An engine explosion caused the April 11, 2006, crash of an F-16 fighter from Luke AFB, Ariz., an Air Force investigation board concluded. According to the report, an engine valve malfunctioned, leading to the explosion and loss of engine thrust. The pilot, Capt. Jason Attaway, ejected safely. Attaway’s F-16 crashed into a cornfield within a couple of miles of the base.
The AIM-120 AMRAAM will likely be the complement to the AIM-260 Joint Advanced Tactical Missile, a Raytheon executive said. He characterized the JATM as an expensive, "kick-down-the-door" weapon, while he argued that AMRAAM is the more affordable missile to be used in larger quantities.