Meteor BVR launched

Neelam Mathews

Dec 6, 2012

The Meteor Beyond Visual Range Air-to-Air Missile has been successfully launched from a Eurofighter Typhoon as part of the Future Enhancements Flight Test Program.

The missile was eject launched from a rear fuselage missile station, which on Eurofighter Typhoon is semi-conformal for aircraft drag and radar signature reduction. The missile motor was fired, providing data that will allow the missile launch envelope to be expanded. 

This builds on an earlier series of flight trials, carried out by partner company BAE Systems on behalf of the Eurofighter program, where unpowered missiles were used to demonstrate safe separation on the missile.

This current package of work begins the full integration of the Meteor missile with all Eurofighter Typhoon systems.

The flight trials were conducted with integrated support from QinetiQ and MBDA at a firing range in Aberporth, Wales, UK on the 4th December. 

electronics to deliver optimum combat performance, it will ensure that Eurofighter 

The integration of the Meteor weapon is a game-changer on the battlefield; adding another layer to Eurofighter Typhoon’s swing-role capabilities and ensuring the pilot is able to engage hostile air threats at long range at the same time as identifying and engaging targets on the ground.