Britain to arm F-35 Lightning II fleet with new stand-off and long-range weapons alongside £460 million SPEAR CAP 3 investment

Britain committed £460 million for SPEAR Capability 3 work from fiscal 2026-27 through 2029-30 as part of a broader effort to strengthen the F-35's weapons suite. MBDA's compact, networked stand-off missile is designed to engage mobile and defended targets while allowing the aircraft to remain farther from threats. The government also signaled plans for additional long-range and stand-off weapons, without identifying every system or integration timetable. The investment complements separate spending on the British F-35 fleet and its future strike role over the current planning period.