The UK's 'missile of the future' for its F-35s has been delayed again
The UK's new missile, which its defense ministry has called the "cruise missile of the future," has been further delayed.
The SPEAR 3 air-to-surface cruise missile is intended for use by F-35B Lightnings in both the Royal Air Force and the Royal Navy. Its manufacturer, European multinational MBDA, says it will be the "primary air launched, precision effects, surface attack weapon" of the RAF.
But the missile's expected timeline for in-service capability has now been pushed back to the early 2030s, Maria Eagle, the UK's minister of state for defense procurement and industry, said.
In response to an opposition lawmaker, Eagle said theweapon program was "undergoing re-baselining," which means its progress is being reconsidered.
She said that a Review Note was expected toward the end of 2025, and "until that is approved, dates are considered draft and of low confidence."
"The estimated current timeline for in-service capability is expected to be early 2030s," she added.
This represents another in a series of delays for the project. The missiles were once expected to be integrated by 2025, which was then pushed back to the last quarter of 2028.
The SPEAR 3 missile was successfully launched from an aircraft for the first time last year, the RAF said. It was launched by a Eurofighter Typhon jet in a test over Sweden.
The RAF described the SPEAR missile as "a next generation turbojet-powered miniature cruise missile," to be used by both Royal Air Force and Royal Navy pilots.
It said each F-35B will be able to carry up to eight SPEAR missiles at a time.
The UK chose to develop its own cruise missile with MBDA after considering purchasing an available model from US defense company Raytheon.
The RAF said the missiles can hit targets at a distance of 62 miles, and MBDA said they will be effective against naval vessels, main battle tanks, ballistic missile launchers, and fast-moving vehicles, among other targets.
The missile also has a semi-active laser mode, which allows operators to designate a target using a laser, which the missile's seeker then follows.
Gustav Gressel, a missile expert at the National Defence Academy of the Austrian Armed Forces, described the latest SPEAR delay as part of a pattern.
"Aircraft armament in Europe, unfortunately, is a story of delays and cost overruns," he told Business Insider.
The UK has purchased 48 F-35Bs, made by Lockheed Martin, for use by both its air force and navy, though not all have been delivered. It intends to buy a total of 138 jets, though some reports have suggested that number could be reassessed amid cost concerns.
Some countries have said they are reconsidering their commitment to the F-35, as the US distances itself from longtime allies and amid speculation the US could make the jets ineffective by removing critical support.
But a UK Ministry of Defence spokesperson told Business Insider in March that the UK "maintains the freedom of action to operate the F-35 Lightning at a time and place of our choosing."
The RAF described SPEAR last year as part of a portfolio that supports $8.7 billion of planned investment in the UK weapons industry by the MOD over the next decade.
It said this included Brimstone, CAMM, Sea Viper, Sea Venom, and Storm Shadow.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Business Insider
22 minutes ago
- Business Insider
A NATO member U-turned on buying Black Hawks, suggesting Russia's war shows they aren't the best weapons to focus on
NATO member Poland has postponed its purchase of 32 S-70i Black Hawk helicopters, with military officials there suggesting the way Russia is fighting in Ukraine shows they're not the right equipment for it to focus on. General Wieslaw Kukula, the Polish armed forces chief of staff, said at a Friday press conference that "we have decided to change the priorities of the helicopter programs" in order to "better adapt to the challenges of future warfare," Reuters reported. Poland's deputy defense minister, Pawel Bejda, said on X that his country's military, pilots, and experts were analyzing the geopolitical situation, as well as "the war in Ukraine" and what Russia is buying and equipping its military with. Poland shares a land border with Ukraine. Grzegorz Polak, a spokesman for Poland's Armament Agency, which buys equipment for its military, told Reuters that its priorities needed "some correction" and that it might be necessary to buy other equipment instead of the helicopters, "such as drones, or tanks, or some kind of communication." He also told Polish outlet Defence24 that the armed force's priorities have changed amid evolving threats. Poland, like other European countries, has warned that Russia could attack elsewhere on the continent. Its prime minister, Donald Tusk, warned in March that Russia's big military investments suggest it's readying for a conflict with someone bigger than Ukraine in the next three to four years. Poland is already the highest spender on defense in NATO, as a proportion of its GDP, and has been a major ally of Ukraine throughout the invasion. Helicopters over Ukraine Helicopters have played a role in Russia's invasion, with both sides using