Rafael, Lockheed accelerate SPICE 1000 integration on Israeli F‑35s

Rafael Advanced Defense Systems and Lockheed Martin are accelerating the integration of SPICE 1000 munitions onto the Israel Air Force's F-35 Adir stealth fighters. This joint project, detailed in the Pentagon's F-35 Modernized Selected Acquisition Report, aims to enhance the F-35's strike capabilities, particularly in GPS-denied environments. The SPICE 1000, part of a family of electro-optically guided stand-off weapons, has a range of 125 km and has been extensively used by the Israeli Air Force in various operations. While F-35s typically store weapons internally for stealth, Israeli Adirs are unique in their ability to conduct operational strikes with external weapon configurations, increasing their strike capacity. This upgrade coincides with the arrival of F-35s equipped with Technology Refresh 3 hardware and is a precursor to the Block 4 modernization, which will further enhance the aircraft's capabilities, including increased missile capacity and advanced electronic warfare.