Joint project with Lockheed Martin in the United States
Israeli defense company Rafael Advanced Defense Systems has announced the first-ever integration of its SPICE 1000 air-to-surface munition with the F-35 fighter aircraft.
Rafael described the development as a significant step toward expanding the weapon’s availability to F-35 operators worldwide. The integration is being carried out jointly with Lockheed Martin, the F-35 manufacturer, and is expected to continue over the coming months in the United States.
The initial phase will enable the munition to be used by Israel’s F-35I Adir aircraft. At a later stage, Rafael expects other F-35 operators to be able to field the SPICE 1000 as part of their own operational capabilities.
Precision munition with a range exceeding 120 kilometers
SPICE stands for Smart, Precise Impact and Cost-Effective. The family of weapons is designed to provide stand-off precision-strike capability at ranges exceeding 75 miles, or approximately 120 kilometers.
The family includes:
- SPICE 2000 – approximately 2,000 pounds;
- SPICE 1000 – approximately 1,000 pounds;
- SPICE 250 – approximately 250 pounds.
The numbers refer to the nominal weight of the weapons. The SPICE 1000 has been operational with the Israeli Air Force since 2017.
According to Rafael, the munition uses an electro-optical seeker and homes in on its target through advanced terrain-recognition and scene-matching algorithms. The system is designed to operate in the complex conditions of the modern battlefield.
Israel to operate 75 F-35 aircraft
Israel is one of 20 countries that have acquired the F-35 and was the first nation to use the aircraft in combat, in 2018.
The Israeli government recently approved the acquisition of an additional 25 F-35 aircraft, bringing the country’s planned fleet to 75 jets. Integrating SPICE 1000 could expand the strike options available to Israel’s F-35I fleet.
A Pentagon report prepared in April and cleared for publication in August stated that SPICE integration on F-35 aircraft was continuing under a strategy intended to accelerate implementation through a process referred to as “SPICE Lite.” The document did not provide further details about the process.
Rafael and Lockheed Martin expand industrial cooperation
Rafael and Lockheed Martin have previously cooperated on the SPICE program.
In 2019, the two companies signed a teaming agreement to jointly develop, market and manufacture SPICE guidance kits for the U.S. market.
At the time, Yuval Miller, Rafael’s executive vice president and general manager of its Air & C4ISR Division, said the agreement would enable the companies to provide medium-range guided air-to-surface weapon systems designed to increase mission flexibility and effectiveness.
In 2021, the partnership was expanded to include the joint development of the SPICE 250 for sale in the United States and Poland.
The integration of SPICE 1000 with the F-35 could turn the Israeli munition into an option for a broader group of F-35 users, subject to the required technical and operational approvals.