them to counter drones, offer air support, and launch attacks. They were particularly effective for Ukraine against Russia's attempts to seize a key airfield shortly after the invasion began in February 2022, and for Russia during Ukraine's 2023 counteroffensive. But they have also proved vulnerable. The proliferation of air defenses has meant that they, like other aircraft, have had to hang back from frontline fighting more than in past conflicts, making them far less useful. Ukraine's success at taking down Russia's Ka-52 helicopters in 2023 meant Russia started using them less. Many were hit by US-provided M142 High Mobility Artillery Rocket System, or HIMARS. Reports suggest that Russia lost more than 100 helicopters in the first two years of the war. Ukraine has also destroyed some Russian helicopters at bases far from the front lines. Even so, losses could have been higher. Mark Hertling, a former commander of United States Army Europe, told BI in January that Russia has been "very poor" in the way it used helicopters and other air assets, but also that Ukraine's air-defense shortages have protected them. Andrew Curtis, an independent defence and security researcher who spent 35 years as a UK Royal Air Force officer, told BI last year that one lesson Western countries could take from the war is "about the vulnerability of helicopters in the modern battlefield where hiding and seeking is not a child's game, it's a matter of life and death." A helicopter strategy The S-70i is a variant of the UH-60 Black Hawk made by PZL Mielec, a Polish company owned by the US's Lockheed Martin. Poland's plan to buy them began in 2023, under a previous government. The aim was for the helicopters to be used for combat and logistics, and to work with AH-64E Apache Guardian attack helicopters ordered from the US. Bejda, the deputy defense minister, said the latest move did not involve terminating a contract, as one was never signed. But it has still led to some domestic issues. Mariusz Blaszczak, Poland's former defense minister, described the decision as a disgrace in a post on X, saying it would lead to job losses, delays in replacing the country's helicopter fleet, and a loss of interoperability because Poland's military already uses some Black Hawks. The postponement comes after Poland spent years investing in helicopter technology, including ordering 96 Apache Guardians in a deal signed last year, and 32 Leonardo AW149s in a deal signed in 2022. Bejda said Poland would still prioritize some helicopters, including training and combat helicopters, a heavy transport helicopter, and search and rescue helicopters. But the government, which took office at the end of 2023, clearly views increasing the fleet as less important than investing in other military assets. The war in Ukraine has led Western countries to boost their own defense spending and to change their priorities, including through buying more air defenses and drones, investing more in tanks, and even bringing back old types of training like trench warfare.
Yahoo
34 minutes ago
- Yahoo
Analysis-Trump's vision for a twin-engine F-55 fighter jet faces reality check
By Mike Stone WASHINGTON (Reuters) -U.S. President Donald Trump's vision of a new, twin-engine version of Lockheed Martin's F-35 fighter jet may need to be scaled back due to cost and engineering realities, according to two people familiar with the matter. Speaking in Doha last month, Trump said the new "F-55" would feature "two engines and a super upgrade on the F-35." However, there is a caveat, with Trump saying, "if we get the right price." Trump was not shown a twin-engine redesign of the F-35, the two sources said, speaking on condition of anonymity due to the sensitivity of the matter. Developing such a jet would require an extensive overhaul, running into billions of dollars and taking years to complete, the sources said. Lockheed Martin had briefed Trump on a possible upgrade to the F-35 during multiple meetings before the Doha event, the people said. The proposal included just one "advanced" engine, a redesigned nose and forward fuselage, and a new sensor suite. Trump's reference to the "F-55" - the designator of the jet - caught officials and industry insiders off guard, particularly the mention of twin engines, a feature Trump has said he prefers for safety in case one engine fails. Lockheed is exploring the development of two new fighter jet variations, according to industry experts and the two sources. The proposed F-55 emerges against a backdrop of intensifying global competition in military aviation. China continues rapid development of its J-36 and J-50 stealth fighters, while Russia advances its Su-57 program despite economic constraints. After Doha, Lockheed acknowledged Trump's comments with measured enthusiasm, stating, "We thank President Trump for his support of the F-35 and F-22 and will continue to work closely with the Administration to realize its vision for air dominance." A Wall Street analyst tracking what might replace Lockheed Martin's F-35, said "it sounds like Trump has asked DoD to consider a twin-engine variant of the F-35 'if we get the right price,'" according to a note from TD Cowen. TWO ENGINES? Shifting