Rafael SPICE 1000

History

Rafael SPICE 1000 is an Israeli air-launched precision-guided stand-off weapon in the 1,000 lb class. It belongs to Rafael's SPICE family, which also includes the SPICE 2000 and SPICE 250. Rafael describes the SPICE 1000 and SPICE 2000 as guidance systems that convert general-purpose or penetration warheads into autonomous precision strike weapons.

The SPICE 1000 combines stand-off range with electro-optical terminal guidance and scene-matching algorithms. According to Rafael, this guidance architecture is intended to allow operation when satellite-navigation signals are unavailable or jammed. The weapon is in operational service with the Israeli Air Force and has also been sold to other countries.

In September 2026, Rafael disclosed that it was working with Lockheed Martin to integrate the SPICE 1000 with the Israeli Air Force's Lockheed Martin F-35I Adir. The work was being conducted at Lockheed Martin facilities in the United States, but Rafael did not announce a flight-test schedule or operational availability date.

Development and international cooperation

SPICE 1000 was developed by Rafael as part of a family of autonomous air-to-surface precision weapons. The Rafael SPICE family description states that the SPICE 1000 and SPICE 2000 convert 1,000 lb and 2,000 lb general-purpose or penetration warheads into stand-off precision weapons.

By 2019, Rafael and Lockheed Martin had established an agreement covering development, marketing and production of the SPICE 1000 and SPICE 2000 variants for the United States. Lockheed Martin's aircraft and weapon-integration experience later formed part of the cooperation for integration of the SPICE 1000 with the F-35I.

F-35I integration

Rafael and Lockheed Martin announced the first SPICE 1000 integration effort for the F-35 family in 2026. The project is intended to provide the Israeli F-35I with the same general type of stand-off precision capability already available from Israeli F-15 and F-16 aircraft.

The available announcements do not establish the final carriage configuration. The F-35 has internal weapon bays sized for weapons in the 453 kg class and also has external weapon stations, but Rafael had not confirmed whether the operational SPICE 1000 installation would use internal carriage, external carriage, or both. External carriage would increase the aircraft's radar cross section compared with an internal configuration.

Design

SPICE 1000 is based on a 1,000 lb-class weapon configuration fitted with guidance and aerodynamic components that turn the warhead into a stand-off precision weapon. Rafael identifies both general-purpose and penetration warheads as compatible categories within the SPICE 1000/2000 family.

Guidance

The weapon uses an electro-optical seeker with scene-matching algorithms for terminal guidance. Mission preparation can use imagery of the intended target together with desired impact angle, attack azimuth and fuze-delay information. Rafael states that multiple missions can be stored on a weapon mission cartridge before takeoff, after which the pilot assigns the required mission to each weapon before release.

Published descriptions of the SPICE 1000 also identify inertial and GPS navigation in combination with electro-optical image correlation. The electro-optical seeker and scene-matching process provide a means of continuing terminal guidance when GPS signals are degraded, denied or jammed.

Stand-off attack

The SPICE 1000 is designed for release at stand-off distance rather than directly above the target. Published information associated with the 2026 F-35I integration announcement gives a range of more than 120 km. Rafael characterizes the broader SPICE family as autonomous air-to-surface weapon systems intended for attacks from outside heavily threatened areas.

Operational history

Rafael states that the SPICE 1000 has served with the Israeli Air Force for several years and is also operational with a number of other air forces. The company has not identified every operator in the supplied material.

Before the F-35I integration effort, Israeli use was associated with Boeing F-15 and Lockheed Martin F-16 aircraft. Rafael reported extensive use of the weapon during long-range operations. A September 2026 report in Israel Hayom, citing Rafael, specifically stated that SPICE 1000 weapons had been employed during Israeli Air Force operations in Iran from F-15 and F-16 aircraft.

Program status

As of September 2026, the SPICE 1000 itself was an operational weapon, while integration with the F-35I remained under development. Rafael and Lockheed Martin were conducting the integration work in the United States. Rafael had not publicly provided a date for flight testing or for declaration of operational capability on the F-35I.

Variants

• SPICE 1000 - 1,000 lb-class member of the SPICE family and the subject of the F-35I integration program.
• SPICE 2000 - Larger member of the same family intended for 2,000 lb-class general-purpose or penetration warheads.
• SPICE 250 - Smaller member of the SPICE family identified by Rafael alongside the SPICE 1000 and SPICE 2000.

Operators

• Israel - SPICE 1000 is in operational service with the Israeli Air Force and has been employed from F-15 and F-16 aircraft. Integration with the F-35I Adir was under development in 2026.
• Other air forces - Rafael states that the SPICE 1000 has been sold to several countries and is operational with a number of air forces, but the supplied sources do not identify all of them.

Specifications (SPICE 1000)

General characteristics

• Weapon class: 1,000 lb-class air-to-surface precision-guided stand-off weapon
• Nominal weight class: 453 kg (1,000 lb)
• Compatible warhead types: General-purpose and penetration warheads within the SPICE 1000 configuration
• Manufacturer: Rafael Advanced Defense Systems

Performance

• Stand-off range: More than 120 km

Guidance

• Terminal seeker: Electro-optical
• Terminal guidance: Image correlation and scene-matching algorithms
• Navigation: Inertial and GPS navigation are described in published information, supplemented by electro-optical terminal guidance
• GPS-denied capability: Electro-optical scene matching is designed to support engagement when GPS signals are degraded, denied or jammed

Related equipment

• SPICE 2000 - Heavier member of Rafael's SPICE precision-weapon family.
• SPICE 250 - Smaller member of the same family.
• F-35I Adir - Israeli F-35 variant undergoing SPICE 1000 integration with Rafael and Lockheed Martin in 2026.