Press Information

March 2013

METEOR

The Background Environment

• Increasing proliferation of state-of–the-art air-to-air threats is a critical challenge

for modern Air Forces answered by METEOR;

• METEOR is being developed to meet the requirements of six European nations

(France, Germany, Italy, Spain, Sweden and UK) for a superior Beyond Visual
Range (BVR) missile system with the operational capability to excel in all current
and future combat scenarios;

• This collaboration of six European nations provides access to technology and

expertise from across Europe.

What is METEOR and what are its benefits?

• A fast and highly manoeuvrable Beyond Visual Range air-to-air weapon

• Largest No Escape Zone of any air-to-air weapon resulting in a long stand-off

range and high kill probability to ensure air superiority and pilot survivability;

• Guidance is provided by an active radar seeker benefiting from enhanced

technologies drawn from the MBDA Aster and Mica missile programmes;

• Capable of engaging air targets autonomously by night or day, in all weather and
in severe electronic warfare environments ;

• Equipped with both a proximity and impact fuze to ensure total target destruction
in all circumstances.

Integration

• METEOR will be integrated onto Europe’s major platforms:

o Eurofighter Typhoon;
o Saab Gripen; and
o Dassault Rafale

• Potential to add to the air-to-air capability of other combat platforms including the
F-35 Joint Strike Fighter (for further information on METEOR integration onto JSF
see F-35 backgrounder).

• Meteor provides a step change in capability increasing competitiveness in export

competitions.

Page 1/2
Press Information

Programme Status

• The METEOR contract was signed by the UK Ministry of Defence on 23rd

December 2002 on behalf of all six nations. This contract covers development of
METEOR and provides production options to meet the individual national
requirements with the UK production order placed simultaneously as
development.

2003
• The missile completed its Preliminary Design Review and a new wingless
configuration for the design was accepted;

• Successful trial fit of a representative METEOR missile to a Eurofighter Typhoon.

2004
• Successful trial fit to a Gripen and Rafale;

• Second round of aerodynamic wind tunnel trials confirmed missile’s design

integrity.

2005
• Live catapult take-off and landings performed by Rafale from the aircraft carrier
Charles de Gaulle to confirm METEOR handling characteristics;

• Series of test flights with representative Meteor missiles fitted to each of the
combat aircraft on which the weapon system will be integrated: Eurofighter
Typhoon, Gripen and Rafale.

2006
• First air launched test firings carried out from Gripen at the Vidsel range in
Sweden

2007/12
• Ongoing integrated series of air and ground trials to test specific aspects of the
design, leading towards the completion of development.

2012
Successful completion of missile development firing trials.

Internet : www.mbda-systems.com

Page 2/2