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Yahoo
3 hours ago
- Politics
- Yahoo
Royal Navy To Arm Its Carriers With Long-Range Missiles
The United Kingdom has outlined plans for its future carrier air wing, which should include drones and undisclosed long-range missiles that would be launched from its deck, alongside the F-35B stealth fighters that currently go aboard its two flattops. While there have been ongoing efforts to trial drones aboard the two Queen Elizabeth class aircraft carriers, the long-range weapons, and the broader effort stressing the combination of 'high and low' capabilities in the future carrier air wing are new developments. What are described as 'the first European hybrid air wings' are laid out in brief in the latest Strategic Defense Review, published yesterday by the U.K. Ministry of Defense. 'The Royal Navy must continue to move towards a more powerful but cheaper and simpler fleet, developing a 'high-low' mix of equipment and weapons that exploits autonomy and digital integration,' the review states. 'Carrier strike is already at the cutting edge of NATO capability, but much more rapid progress is needed in its evolution into 'hybrid' carrier air wings, whereby crewed combat aircraft (F-35B) are complemented by autonomous collaborative platforms in the air, and expendable, single-use drones. Plans for the hybrid carrier air wings should also include long-range precision missiles capable of being fired from the carrier deck.' That the F-35B remains the cornerstone of the carrier air wing's strike capability is no surprise. The Queen Elizabeth class carriers were tailored for operations involving the short takeoff and vertical landing (STOVL) jet, although there remain questions about exactly how many of these aircraft the United Kingdom will procure. In the past, the U.K. government said it planned to buy 138 F-35Bs. So far, however, firm orders have only been placed for 48. Meanwhile, the previous Conservative government confirmed it was negotiating to buy another 27 for delivery by 2033. Most analysts consider that many more than 48 F-35Bs would be required to meet the ambition of 24 jets available for the baseline Carrier Strike mission, across both ships. Considering training and other demands, a figure of 60-70 jets is generally thought to be reasonable. In the meantime, U.S. Marine Corps F-35Bs are being relied upon to make up the required aircraft numbers during carrier cruises. The review concludes only that 'More F-35s will be required over the next decade.' However, it doesn't put any final number on the Joint Strike Fighter buy. Moreover, it suggests that the future Lightning force could comprise a mix of conventional takeoff and landing (CTOL) F-35As and F-35Bs. The F-35A, of course, is unable to operate from aircraft carriers, but such a mix could be adopted 'according to military requirements to provide greater value for money.' The F-35A is not currently operated by the United Kingdom. The F-35A is less expensive than the F-35B and, apart from STOVL, is more capable, boasting superior range and payload. The F-35A is also a 9G-capable jet, while the F-35B is cleared for 7.5G. Some commentators have taken the reference to a potential U.K. F-35A buy as evidence of plans to join the NATO nuclear sharing arrangement, under which these aircraft are provided with U.S.-owned B61-12 tactical nuclear bombs. However, the review doesn't mention this possibility, or any plans to field tactical nuclear weapons. Should the United Kingdom choose to buy F-35As, it might even threaten the future of the Global Combat Air Program (GCAP), the future air combat initiative at the heart of which is the Tempest crewed stealth fighter. Regardless of its impact on that, it would leave the Royal Navy struggling to meet its Carrier Strike demands. With that in mind, it would likely have to rely much more heavily on drones and long-range weapons. In regard to these, the review outlines 'autonomous collaborative platforms in the air [and] single-use drones' as part of the hybrid carrier air wing of the future. The Royal Navy has, for some time now, been looking at ways to integrate drones into its future carrier air wing. Back in 2023, the Royal Navy revealed details of its intention to fit its two carriers with assisted launch systems and recovery gear, enabling operations by a variety of fixed-wing uncrewed aircraft and, potentially, also conventional takeoff and landing crewed types. 