Group : Anti-Tank Guided Missiles
Status : Retired - No Longer Operational
Origin : United Kingdom
Contractors : Boeing, MBDA
Initial Operational Capability (IOC) : 2005
Total Production : ?

The Brimstone is an advanced derivative of the AGM-114F Hellfire missile developed to be launched from fixed wing aircraft. The United Kingdom Ministry of Defense (UK MoD) awarded the development and production contract in November 1996. The supersonic Brimstone is a fire and forget missile intended against fixed and moving armored targets. It features a tandem shaped charge warhead and an active millimeter wave radar seeker which enables Brimstone to be used day and night, in adverse weather conditions and in dense presence of obscurants.

This weapon system comprises 3 Brimstone missiles and a launcher. It can be released according to 2 modes. The indirect mode is used when the target position is well known and the aircraft releases the Brimstone missile away from the target in safe conditions. The direct mode requires visual identification because the coordinates of the target are not known or it must be selected among other potential targets. In both cases, the Brimstone can be released with high off-boresight angles to save the aircraft from special and dangerous maneuvers. Once released the supersonic, fire and forget Brimstone achieves its prey autonomously. It is only supported by means of an inertial measurement unit.

The Brimstone weapon system is also capable of engage groups of armored vehicles instead of stand-alone armored targets. Multiple Brimstone missiles can be released simultaneously in order to achieve multiple engagements. The problem of hitting twice the same target is solved by Brimstone's advanced software algorithms. This software also allows advanced search for targets modes (for example searching for targets in a restricted area when the Brimstone leaves the area the search is stopped) reducing collateral damage and friendly fire. The Brimstone is able to defeat ERA and APS protected battle tanks even in dense countermeasures environments. The whole weapon system (launcher plus 3 missiles) weighs about 235 kg. It can be released from most of fast fighters or subsonic light attack aircraft.

Originally the Royal Air Force (RAF) selected Brimstone as its primary anti-armor weapon for integration onto its Tornado Gr4/4A, Harrier Gr9 and Typhoon/Eurofighter aircraft. The first operational missile were delivered in November 2004 entering into service on March 31st 2005. MBDA is delivering full rate production Brimstone missiles to the RAF at 95 per month. As of 2005 this anti-armor was also being considered for integration onto Joint Combat Aircraft (JCA), a version of F-35 JSF, due to its lightweight and smaller design. The Brimstone was used successfully in Afghanistan and Libya.

Group : Anti-Tank Guided Missiles
Status : Active
Also Known As : DMB
Origin : United Kingdom
Contractor : MBDA
Initial Operational Capability (IOC) : December 2008
Total Production : ?

The Dual Mode Brimstone (DMB) is a further development of the Brimstone standoff weapon adding a semi-automatic laser (SAL) guidance mode to the basic millimeter wave radiofrequency (RF) radar seeker. The new variant was developed by MBDA to meet an urgent operational requirement (UOR) placed by the Royal Air Force (RAF) in August 2007 to defeat a wide range of static and fast moving targets minimizing collateral damage using man-in-the-loop capability. Close Air Support (CAS) and Counter Insurgency (COIN) missions are the primary scenario for the new weapon. The RAF carried out its operational evaluation October/November 2008 in Afghanistan.

The DMB is available as a seeker upgrade with updated software to existing Brimstone weapons. A Tornado Gr4 performed the first operational mission carrying the DMB in December 2008. The Litening III laser targeting pod allows the Tornado aircraft to use the SAL guidance mode of the enhanced weapon system. The weapon features the ability to operate in single mode or a dual SAL and RF guidance mode. The guidance mode is selectable through the cockpit. The DMB retains the Brimstone's tandem shaped charge / blast effect warhead. The RAF is planning to integrate DMB onto other jets, helicopters and unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs).

Group : Anti-Tank Guided Missiles
Status : Active
Origin : United Kingdom
Contractor : MBDA
Initial Operational Capability (IOC) : July 13, 2016
Total Production : ?

The Brimstone 2 is a further version of the air-launched Brimstone anti-armor missile intended to hit targets on the ground at very fast speeds in clutter road environments. The Brimstone 2 features longer range and high off-boresight capabilities. The guidance system is an enhanced version of the Dual Mode Brimstone (DMB) combining laser and MMW RF radar. That guidance system is key to achieve direct hits on static, fast moving and maneuvering targets with lower reflectivity, due to clutter environment, at very long ranges. The Brimstone 2 missile is more maneuverable than its predecessors and features a range increase of roughly 200 percent. In early October 2013 the Brimstone 2 was demonstrated against ground moving targets at speeds of up to 70 kph. The United Kingdom (UK) Ministry of Defense (MoD) is funding the development of this new version of the Brimstone missile.

Group : Anti-Tank Guided Missiles
Status : Active
Origin : United Kingdom
Contractor : MBDA
Initial Operational Capability (IOC) : 2022
First Flight : March 20, 2019
Total Production : ?
Unitary Cost : EUR 1 million

The Brimstone 3 is an ultra high precision missile designed to engage a wide variety of ground targets launched from airborne or land platforms. The Brimstone 3 missile is capable of targeting fast moving targets on the ground using an enhanced autopilot and the Dual Mode semi-active laser (SAL) and millimeter wave (mmW) seeker. The new missile will be supplied to the United Kingdom (UK) Armed Forces as replenishment for existing Brimstone missile inventory.

Group : Jamming Systems
Status : Under Development
Origin : United Kingdom
Contractors : Leonardo, MBDA
Initial Operational Capability (IOC) : 2025
Total Production : ?

The SPEAR-EW is an electronic warfare (EW) version of the SPEAR 3 mini cruise missile and intended to suppress enemy air defense (SEAD) systems. The Royal Air Force (RAF) intends to deploy the new weapon as a jammer to protect their main assets during attack missions. The new weapon development started in 2019 and is being carried out by MBDA and Leonardo. Leonardo is responsible for supplying the mini-jammer payload. If the demonstration program is successful the SPEAR-EW missile could be deployed in the 2025-2030 timeframe.

Group : Standoff Weapons
Status : Under Development
Also Known As : Selective Precision Effects At Range Capability 3
Origin : United Kingdom
Contractor : MBDA
Initial Operational Capability (IOC) : 2029
First Flight : November 17, 2024
Total Production : ?
Development Cost : GBP £411 million

The MBDA SPEAR 3 is an air-to-surface, precision strike missile developed to meet the United Kingdom (UK) Ministry of Defense (MoD) Selective Precision Effects At Range Capability 3 requirement. The new missile will deployed with the F-35B stealth aircraft by 2025. Besides, the Typhoon may be fitted with the SPEAR 3 missile as well. The missile is intended to provide the same lethality of Brimstone but at longer standoff ranges increasing the survivability of the carrier aircraft. The new weapon will engage fixed position and re-locatable targets in all weather, day or night, in the presence of countermeasures, obscurants and camouflage. The UK MoD awarded a £411 million contract to MBDA for the development of the SPEAR 3 missile through 2020.

The SPEAR 3 missile derived from the Brimstone missile family will be carried internally by the F-35B supersonic stealth aircraft in its weapons bay. The warhead and range will be considerably increased compared with the Brimstone which is a requirement to survive current and projected air defenses. The missile will use an innovative turbojet engine rather than a traditional rocket motor achieving a range of more than 60 miles.