{"id":54393,"date":"2021-01-06T16:40:39","date_gmt":"2021-01-06T16:40:39","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/defensenews\/uncategorized\/2021\/01\/06\/the-british-pick-mbdas-spear-3-cruise-missile-for-their-f-35s\/"},"modified":"2026-08-08T00:03:02","modified_gmt":"2026-08-08T00:03:02","slug":"the-british-pick-mbdas-spear-3-cruise-missile-for-their-f-35s","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/defensenews\/global\/europe\/2021\/01\/06\/the-british-pick-mbdas-spear-3-cruise-missile-for-their-f-35s\/","title":{"rendered":"The British pick MBDA\u2019s Spear 3 cruise missile for their F-35s"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">LONDON \u2014 British F-35B combat jets are to be equipped with a new mini cruise missile following the signing of a \u00a3550 million (U.S. $750 million) production contract by the Ministry of Defence and contractor MBDA, the company announced Jan. 6.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The deal should see the Spear 3 missile achieve initial operation capability on the aircraft in 2025, making it the primary air-to-ground weapon for the Lockheed Martin-built jets now coming into service with the Royal Navy and Royal Air Force.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">For the moment, the weapon, which has a range in excess of 140 kilometers, is destined to be fitted solely to the F-35B models. But that could change, with Ministry of Defence officials admitting there is a possibility Spear 3 might also eventually be installed on the Royal Air Force\u2019s fleet of Eurofighter Typhoon fighters.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cThere is growing recognition around the benefits of widening platform access and developing a range of Spear variants in order to maximize commonality within Spear, for both additional military capability and to meet potential demand from export customers,\u201d one defense official said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cThere is an aspirational requirement to integrate Spear 3 operational capability onto Eurofighter Typhoon, and both Italy and Germany [partners with Britain on the Typhoon program] are showing interest,\u201d the official added.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">A joint team of <a href=\"https:\/\/www.defensenews.com\/global\/europe\/2020\/11\/30\/germany-joins-nascent-european-push-to-shoot-down-hypersonic-missiles\/\">MBDA<\/a>, BAE Systems and the MoD have previously undertaken ground trials and fit checks on a Typhoon launcher carrying three missiles.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">MBDA\u2019s U.K. arm has already test fired Spear 3 from a Typhoon as far back as 2016. According to the company, guided firings of the weapon from a Typhoon in support of the Spear 3 development for the F-35B will start within 18 months.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Among the Spear variants thought to be interesting the MoD is an electronic warfare weapon.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">MBDA was awarded a technology demonstration contract in 2019 to investigate such an application. That deal has been extended, and work is currently ongoing in association with partner company Leonardo.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The new demonstration and production contract announced today follows the successful implementation of the \u00a3150 million weapon development contract placed in 2016 and a \u00a3411 million deal in 2019 for integrating Spear 3 onto the F-35.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Doug Barrie, the senior air analyst at the International Institute of Strategic Studies think tank in London, said the availability of the weapon will mark a significant step forward for the British F-35B strike power.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cSpear 3 is a key element of the U.K. F-35B air-to-surface capability, intended to provide a medium-range-powered weapon with a credible internal carriage load  against a broad target set,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">MBDA chief Eric Beranger said, \u201cstand-off, network enabled and swarming weapons are a key part of the MBDA vision \u2014 Spear is leading the way with these technologies and is the most technically advanced weapon of its type.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The seven-year demonstration and production contract will see missile and launcher manufacturing slated to begin in 2023.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The acronym Spear stands for \u201cselective precision effects at range\u201d. Spear variants 1 and 2 are the Raytheon Paveway IV precision-guided bomb and MBDA Brimstone missile, respectively.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The F-35B can carry up to eight Spear 3 missiles in its internal weapons bay and further missiles on the wing.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Like the Brimstone, it uses both millimeter-wave and semi-active laser seekers.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>The deal should see the Spear 3 missile achieve initial operational capability on the aircraft in 2025, making it the primary air-to-ground weapon for the Lockheed Martin-built jets now coming into service with the Royal Navy and Royal Air 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