UK F-35B completes first test flight with SPEAR 3 precision missile

The United Kingdom Ministry of Defence and the U.S. F‑35 Joint Program Office carried out the first flight test of the SPEAR 3 (Selective Precision Effects At Range Capability 3) missile aboard a fifth‑generation F‑35B Lightning II. Conducted at Naval Air Station Patuxent River, Maryland, the aircraft, piloted by Royal Navy Lt. Cmdr. Nick Baker, carried four SPEAR 3 missiles and demonstrated successful launch and flight performance.

The test, involving engineers and technicians from Lockheed Martin, MBDA, the U.S. Navy, the Royal Air Force and the Royal Navy, marks a key step toward full integration of the network‑centric weapon. Once integration is complete, the F‑35B is expected to be able to carry up to eight SPEAR 3 missiles without compromising its stealth profile. The programme will next focus on jettison trials and further mission‑systems integration, with operational deployment anticipated in the 2030s.