'We are looking to move from STOVL to STOL, then to STOBAR [short takeoff but arrested recovery], and then to CATOBAR [catapult assisted takeoff but arrested recovery],' Col. Phil Kelly, the Royal Navy's Head of Carrier Strike and Maritime Aviation, told the Combined Naval Event conference in 2023. ' We are looking at a demonstrable progression that spreads out the financial cost and incrementally improves capability.' Even before this, there had been indications that the service wanted to at least explore adding different drones to its future carrier air wing. The United Kingdom is not alone in this, with China and Turkey, most notably, also increasingly putting drones aboard big-deck amphibious warfare vessels and other non-conventional-takeoff-and-landing aircraft carriers. The Royal Navy kicked off the project with tests of the General Atomics Mojave short takeoff and landing (STOL), drone aboard the carrier HMS Prince of Wales in late 2023, as you can read about here. The Mojave's impressive STOL capabilities mean that no launch and recovery systems were required for these tests. The 'cat and trap' plan for drone operations aboard U.K. carriers is known as Project Ark Royal (named after the Royal Navy's last aircraft carrier that was capable of CATOBAR operations). If realized, the project will see the Queen Elizabeth class carriers start to operate drones able to undertake a variety of missions and then increasingly heavier, complex, and higher performance ones. Later on, full CATOBAR capability could also add fixed-wing crewed aircraft, too. After the Mojave trials, the next phase of Project Ark Royal aims to install some kind of recovery system on the Queen Elizabeth design, allowing operations by larger fixed-wing drones. Uncrewed aircraft in this category are an aspiration that the Royal Navy is already working toward under Project Vixen, which you can read more about here. Finally, the Queen Elizabeth class design is planned to be reworked with catapult launch gear, allowing the warships 'to operate the heaviest aircraft you can imagine,' in the words of Col. Kelly. That would include larger, high-performance drones, but potentially also crewed fixed-wing aircraft, which would be a very significant development for the Queen Elizabeth class. As it stands, the carriers are unable to operate fixed-wing airborne early warning aircraft or airborne tankers, putting limits on their offensive operations. In the future, these functions could potentially be taken on by a catapult-launched fixed-wing aircraft, whether crewed or uncrewed. A replacement for the carrier air wing's airborne early warning capability will become especially urgent, with plans to retire the current Merlin Crowsnest helicopter, which currently fulfills this role, at the end of 2029. According to previous reports, the Royal Navy has already been looking at different catapult launch solutions, including the U.S.-developed Electromagnetic Aircraft Launch System (EMALS), the introduction of which has been far from trouble-free, as well as the U.K.-developed Electro Magnetic Kinetic Induction Technology demonstrator. Finding room for complex launch and recovery systems, as well as fielding the manpower to maintain and operate them, will be a challenge no matter how much extra space the vessels have to accommodate them. As we have explored in the past, there are many more technological hurdles for the Royal Navy to overcome, beyond the launch and recovery systems. It will also need to develop control stations, datalinks, unique procedures, and much more to ensure the drones can be safely and effectively integrated within the carrier air group, for example. Even working out the intricacies of deck handling and flow integration involving drones combined with crewed fixed-wing jets and helicopters will be a considerable effort. The Queen Elizabeth class has a notably wide deck, but there's no angled landing area, which would enable simultaneous launch and recovery operations. Also unclear is to what degree drones could operate from the carriers' existing takeoff ramps, which are required to make the maximum use of the STOVL F-35B. Ultimately, however, the Royal Navy might look to a loyal-wingman-type drone, of the kind that the U.S. Navy is working on under its Collaborative Combat Aircraft (CCA) program. These uncrewed aircraft will be highly autonomous but still designed primarily to work closely together with crewed platforms, at least initially. In the past, the U.S. Navy has said it wants to have uncrewed platforms make up the majority of its future carrier air wings, with up to 60 percent of all aircraft on each flattop being pilotless in the coming decade or two. The kinds of ambitions the U.S. Navy has for its CCAs would certainly seem to tally with the aspiration to field 'autonomous collaborative platforms' aboard the U.K. carriers. Last year, General Atomics presented a vision for how a new uncrewed aircraft, a carrier-capable member of its Gambit drone family, could fit into a future air wing aboard the Queen Elizabeth class carriers. A rendering, shown below, featured a catapult-equipped HMS Prince of Wales with a Gambit-series drone ready to launch. The rendering also depicts an air wing that includes carrier-capable MQ-9B drones fitted with a STOL kit, a separate concept that General Atomics unveiled in 2022, as well as F-35Bs. 'We first started thinking of this as a carrier-capable version of Gambit 2, our air-to-air UCAV [uncrewed combat air vehicle] variant, so that's what is reflected on the Farnborough booth graphics,' C. Mark Brinkley, a General Atomics spokesman, told TWZ at the time. 'Lately, we've been thinking of it as a new concept we're calling Gambit 5, designed for carrier launch and recovery, but weapons delivery need not be a primary requirement. It could be ISR [intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance] focused, like Gambit 1, or even some hybrid.' Other options for the Royal Navy might include a version of the U.S. Navy's MQ-25 Stingray, which is initially being developed for aerial refueling, but which could potentially be adapted for other missions, including surveillance and electronic warfare, and even strike. As well as the MQ-25, the MQ-28 Ghost Bat, a loyal-wingman-type drone designed by Boeing's Australian subsidiary, seems to have attracted some official interest in the United Kingdom. In February, Rear Adm. James Parkin, Director Develop for the Royal Navy, gave a presentation that included a slide with a Boeing rendering showing a variant or derivative of the MQ-28 with a visible tailhook landing on a Queen Elizabeth class carrier. .@RoyalNavy briefing on future unmanned rotary capabilities at #IMHelicon, but note the carrier landing MQ-28 Ghost Bat… #drone #drones — Gareth Jennings (@GarethJennings3) February 21, 2023 Outside of larger drones (and potentially even CTOL crewed aircraft), the review also sees a place for 'single-use drones' aboard the carriers. Already, the Royal Navy has conducted trials involving smaller, jet-powered drones, with the QinetiQ Banshee Jet 80+, best known as a target drone, being launched from HMS Prince of Wales in 2021. An adaptation of this, or a similar drone, could fulfill this role. The Banshee can be launched using a portable catapult from the deck of the carrier, and — provided it's not expended — it can be recovered via parachute and land in the water after completing its mission. The Royal Navy's experiments with smaller carrier-based drones are being carried out under Project Vampire, which specifies the use study of 'lightweight, fixed-wing carrier-borne crewless autonomous systems,' for which the twin-jet-engine-powered Banshee provides a useful surrogate. Operational drones in this class could provide the carrier air wing with important new vectors for carrying out missions, including strike, electronic warfare, and surveillance. Notably, after its appearance on the Prince of Wales, an operationalized version of the Banshee appeared in combat in Ukraine, as you can read about here. Most intriguingly, the hybrid air wing should, 'eventually,' also feature 'long-range missiles capable of being fired from the carrier deck,' the report recommends. The explicit mention of a missile (rather than a drone) suggests that the Royal Navy is looking at the option of launching a cruise missile from the carrier, perhaps even a hypersonic weapon. A ballistic missile is also a possibility, albeit less likely. Currently, only the Russian Navy operates a carrier with provision to launch its own cruise missiles, something you can read about in depth here. However, in recent years, there have been questions about whether the P-700 missile tubes