A US Marine Corps (USMC) F-35B Lightning II flew its first-ever test missions with the Meteor air-to-air missile. The development comes ahead of the Royal Air Force (RAF) equipping its F-35B with cutting-edge missiles.
The RAF said in an official statement on February 28 that the US and UK governments, along with agencies including the Ministry of Defense, Defense Equipment & Support, and their respective industrial partners, MBDA and Lockheed Martin, jointly made it possible for the sorties to be flown from Naval Air Station Patuxent River.
The RAF image published shows an F-35B carrying an AIM-120 AMRAAM and a single Meteor air-to-air missile in the starboard weapons compartment. These first inert missile flights are reportedly being used to gather environmental data in preparation for the integration of UK weapons into the F-35.
Air Commodore Al Roberts, RAF’s Head of Air-to-Air Missiles, said: “This milestone is a testament to the effective collaboration between the multinational governmental and industrial partnerships that we have in place. Inclusion of Meteor onto the Lightning II will bring this formidable air combat capability to the UK and the burgeoning F-35 community, significantly enhancing security among allies.”
The British Ministry of Defense (MoD) confirmed in January 2024 that its fleet of F-35B stealth fighters will be equipped with cutting-edge Meteor air-to-air missiles and SPEAR 3 precision-guided standoff munitions by “the end of the decade.”
The Meteor is the UK’s main air-to-air missile, currently carried by the Eurofighter Typhoon. In contrast, the UK Lightning Force currently deploys the Advanced Medium Range Air-To-Air Missile (AMRAAM), the Advanced Short Range Air to Air Missile (ASRAAM), and the Paveway 4 precision-guided bomb.
MBDA and BAE Systems declared in 2021 that they had obtained additional money from the Italian and British governments, estimated at approximately US$400 million, to accelerate the integration process, as previously reported by the EurAsian Times.
It covers both the short takeoff and vertical landing (STOVL) F-35B operated by the UK and Italy and the conventional takeoff and landing F-35A acquired by Italy and other states.
In contrast to other NATO members, the British military exclusively uses the F-35B aircraft, a short take-off and vertical landing (STOVL) variant of the fighter jet, specifically engineered for operations from short-field bases and air-capable vessels.
The integration of Meteor air-to-air missiles and precision-guided standoff munitions will significantly enhance the capabilities of the UK F-35 fleet, which is fast becoming the cornerstone of the RAF. The UK is anticipated to place a follow-up order for the F-35 beyond the initial 48 F-35Bs.
The RAF F-35B has also been deployed for NATO’s air policing missions recently, following the Russian invasion of Ukraine. The meteor missile will give the British F-35B stealth fighters more teeth.
Meteor To Make F-35 More Lethal
The Meteor is an advanced ‘Beyond Visual Range Air-to-Air Missile’ system developed by MBDA. It is the result of collaborative efforts among the UK, France, Germany, Italy, Spain, and Sweden.
The missile is renowned for its capability to engage high-speed targets at distances of up to 200 kilometers and speeds exceeding Mach 4.
It will provide the British F-35B with a cutting-edge tool to establish aerial dominance. The Meteor represents a technological leap intended to surpass the American AIM-120 AMRAAM, a long-standing benchmark in BVRAAM technology.
The missile allows launch aircraft to offer mid-course target updates or retargeting, including information from third parties by integrating a two-way data link communication system and a state-of-the-art active radar seeker. The missile features a jamming-resistant RF proximity fuze and active radar target seeker to provide accurate target identification, tracking, and discrimination.
Additionally, the datalink provides the pilot launching the Meteor with critical information regarding the missile’s energy, fuel, and tracking state, which helps the pilot decide whether to fire another missile, disengage, or assign an alternative target.
It will be particularly advantageous for stealth aircraft like the F-35, enabling entirely passive engagements that maximize stealth attributes.
According to MBDA, even in conditions with strong electronic countermeasures, the Meteor can fire multiple shots at various targets, including fighter jets, cruise missiles, long-range moving targets, and unmanned aerial vehicles.
The missile’s high kill probability is a result of its powerful high-explosive blast-fragmentation warhead and jamming-resistant proximity fuze.
Meteor’s unique ramjet propulsion system—solid fuel, variable flow, ducted rocket—achieves its remarkable kinematic performance, earning it praise. According to MBDA, its “ramjet” motor continuously propels the missile to the target intercept, creating the largest No-Escape Zone of any air-to-air missile.
The ramjet’s ability to be throttled gives it an advantage over a conventional rocket motor, such as the one the AIM-120 AMRAAM uses. This means the missile can throttle up when it is close to the target to achieve the highest energy state during the terminal attack, and throttle back when cruising.
The missile has a fragmentation warhead to increase its lethality. Its kinetic performance is three to six times that of existing air-to-air missiles of its kind. In addition to being installed on the Typhoon, Gripen, and Rafale, Meteor will soon be integrated on the F-35. The F-35 will also carry Meteor internally, maintaining its stealth.
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