The F-35 Lightning II: it has been described as the most advanced multi-role stealth fighter jet, and now it is preparing to take on this new challenge using Meteor air-to-air missiles and SPEAR 3 precision-guided standoff munitions.
According to the UK Ministry of Defense, such integration is expected to be completed by the end of the decade.
In this regard, the advanced munitions are being integrated into services through leading-edge efforts with partner militaries.
To date, the UK Lightning Force, which has been operating with AMRAAM, ASRAAM, and Paveway IV bombs, will be reequipped with the advanced weapons onboard the fleet of F-35Bs.
To this effect, James Cartlidge, Minister of State for Defense, told a Parliamentary question that this was a strategic upgrade.
The Meteor missile, under development by MBDA, is an advanced beyond-visual-range air-to-air weapon weighing nearly 400 pounds.
With a range of well over 60 miles and possessing a no-escape zone that puts evasion at odds with enemy aircraft.
Its active radar seeker and two-way data link permit mid-course updates, which ensures its accuracy even in heavy electronic countermeasures environments.
Highly valued for its range, the SPEAR 3 missile can reach almost 90 miles.
It is a precision-guided vehicle ideal for denying centers of command, air defenses, and logistical nodes necessities driven home by recent conflicts.
There have been years of efforts to integrate these munitions.
The project was funded as recently as 2019, with further funding in 2021 from both the British and Italian governments. That funding will support both the F-35B and the conventional F-35A variant.
The Meteor will be integrated into the F-35 fleet; nonetheless, it will mark an important milestone that further enhances the airplane’s already impressive sensor suite and stealth capabilities.
Its ramjet propulsion provides continuous thrust for unmatched kinematic performance and lethality.
As more European countries join the F-35 program, the incorporation of European-made munitions, including the Meteor and SPEAR 3, is set to align with strategic defense objectives in reinforcing the F-35’s leading position in modern aerial warfare.