Naval Air Systems Command is exploring a major ramp-up in production of its new anti-radar missile. The service wants to know if industry can supply up to 600 Advanced Emission Suppression Missiles (AESM) annually, a significant increase from current output.
The move signals a priority shift toward suppressing enemy air defenses in contested environments. As peer competitors field more sophisticated radar systems, the ability to rapidly degrade those networks has become central to U.S. naval strike planning. Missiles like the AESM are designed to home in on and destroy radar emissions, blinding adversary systems.
Allied and rival navies are watching closely. NATO partners may benefit from expanded production runs through Foreign Military Sales, while potential adversaries face a harder problem concealing their air defenses. China and Russia have invested heavily in layered radar networks, challenging U.S. assumptions about air superiority.
No contract value or budget allocation was disclosed. The request for information is the first step toward a formal solicitation; a procurement timeline has not been set. If approved, the accelerated production could reshape the missile industrial base.
Some analysts caution that surging production without commensurate testing risks fielding a system that underperforms against advanced emitters. The Navy has not released flight-test data for the AESM, and questions remain about its ability to counter next-generation jamming.