on the Admiral Kuznetsov were still active, let alone whether they were filled with live rounds of the anti-ship missiles. This is more or less academic now, anyway, with the Admiral Kuznetsov out of operational service since mid-2022 and little sign that this will change anytime soon. While the Admiral Kuznetsov was outfitted with cruise missiles to maximize the offensive weapons that could be directed against U.S. Navy Carrier Battle Groups and high-value convoys, the Royal Navy would likely be looking to add an additional land-attack capability to its carriers. On the other hand, a dual-use missile could also be a possibility, especially with a resurgence of interest in anti-surface warfare. Long-range cruise missiles would also not have to be stowed in below-decks launchers, as in the Admiral Kuznetsov, which would require significant changes to the internal layout of the boat, but could instead be fired from the flight deck using a truck, trailer, or container-based launcher. Currently, the Royal Navy uses conventionally armed Tomahawk cruise missiles to arm its Astute class nuclear-powered attack submarines. However, it also plans to provide a Tomahawk capability on its forthcoming Type 26 and Type 31 frigates, via the Mk 41 Vertical Launch System (VLS). The current Type 45 destroyer also has the potential to be retrofitted with a Tomahawk capability. The Tomahawk has a range of around 1,000 miles with a 1,000-pound unitary warhead. Meanwhile, the United Kingdom is increasingly looking at new long-range strike weapons, notably a 'deep precision strike' weapon with a range of over 2,000 kilometers (1,243 miles) that it is pursuing with Germany. While details of the missile are yet to be finalized, it could well be developed with the option to be fired from carrier decks as well as ground launchers. New heights in military cooperation – Defence Ministers Healey & Pistorius agreed: develop 2,000km Deep Precision Strike Capability joint procurement of Sting Ray torpedoes for P-8 Poseidon aircraft strategic land systems partnership continue BOXER co-operation — German Embassy London (@GermanEmbassy) May 16, 2025 Whatever happens, there's no doubt that these plans for the so-called hybrid air wings are full of technological challenges. Not only will it be complex to introduce these new capabilities on vessels that were not originally designed for them, but it will be a very costly endeavor. Coming at a time when there are many competing high-profile U.K. defense programs, it remains unclear how realistic these aspirations are, from a fiscal perspective. Contact the author: thomas@
Yahoo
4 hours ago
- Politics
- Yahoo
The Marine Corps' oldest flying squadron flew its last Harrier jump jet flight as the unit's pilots ready to fly new F-35 stealth fighters
The Marines will rebrand a squadron as pilots switch to the F-35B Lightning II. The transition from the AV-8B Harrier to the F-35B is part of modernization. The change is part of service-wide plans to enhance capabilities for modern Pacific warfare. The Marine Corps will soon rebrand a storied aviation squadron as its pilots switch to a new jet designed for next-level warfare. Amid ongoing changes to the Corps, the North Carolina-based Marine Attack Squadron 231 will be renamed "Marine Fighter Attack Squadron 231." The squadron, identified as the service's oldest flying squadron, was formed just after World War I, and it adopted the Harrier jump jet in the mid-1980s. With VMA-231's rebranding, the unit's pilots will no longer fly the AV-8B Harrier, an aircraft known for its short and vertical take-off and landing capabilities. The Corps is doing away with the plane, preferring the new fifth-generation F-35B Lightning II Joint Strike Fighters. Marines fly the stealth jet's B variant built for short runways and big-deck amphibious assault ships. VMA-231, known as the "Ace of Spades," will be deactivated later this year and then reactivated as VMFA-231 in the next fiscal year. The aviation unit completed its last Harrier flight last Thursday at Marine Corps Air Station Cherry Point, according to a news release out Monday. "Everybody knows that VMA-231 is transitioning to F-35s," said the unit's commanding officer, Lt. Col. Paul Truog, stressing that the final Harrier flight was not a "sad day" and asserting that "the Wing, the [Marine Aircraft Group], and the squadron are going to be more