The Stakes Have Been Raised Again,

as trials of the PL-15 missile are successful,

the latest missiles currently in favour are long range air to air missiles, a normal air to air missile has a range of up to roughly 30 miles, so when the Chinese air force showed it's PL-15, beyond visual range air-to-air missiles (BVRAAM) many people took notice, it is rumoured to have a range of up to 100 miles, on September 15, 2015, China successfully test fired its latest iteration, the PL-15, firing from a fighter to destroy a target drone,

speaking at the 2015 Air Force Association conference the same week as the test, USAF Air Combatant Commander General Hawk Carlisle cited the PL-15 as the reason for Congress to fund a new missile to replace the American AMRAAM, His reasons for concern is the PL-15's range, by incorporating a ramjet engine, its range could reach 150-200km, was well as its terminal maneuverability, that would out-range existing American air-to-air missiles, making the PL-15 not just a threat to fighters like the F-35, but also to US bombers and aerial tankers critical to American air operations across the vast Pacific, so I guess everyone is now playing a game of catch-up.