Fifth-generation F-35B fighter has taken to the skies carrying the Spear 3 air-to-ground mini cruise missile for the first time presented as a major integration milestone, though it is worth noting that 16 years have passed since development began and initial operational capability had originally been planned for 2025.
The milestone was announced jointly by Lockheed Martin and MBDA, the manufacturers of the aircraft and the weapon respectively. The program is being developed for the British armed forces' air and naval requirements.
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The companies add that they will now proceed to mission systems integration and carriage trials, noting that this will provide British carrier-based combat aircraft with sovereign weapons capability.
From Defense Express's perspective, a closer look at the photos reveals that the fighter in question belongs to the U.S. Marine Corps inventory though there is nothing unusual about this, as the same arrangement is used for the integration of the European Meteor air-to-air missile for British requirements.
It is also worth noting that alongside four Spear 3 missiles in the internal weapons bay, one AIM-120 air-to-air missile is also visible. While no precise explanation for this configuration has been provided, it can be assumed that the test is verifying the ability to carry both weapon types simultaneously.
Work on the British mini missile began in the 2000s, with MBDA receiving a full development contract in 2010. It was first launched from a Eurofighter Typhoon in 2016. A range of over 100 km and a weight of up to 100 kg are declared.
The Spear 3 had originally been expected to reach full integration on the F-35B by 2025, a deadline that was subsequently pushed back first to 2028 and then to the early 2030s. There are no current plans to accelerate the process, in part because the issue is tied to problems with new American software under the broader F-35 program.
As a result, the F-35B carrier fighters that form the core of British carrier air wings remain without any weapons capable of engaging targets beyond 100 km. Interim solutions from the United States are therefore being considered.
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