The UK flight-tested the in-development SPEAR-3 air-to-ground guided cruise missile for the first time last month.
A BAE Systems-operated Eurofighter Typhoon jet launched the MBDA UK missile at the Vidsel range in Sweden, marking a major development milestone.
The trial demonstrated the missile’s release, gather, and long-range free-flight control following a high-altitude, high-speed release.
“This guided firing represents a major step in the capability development of the SPEAR programme and is the first in a campaign of firings to demonstrate the missile’s capabilities,” UK Ministry of Defence Senior Responsible Owner for SPEAR Dean Pask said.
Suppression of Enemy Air Defense
The missile has been under development since 2016 and is being designed specifically to fit into the internal bay of the F-35B stealth fighter aircraft as a part of its Block 4 upgrades.
A maximum of eight SPEAR missiles can be carried by the vertical landing and short takeoff F-35B, providing the carrier-borne jet with next-generation standoff air-to-ground capability to take out enemy air defenses in challenging and complex operating environments.
The turbojet-powered missile is designed to hit fast-moving and well-defended targets, such as air defense units, ballistic missile launchers, main battle tanks, naval vessels, and armored personnel carriers.
Additional Features
The missile is just two meters (6.56 feet) long and has a diameter of 18 centimeters (7 inches).
It has an estimated range of 100 kilometers (62 miles) and uses both an inertial navigation system and GPS for midcourse guidance.
“SPEAR autonomously navigates to the target via customisable routes using its advanced all-weather radar seeker to map the target area and radio-frequency imagery to successfully engage it,” the Royal Air Force explained in a press release.
The missile’s planned full operational capability has been moved forward from 2025 to 2028.
“This trial was a key step on the way to delivering SPEAR to the UK frontline, where it will provide a new capability to defeat the most complex air defense systems, enabling pilots to fly and fight wherever they’re needed in defense of the UK and its allies,” SPEAR Team Leader at Defence Equipment & Support Matthew Brown added.
