European missile manufacturer MBDA has unveiled a new unpowered variant of its Selective Precision Effects At Range (SPEAR) family—dubbed SPEAR Glide—designed to deliver scalable precision strike capabilities at lower cost. The weapon is intended to complement existing powered variants by enabling saturation attacks and expanding mission flexibility in GPS-contested or high-threat environments.
SPEAR Glide Concept and Role
SPEAR Glide is a glide bomb derivative of the SPEAR 3 missile—a core component of the UK’s Complex Weapons portfolio. Unlike its powered counterpart equipped with a turbojet engine, SPEAR Glide omits propulsion in favor of reduced cost and increased loadout capacity per sortie. It retains key features such as precision guidance and modular warhead options.
According to MBDA’s announcement at DSEI 2023 and subsequent updates through 2024–2025, the weapon is designed for mass employment against soft or semi-hardened targets such as air defense radars, logistics nodes, or mobile launchers. Its compact form factor allows modern combat aircraft like the Eurofighter Typhoon or F-35B to carry multiple units internally or externally—enabling saturation tactics that overwhelm enemy defenses through quantity and coordination rather than range alone.
Design Features and Guidance Suite
SPEAR Glide shares much of its architecture with its powered sibling but replaces the Hamilton Sundstrand TJ-150 turbojet with aerodynamic surfaces optimized for glide performance. MBDA has not disclosed exact range figures; however, depending on release altitude and speed, estimates suggest a potential glide range exceeding 100 km under optimal conditions.
The weapon employs an advanced multi-mode seeker suite including:
- GPS/INS navigation
- Millimeter-wave radar
- Semi-active laser (SAL) guidance
- Passive RF homing (optional)
This combination enables engagement in GPS-denied environments while maintaining target discrimination and flexibility against moving or relocatable threats. The seeker configuration can be tailored per mission profile or customer requirement.
Operational Use Cases and Platform Integration
SPEAR Glide is being positioned as part of a layered strike ecosystem alongside other MBDA munitions such as Brimstone (short-range), SPEAR 3 (medium-range), and Storm Shadow/SCALP (long-range). Its low-cost profile makes it suitable for preemptive SEAD/DEAD missions where volume fire is required to suppress integrated air defense systems prior to follow-on strikes by higher-value assets.
The weapon’s small size allows carriage in large numbers—potentially up to eight per internal bay on platforms like the F-35B using modified racks. On Eurofighter Typhoon aircraft using external pylons or conformal carriage systems like the upcoming Project Centurion upgrades, even greater loadouts are possible.
This mass-carry configuration enables coordinated salvo launches using networked targeting data from airborne ISR platforms or manned-unmanned teaming constructs—enhancing survivability through distributed lethality.
Program Context within UK Complex Weapons Strategy
The development of SPEAR Glide aligns with the UK Ministry of Defence’s long-term Complex Weapons strategy led by Team Complex Weapons—a partnership between MBDA UK and MoD DE&S. The initiative seeks to reduce costs via modularity and shared components across families of guided weapons while preserving sovereign design authority post-Brexit.
SPEAR Glide complements ongoing programs such as:
- SPEAR-EW: A non-kinetic electronic warfare decoy/jammer variant developed with Leonardo UK
- FC/ASW: Future Cruise/Anti-Ship Weapon program co-developed with France’s MBDA division
- P3E: Project Portfolio Exploitation framework aimed at enhancing exportability via common interfaces
The unpowered glide variant also provides a stepping stone toward more autonomous swarming munitions concepts under study by DSTL and RAF Rapid Capabilities Office—where affordability per round becomes critical for future contested operations against peer adversaries.
Export Potential and Competitive Landscape
SPEAR Glide enters a growing market segment populated by similar low-cost glide munitions such as Boeing’s GBU-39/B Small Diameter Bomb (SDB), Diehl Defence’s GIDS/HOSBO concepts in Germany, and Israel’s Spice family from Rafael Advanced Defense Systems. However, few offer multi-mode seekers at comparable size-to-capability ratios.
The weapon could appeal to NATO allies operating F-35s or Eurofighters seeking affordable standoff solutions without investing in full-scale cruise missiles. Its modularity also allows integration onto UAVs or future loyal wingman platforms under development across Europe—including GCAP (Global Combat Air Programme) partners Italy and Japan.
Outlook: Incremental Capability Through Modularity
SPEAR Glide exemplifies MBDA’s approach of leveraging existing investments into scalable variants that fulfill evolving operational needs—from peer conflict deterrence to grey zone engagements. As Western air forces seek ways to replenish stockpiles depleted by Ukraine-related transfers while preparing for Indo-Pacific contingencies, weapons like SPEAR Glide offer an attractive balance between cost-efficiency and tactical relevance.
If successfully fielded within this decade—as anticipated by late-stage trials expected around 2026—it may provide allied airpower with a versatile toolset capable of saturating enemy defenses without overcommitting strategic assets or budgets.