the F-55 to two engines would initiate a costly and lengthy redesign of the F-35's airframe - and while it would make the jet fast, it would delay production by years, industry experts and one of the people said. Lockheed CEO James Taiclet had told investors in an April call that the company was exploring a "fifth-generation-plus" fighter concept that would apply technologies developed for its unsuccessful F-47 bid to enhance the F-35 platform. These new technologies would make it much harder to export the F-55, the people said, adding that they are still highly controlled. "We're basically going to take the chassis and turn it into a Ferrari," Taiclet told analysts in April, claiming such an approach could deliver 80% of next-generation capability at half the cost. Boeing beat out Lockheed to win the contract for Next Generation Air Dominance (NGAD), now named the F-47 which will be America's first sixth-generation fighter and intended to replace Lockheed Martin's F-22 Raptor. PRODUCTION Because Lockheed lost the NGAD competition it is able to leverage its production plans for new jets. Lockheed had production spaces already lined up, the people said, and the president was made aware the company was poised to move ahead. "Lockheed is much further along than he realized," one of the people said. The timing of the F-55 announcement raises questions about how it fits into existing defense procurement plans and budgets. The Pentagon is already managing multiple high-cost aviation programs, including the ongoing F-35 program, the new F-47 development, and potentially the Navy's next generation carrier-based fighter jet - F/A-XX. For Lockheed Martin, the F-55 concept represents a critical opportunity to maintain relevance in the high-end fighter market after significant setbacks in next-generation competitions. Boeing's NGAD, which was just awarded and therefore is not in mass production yet, is expected to eclipse the F-22's capabilities, and so would F-55, the person said, making it a formidable fighter jet.
Yahoo
an hour ago
- Yahoo
Stock investors rejoice over China trade talks — and weak labor market data
S&P 500 futures edged up slightly this morning, reflecting cautious optimism among investors. Asian markets mostly rose while European markets were flat in early trading. Investor sentiment is being buoyed by U.S.-China trade talks in London and downward revisions to U.S. payroll estimates—suggesting the Fed may consider cutting interest rates later this year, a move typically supportive for stocks. S&P 500 futures traded up marginally this morning after most Asian markets rose and Europe stayed flat in early trading. Investors appear to be focused on two things which are both good for stocks: U.S.-China trade talks are happening in London today, offering some hope that tariff rates might eventually be lowered. Early signs of weakening U.S. labor market data indicate that the U.S. Federal Reserve may be tempted to cut interest rates later this year—and low rates are generally good for stocks. In the labor market data, analysts noted that there has been a series of downward revisions to initial payroll estimates, which indicates that the hard data is weakening even though the U.S. economy is still holding up well. 'Mr. Trump is right; the labor market will need substantial Fed easing soon,' Pantheon Macroeconomics' Samuel Tombs and Oliver Allen told clients in a research note. 'The pattern of downward revisions to initial estimates of payrolls has re-emerged with a vengeance.' At Daiwa Capital Markets, Lawrence Werther and Brendan Stuart said something similar: The Fed will take note of 'large downward revisions to recent payroll growth, disappointing data from the household survey obscured somewhat by a stable, low unemployment rate, and a pickup in layoffs, to name a few. Again, these are only a subset of the employment statistics – and in our view they do not portend an immediate collapse in hiring – but they do keep ajar the door to cuts later this year,' they said in a note seen by Fortune. And then there is government spending. Growth in fiscal spending is likely to slow, according to JPMorgan. That could also tempt the Fed to lower interest rates in order to make money cheaper. 'A less appreciated slowdown in US government spending and tightening in immigration policy are set to weigh on the expansion. … These policy shifts are largely a US story and are reflected in our forecast that a period of sustained above-potential US growth is over. However, this will also weigh on global growth,' Bruce Kasman and his team told clients. Here's a snapshot of the action prior to the opening in New York this morning: S&P 500 futures traded up marginally this morning. The index itself closed above 6,000 on Friday, re-achieving a level it last saw in February. It's up 2% YTD. The Stoxx Europe 600 and the UK's FTSE 100 were both flat in early trading. Hong Kong's Hang Seng closed up 1.63% this morning. South Korea's Kospi was up 1.55%. Japan's Nikkei 225 was up 0.92%. China's Composite was up 0.43%. This story was originally featured on Error in retrieving data Sign in to access your portfolio Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data
