The UK Ministry of Defence has signed a £ 550m contract with MBDA to purchase small SPEAR3 cruise missiles, which will be part of the UK’s future combat air capacity.
The missile system is 1.8 meters long and has a range of more than 140 kilometers. It can be operated by a jet engine, across land and sea, day or night, to overcome enemy air defence systems, while the pilot and aircraft remain at a safe distance.
The next-generation SPEAR3 missile can fly long distances at high subsonic speed, and over the next decade will become the primary air-to-ground weapon for the F-35.
SPEAR will be the main medium and long range weapon for the British F-35 fighter, which will enable it to defeat difficult targets such as long-range air defence systems.