capable of responding to any crisis." The Corps has already phased out training for the aviation mechanics responsible for Harrier engine maintenance and for Harrier pilots amid the push to field fifth-generation fighters. In previous discussions with BI, Marine pilots have characterized the newer F-35 as a game-changing capability. The changes come as the Corps remains deep in its transformation, a process to move from fielding a force built to fight counterinsurgencies to one made for modern warfare in the Pacific. It's a shift made all the more difficult by major logistical hurdles in the region and fast changing battlefields being radically shaped by AI and drone technology. Along with the Harrier, the Corps has put F/A-18 Hornets on the chopping block to make way for the F-35. The Hornet made up over half of the Corps' tactical air capabilities in 2022, according to and has been a go-to aircraft for the Marines and the Navy for both offensive and defensive needs. But there's a growing recognition that future fights could demand next-generation capabilities. In its statement on changes to VMA-231, the Marine Corps said "the squadron's transition from the legacy AV-8B Harrier II to the F-35B Lightning II Joint Strike Fighter is representative of 2nd MAW's ongoing modernization efforts to meet the needs of the future fight," referring to the 2nd Marine Air Wing. The Corps' "Force Design" plans, announced in 2020 amid much controversy, has already seen the service scrap its scout sniper program and tanks in an all-out effort to shed any capability deemed less urgent for the Pacific, and it has also rolled out new units in Hawaii and Japan specially formed for fighting along the Pacific's formidable island chains. Read the original article on Business Insider
Yahoo
a day ago
- Yahoo
Marine squadron conducts its final Harrier flight in switch to F-35
A Marine Attack Squadron has flown its final Harrier flight and is set for official deactivation in September at Marine Corps Air Station Cherry Point, North Carolina. The Marine Attack Squadron VMA 231, known as the 'Ace of Spades,' flew its final AV-8B Harrier II flight May 29, according to a Marine release. 'Today is not a sad day,' Lt. Col. Paul Truog, current commanding officer of VMA-231, said in the release. 'This is a momentous day for Marine aviation. It's a day that we're going to celebrate.' The squadron will transition to the F-35B Lightning II aircraft, a fifth generation fighter jet. 'Everybody knows that VMA-231 is transitioning to F-35s. The Wing, the [Marine Aircraft Group], and the squadron are going to be more capable of responding to any crisis,' Truog said in his remarks. 'But that capability is not just because it's our most technically advanced weapons system. That capability is because of the Marines and the pilots that, in record amounts, raise their hands saying, 'I want to continue on, I want to keep moving forward.'' What Marine Corps aviation has in store over the next five years The Corps expects to have a full-fifth generation fleet in their tactical aircraft by 2030. The Harrier is one of two jets that the F-35 is replacing. It is slated to fly until 2027. The other aircraft is the F/A-18 Hornet, which is expected to fly until 2030, when all F-35s are expected to be operational. Marine Fighter Attack Squadron, VMFA 542, 2nd Marine Aircraft Wing, also at Cherry Point, received its first F-35B in May 2023 and reached initial operational capability with the aircraft in February 2024. Once the unit reaches full operational capability, it will contain six squadrons with 10 planes per squadron. But that number could increase, depending on future mission requirements, basing and funding. The F-35B is a short-takeoff and vertical-landing variant of the aircraft. The F-35C is a long-range jet. Marine Fighter Attack Squadron, VMFA 314, Marine Aircraft Group 11, 3rd Marine Air Wing at Miramar, California, reached full operational capability with its F-35C in July 2021 — the first unit to do so among all military branches. The squadron deployed aboard ship the following year, supporting all 31st Marine Expeditionary Unit and West Coast MEU deployments. In 2022, the Corps set procurement goals of 353 F-35B and 67 F-35C for a total of 420 aircraft at a rate of roughly 20 per year. Those aircraft will eventually fill out a planned 18 active component squadrons across the Corps.
