Total | — | $254M | 293 | — | SourceConfirmed |
Unit costs and contract unit prices for this system, and budget figures for the programs that buy it. Each figure states its dollar basis and links its source; contract values are under Programs & awards.