UK’s New SPEAR 3 Mini Cruise Missile Succeeds In First End-To-End Test
The SPEAR 3, a precision-guided standoff munition that the U.K. Ministry of Defense describes as the “cruise missile of the future,” has been test-fired, paving the way for it to arm British F-35B stealth fighters, as well as Typhoon multirole combat aircraft. While offering several key advantages over certain other comparable weapons, the SPEAR 3 program has been mired in delays for some time now, not all of which are the result of problems directly related to the missile. In the meantime, it’s now badly needed, with British F-35Bs having no standoff air-to-ground weapon for the time being.
As we have discussed before, the SPEAR 3 is essentially a miniature cruise missile, powered by a small Pratt & Whitney TJ-150-3 turbojet engine. Combined with pop-out wings, this allows it to hit targets at a reported range of more than 62 miles, flying at a high subsonic speed. Other accounts have attributed it with a range of more than 87 miles.
The missile uses a tri-mode seeker that offers radar, infrared, and laser homing. The SPEAR 3 can autonomously identify and prosecute targets, or target coordinates can be sent to the missile via datalink, exploiting the launch platform’s sensors or those of third parties. It can be used against mobile and relocatable targets, as well as ones that are more heavily defended, or otherwise challenging to prosecute. When striking its target via laser seeker — especially useful for moving targets — guidance can be provided by an aircraft overhead or by a suitably equipped team of soldiers on the ground nearby.