Newsweek
22-05-2025
- Politics
- Newsweek
US Stealth Jet Carrier Patrols Waters Near China
Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources. Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content. An American amphibious warship—capable of carrying stealth fighter aircraft—has been patrolling the East China Sea, where Japan, a United States ally, has territorial disputes with China. Newsweek has contacted the Chinese Ministry of Defense for comment via email. Why It Matters The East China Sea lies to the west of the First Island Chain—formed by Japan, Taiwan, and the Philippines. This defensive line, conceived as part of a U.S. containment strategy, aims to restrict China's access to the wider Pacific Ocean by using U.S.-aligned territories. Japan has accused China of constructing a structure in the East China Sea for potential fossil fuel production, violating an unimplemented agreement. Meanwhile, China has claimed Japan's Senkaku Islands in the region—also known as the Diaoyu Islands—as its territory. What To Know According to photos released by the U.S. Navy, the amphibious assault ship USS America—homeported in Sasebo, Japan—conducted flight operations with a group of F-35B stealth fighter jets while underway at an undisclosed location in the East China Sea on Tuesday. An amphibious warship is a vessel designed to transport and deploy troops, vehicles, and equipment from the sea to land during amphibious operations. Two United States Marine Corps F-35B fighter jets prepare to land on the flight deck of the amphibious assault ship USS America in the East China Sea on May 20, 2025. Two United States Marine Corps F-35B fighter jets prepare to land on the flight deck of the amphibious assault ship USS America in the East China Sea on May 20, 2025. Mass Communication Specialist Seaman Sam McNeely/U.S. Navy The America, with a full displacement of about 45,000 tons, was spotted departing Sasebo the previous day. It arrived in the Philippine Sea—located to the east of the First Island Chain—on Wednesday and continued to support flight operations of U.S. Marine Corps fighter jets. It was not immediately clear whether this will be the America's final deployment in the Western Pacific Ocean prior to its planned homeport shift to San Diego in California. The warship is scheduled to be replaced by its sister ship, the San Diego-based USS Tripoli. Meanwhile, the Tripoli left its home port on Monday and arrived at Seal Beach—located north of San Diego—the following day. The U.S. Navy has yet to announce the official departure dates for either of the two amphibious warships from their respective home ports. USS Tripoli (LHA 7) America-class amphibious assault ship coming into Seal Beach, California - May 20, 2025 SRC: TW-@BulletOneOneTwo — WarshipCam (@WarshipCam) May 20, 2025 The rotation of U.S. amphibious warships comes amid an expansion of China's amphibious fleet in support of potential island-landing operations in contested waters such as the Taiwan Strait and the South China Sea. A flotilla of five Chinese naval vessels—including a Type 075 amphibious assault ship—was observed by the Japan Self-Defense Forces last week transiting the Miyako Strait in Japan's southwestern waters, moving from the East China Sea into the Philippine Sea. What People Are Saying The public affairs office of the U.S. amphibious assault ship USS America said: "America, lead ship of the America Amphibious Ready Group, is operating in the U.S. [Seventh] Fleet area of operations. U.S. [Seventh] Fleet is the U.S. Navy's largest forward-deployed numbered fleet, and routinely interacts and operates with allies and partners in preserving a free and open Indo-Pacific region." The U.S. Pacific Fleet previously said: "The forward presence of [USS] Tripoli supports the United States' commitment to the defense of Japan, enhances the national security of the United States and improves its ability to protect strategic interests. Tripoli will directly support the Defense Strategic Guidance to posture the most capable units forward in the Indo-Pacific Region." What Happens Next It remains uncertain whether the America will enter the South China Sea, where China's sweeping sovereignty claims overlap with those of several neighboring countries.
