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Pilots of the Royal Air Force and Royal Navy will be armed with a next-generation advanced cruise missile, SPEAR, following its first successful guided missile test, according to a statement from the UK Ministry of Defence.
SPEAR, a miniature next-generation cruise missile powered by a turbojet engine, completed testing after being launched from a Typhoon aircraft by BAE Systems at the Vidsel range in Sweden.
This latest trial marked the first deployment of the weapon system from an aircraft, representing a significant milestone in the development program.
The missile has a range of up to 100 km and is designed to strike mobile, relocatable, protected, or complex targets. Once operational, it will be integrated into the UK’s F-35B Lightning stealth fighters, enabling strikes from both land bases and Queen Elizabeth-class aircraft carriers.
Developed in the UK by MBDA, the SPEAR missile supports hundreds of jobs among MBDA’s 5,500 UK-based employees. The majority of design work is carried out in Stevenage and Bristol, with production located in Bolton.
Each Lightning aircraft will be capable of carrying up to eight SPEAR missiles simultaneously.
The SPEAR missile autonomously navigates to its target along a customizable route, using an advanced all-weather radar to map the target area and radio frequency imaging to ensure successful engagement.
Background
Earlier this year, during testing at the SaxaVord Spaceport in Scotland—Britain’s first licensed vertical rocket launch site—a rocket engine exploded, highlighting the challenges of missile and space system development.
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