SPEAR 3

MBDA was awarded an Assessment Phase contract for SPEAR 3, a standoff attack weapon.[8] This is specified to have a range of at least 100 km, although current figures for SPEAR indicate a range over 130 km (80+nm).[9][N 1] The weapon will make substantial reuse of technologies from the Brimstone precision strike missile that is used for engagements at shorter ranges. The 2 m (6.6 ft) weapon will fly at high-subsonic speed using a turbojet and wing kit,[10] and will feature a multimode seeker with INS/GPS guidance and datalink.[10] The assessment phase concluded with flight trials in 2014[10] on the Eurofighter Typhoon.[11] The missile is set to use the same Hamilton Sundstrand TJ-150 turbojet as the JSOW-ER.[9][N 2] MBDA has shown artwork of a three-missile launcher on a single Typhoon weapon station,[10] and four will fit with a Meteor air-to-air missile in each internal weapons bay of the F-35B.[10] In May 2016, the MOD awarded a £411 million contract to MBDA for the development of the air-launched SPEAR 3 missile.[12] SPEAR 3 will be integrated with the F-35 Block 4 software package and is also planned to be used on the Eurofighter Typhoon.[13]

SPEAR 3 missile - wings deployed

In March 2016, a SPEAR trials missile was launched from a Eurofighter Typhoon trials aircraft operated by BAE Systems at the QinetiQ Aberporth range in Wales. The missile transitioned through separation from the aircraft to powered flight before completing a series of manoeuvres, ending in a terminal dive to the desired point of impact. The missile accurately followed the planned trajectory and was well within simulation predictions; all trial objectives were achieved.[14]

MBDA is also proposing a SPEAR Electronic Warfare version (SPEAR EW), a SEAD attack version for the RAF.[15] Networked swarm capability for SPEAR missiles is in development.[16]

• Future of the Royal Air Force
• Future of the Royal Navy
• Small Diameter Bomb II

• SPEAR 3