Yahoo
20-05-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Cruise missile delays ‘spell disaster' for Britain's stealth jets
Britain's most advanced warplanes will not be able to shoot missiles at ground targets until at least 2030, ministers have admitted. The F-35B stealth jet was originally set to gain long-range Spear 3 missiles capable of taking out tanks, air defences and bunkers from this year, a target that was later pushed back to 2028. But in an embarrassing blow to the Ministry of Defence, procurement minister Maria Eagle has revealed their deployment will now be delayed until the 'early 2030s'. It leaves British F-35B pilots reliant on dropped bombs to strike ground targets, with one expert comparing the situation to the dangerous missions carried out by Lancaster bomber crews in the Second World War. The aircraft shared by the Royal Navy and the Royal Air Force are currently only equipped with Paveway IV precision-guided bombs, along with medium and short-range air-to-air missiles. By comparison, the British-made Spear 3 would allow pilots to launch air-to-ground strikes on targets more than 60 miles away. Critics warned the delay risks leaving Britain underpowered at a time when the heads of the Army and MI6 have called for the military to be prepared for war with Russia within a few years. Francis Tusa, an independent defence analyst, said: 'This is a massive disaster for the MoD. 'Spear 3 is meant to be a game-changing missile that will give British pilots a capability that the Russians are genuinely scared of. 'But at the moment, if they want to take out ground targets with our F-35Bs, they will have to fly above them and drop a gravity bomb - much like the Lancaster bomber pilots did during the Second World War. 'It undermines the case for having the F-35 in the first place.' It represents the latest setback in the MoD's year-long effort to equip the American-made F-35B jets with a broader range of weaponry, changes that must ultimately be signed off by Washington. In a written statement to MPs, Ms Eagle gave no explanation for the delay to Spear 3. She said the programme was 'currently undergoing re-baselining'. But it is understood that the issue is related to long-delayed upgrades of the F-35 hardware and software by Lockheed Martin, which makes the jets. Along with Spear 3, the UK has also been seeking to add longer-range Meteor missiles to the warplane's arsenal - another capability that is not expected until at least the end of this decade. Spear 3 and Meteor missiles have been developed by MBDA, an Anglo-European manufacturer, whereas the F-35 is built by the US defence giant Lockheed Martin. The F-35B has been in service with the Navy and Air Force since 2018 and is one of the UK's most expensive defence platforms ever, with each aircraft costing £90m. They are designed to penetrate enemy territory and carry out devastating strikes, using cutting-edge technology to mask their presence from radar and air defence systems. Capable of short take-offs and vertical landings, the UK's jets are intended to be operated from the Navy's aircraft carriers and several are currently deployed with HMS Prince of Wales on a tour of the Indo-Pacific. But the lack of long-range air-to-ground missile capability is seen as a key weakness that limits the jets' effectiveness. The Ministry of Defence has been seeking to address the problem for years, but its target date for introducing the Spear 3 missile has repeatedly slipped. Spear 3 was successfully test-fired for the first time last year, but using a Typhoon fighter jet. In November, the Navy described the tank-busting weapon as 'the next generation of air-to-surface missiles' that would 'provide a new capability to defeat the most complex air defence systems'. Each F-35B will eventually be able to carry up to eight Spear 3 missiles. James Cartlidge, the Conservative shadow defence secretary, said: 'With the threats we face from Russia, it's vital that the Royal Air Force has the most cutting-edge weaponry integrated onto all its combat aircraft - available in the near term rather than decades into the future. 'The whole approach of our defence industry and the MoD has to be on accelerating capability into use, taking a less risk-averse approach at every stage. 'For example, Ukraine was able to rapidly integrate our Storm Shadow missile onto their SU24 jets because their total focus was on getting the weapon into service, even if that meant dispensing with lengthy testing and certification. 'The need for our military to focus on near-term threats and war readiness has never been more pressing, and the strategic defence review must enable a transformed approach to risk throughout the MoD.' The fresh delays will also be seen as a fresh blow to the F-35 programme at a time when ministers are deciding whether to purchase more of the cutting-edge American aircraft, as opposed to the older, but British-made, Eurofighter Typhoons. It is thought that this question will be tackled in the Strategic Defence Review, which ministers are expected to publish soon. On Tuesday, an MoD spokesman said: 'With the F-35 Lightning, the RAF is already equipped with one of the most advanced fighter jets in the world, and the future integration of Spear 3 will further improve the aircraft's capability in future years. 'As part of the F-35 programme, the UK builds approximately 15pc of each aircraft, securing highly skilled jobs and significant economic growth within the UK.' 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