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3w ago

Raytheon UK Completes Paveway IV Trials on Typhoon With Rheinmetall Mk82 Warhead

The effort marks a step toward NATO-aligned warhead commonality on the UK’s frontline fighter.

Image
One of the Italian TF-2000s landing at RAF Marham with two live Paveway IV bombs. (Image credit: Stewart Jack/The Aviationist)

Overview

  • Raytheon UK disclosed on September 8 that July trials were conducted from RAF Marham with live activity at the MOD’s Aberporth range.
  • The 500lb-class Paveway IV was flown with a Mk82-class warhead supplied by Rheinmetall subsidiary RWM Italia to expand interoperable loadout options.
  • Activities included live-fire events, platform and weapon training, mission-planning simulations, and cross-force tactical integration.
  • The campaign focused on certifying the Mk82 warhead for Typhoon employment, and no service-wide operational clearance was announced.
  • The work aligns with a wider UK Typhoon upgrade path that features the ECRS Mk2 radar and planned SPEAR 3 integration now expected in the early 2030s.