The Select Precision Effects At Range (SPEAR) Capability 3 is a future British air-to-ground and possibly anti-ship missile.[8][9] It had been planned to be operational in 2025.[10] However, in November 2021, Defence Procurement Minister Jeremy Quin told the House of Commons Select Defence Committee that full operating capability for SPEAR-3 on F-35 might not occur until 2028.[11]
| SPEAR3 | |
|---|---|
| Type | Air-to-surface missile Electronic warfare system Anti-ship missile |
| Place of origin | United Kingdom |
| Service history | |
| Used by | See Users |
| Production history | |
| Designer | MBDA UK |
| Manufacturer | MBDA UK |
| Specifications | |
| Mass | 220 lb (100 kg)[1][2] |
| Length | 71 in (1,800 mm) |
| Diameter | 7.1 in (180 mm) |
| Maximum firing range | 130 km |
| Engine | Turbojet engine[3] |
Operational range | 80 mi (130 km)[4][5][6] or 140km [7] |
Guidance system | Millimeter wave Active radar homing / Semi-active laser guidance / Infrared homing (using an uncooled imaging infrared camera) / GPS coupled Inertial guidance / Data-link |
Steering system | Flight control surfaces |
Launch platform | Typhoon (in progress) F-35B (contracted) |
MBDA UK was awarded an Assessment Phase contract for SPEAR 3, a standoff attack weapon.[12] This is specified to have a range of at least 100 km, although current figures for SPEAR indicate a range over 130 km (80+mi).[13][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,[14] and will feature a multimode seeker with INS/GPS guidance and datalink.[14] The assessment phase concluded with flight trials in 2014[14] on the Eurofighter Typhoon.[15] The missile is set to use the same Hamilton Sundstrand TJ-150 turbojet as the JSOW-ER.[13][N 2] MBDA has shown artwork of a three-missile launcher on a single Typhoon weapon station,[14] and four will fit with a Meteor air-to-air missile in each internal weapons bay of the F-35B.[14][16] In May 2016, the MOD awarded a £411 million contract to MBDA for the development of the air-launched SPEAR 3 missile.[17] SPEAR 3 will be integrated with the F-35 Block 4 software package and is also planned to be used on the Eurofighter Typhoon.[18]
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.[19]
MBDA is also proposing a SPEAR Electronic Warfare version (SPEAR EW), a SEAD attack version for the RAF.[20][21] Networked swarm capability for SPEAR missiles is in development.[22]
Guided missiles of the United Kingdom | |
|---|---|
| Air-to-air |
|
| Air-to-surface | |
| Surface-to-air | |
| Surface-to-surface |
|
| Nuclear |
|
1 Anglo-French 2 Anglo-Australian | |