Lessons from recent conflicts have reinforced the need to be able to precisely engage targets in all weathers from increased stand-off ranges. Achieving this effect, whilst ensuring platform and crew survivability, requires missiles that can strike at targets long before the platform is vulnerable to the enemy defences.
At Farnborough International Airshow, MBDA has demonstrated the increasing maturity of its miniature cruise missile, SPEAR - the next-generation air-launched surface attack weapon that provides an all-weather precision effect, with the benefit of high platform load outs. SPEAR reaches beyond the horizon, to ensure that the launch aircraft remains safely away from hostile air defences.
A leap in maturity and versatility
SPEAR is a mature weapon that is transitioning from rigorous testing to operational readiness. Manufacturing of the missile has already begun in 2026 with Low-Rate Initial Production (LRIP), and the first deliveries of operational missiles will take place in early 2027.
This follows a comprehensive program of development and certification that has ranged from performance modelling in the lab, all the way through to live guided firings to prove the overall effectiveness of the weapon.
Earlier this year saw the first flight of SPEAR on the F-35B, undertaking environmental data gathering using a 4-pack launcher designed for use in the bay, as an important part of the overall integration of the missile onto the aircraft.
To date, the live firings have taken place from Typhoon, using a specially designed trials launcher. MBDA have used the knowledge gained during these trials to invest in the development of an operational 3-pack launcher enabling employment of SPEAR from external hardpoints, suitable for use with 4th Generation and uncrewed platforms. MBDA are on track to have a certified and ready to use launcher in early 2027. This will enable SPEAR to be employed from a wide range of current and future platforms.
Recent commitments to collaborate on weapons and integration on uncrewed systems are an example of identifying the growing customer pull for SPEAR to be integrated onto more platforms.
MBDA have already undertaken fit checks on a number of platforms beyond F-35 and Typhoon: important first steps in showing the practicality of fitting the missile on these platforms.
Advanced Capabilities: Beyond the Horizon
The defining characteristics of SPEAR are its ability to provide long-range, all-weather, networked, survivable precision strike capabilities while keeping the launch platform safe at a safe distance. These advantages are explained below:
- Intelligent Targeting and Autonomy
At the heart of SPEAR is a sophisticated millimetric active seeker, as well as a laser seeker which provide flexibility when engaging targets. Built using MBDA’s years of expertise in seeker technology, it is designed for "fire-and-forget" missions, utilising advanced algorithms to identify and engage targets with a high degree of precision, enabling engagements in highly congested target areas in all weather conditions
- Increasing Weapon Load out
By optimising the missile's size without sacrificing lethality, SPEAR allows aircraft to carry a larger number of missiles. This increased capacity, along with a multi-effects warhead, ensures that a single sortie can strike multiple targets, boosting the pace at which a commander can progress an air campaign
- Network Enabled Weapon
SPEAR’s datalink enables a high level of flexibility for the operator, as details of the target can be updated whilst the missile is in flight, allowing mobile and re-locatable targets to be engaged in highly contested environments.
- Long Range
SPEAR’s turbojet provides a range in excess of 100km which is class leading for the size of missile. When combined with the high load out that its small size enables, it allows a platform to engage a high number of targets per sortie whilst keeping the platform beyond the range of enemy defences.
The Future
Entering production is only the beginning of the journey for SPEAR. A number of different versions are under development including SPEAR-EW, which is a variant specifically designed to decoy and defeat air defence radars to enable platforms and missiles to operate safely deep in enemy territory. SPEAR Glide, is a low-cost utility version with a simplified architecture and larger warhead to answer the demand for affordable effectors that can be manufactured at scale. MBDA have also demonstrated their ability to integrate their Orchestrike AI technology into the missile to enable collaborative behaviours which allow swarms of missiles to react to changes on the battlefield in real time.
As the landscape of modern warfare evolves, the requirement for scalable, networked, and long-range precision weapons is a necessity. With the transition to Production and integration options across a diverse fleet of platforms, SPEAR represents a fundamental shift in tactical flexibility. By enabling launch platforms to stand off from defences without sacrificing lethality, MBDA is providing air forces worldwide with the critical edge needed to dominate contested environments and ensure mission success in the most challenging conditions.