Oct. 14, 2015 defense-aerospace.com

(Source: Yonhap; issued Oct. 13, 2015)

SEOUL --- A newly developed airborne missile by European missile manufacturer MBDA will provide South Korea with "air superiority" over North Korea and other powerful neighbors if they are loaded onto the F-35 combat fighters to be delivered to the country in the coming years, the firm's official said Tuesday.

Under a deal signed last year, South Korea will bring in 40 F-35A jet fighters, the fifth-generation platform with stealth capacities from Lockheed Martin, from 2018 to 2021 to better guard against North Korean threats.

The F-35A fleet will initially be equipped with the U.S.' AIM-120 Advanced Medium-Range Air-to-Air Missile (AMRAAM), but through software integration, the jet fighters could gain compatibility with MBDA's new missile Meteor, export sales executive Leo Alfano said in a press roundtable in Seoul.

The most notable of Meteor's functions is its superior no-escape zone, or operation range, which is about three times larger than that of the U.S. AMRAAM, Alfano said.

With Meteor's expanded range, three combat jets equipped with the missiles could cover the entire length of the inter-Korean land border, which is more cost effective despite the higher per-unit price of the Meteor, according to the MBDA official.

Asked how many combat jets are needed to perform the same job with AMRAAM missiles, he said about a dozen will be needed.

The introduction of the Meteor will provide South Korea with "air superiority" over the advancing air power of North Korea and other neighbors like China and Russia, he noted.

With funding from Britain, MBDA has developed the technology to integrate the European missile to the U.S.-made F-35 and if South Korea chooses to adopt it, MBDA will provide the integration technology, he said.

The Meteor is a strategic weapon developed under a six-nation joint program involving Britain, Germany, France, Italy, Spain and Sweden, to equip their fleets of Eurofighter Typhoons and F-35s.

21 juin 2015 par Ministère de la Défense.

04 December 2014 BAE Systems
 

A Typhoon aircraft has successfully completed the first in a series of live firings of the MBDA Meteor Beyond Visual Range Air-to-Air Missile. This continues the series of trials we lead to demonstrate integration of the Meteor missile with Typhoon's weapon system.

Following contract signature in 2013 for the full integration of Meteor onto Typhoon, the trials continue to demonstrate that the weapon operates effectively with the aircraft.

Led by ourselves with support from MBDA, Selex, Qinetiq and MOD, the trials were conducted  in November 2014  at the MOD’s Hebrides firing range in the UK and further developed and tested the integration of the missile with the weapon system as well as expanding the jettison envelope by conducting firings at different altitudes and speeds. The trials also tested the interface of the missile with the weapon system for both pre-launch priming and post launch datalink functions between the missile and radar.

Test pilot Nat Makepeace flew the sortie and  said: “The aircraft and the weapon performed exactly as expected.  It’s very easy and intuitive to operate, and the trials demonstrated that we can operate in an expanded envelope safely and accurately.  This is a significant step forward for the full integration of the Meteor missile onto the Typhoon aircraft.”

Produced by MBDA, Meteor is an active radar guided missile designed to provide a multi-shot capability against long-range manoeuvring targets, such as fast jets, small unmanned aerial vehicles and cruise missiles in a heavy electronic countermeasures environment.

Capable of engaging air targets during day and night, and in all-weather conditions, the Meteor will complement Typhoon’s existing missile systems, providing pilots with a greater choice of weapons during combat.

Further firing trials are scheduled to be carried out as part of the Meteor Integration contract to fully expand the launch envelope and weapon system integration which will culminate in the integration being complete in 2017.

These trials take place in a year that has seen progress across a range of programmes for Typhoon. The UK RAF are now operating the most advanced Typhoon to date with the latest Phase 1 Enhancement package now in operation. This upgrade delivers true simultaneous swing-role capability to Typhoon. Progress is also being made across a number of weapons programmes including the award of a full integration contract for the Storm Shadow weapon and the first multiple release of a Paveway IV bomb.

A £800m contract to develop and fit the Captor E-Scan radar was signed in November which will give Typhoon one of the most advanced radar systems in the world, providing a wider field of regard than any other combat aircraft. Typhoon is already regarded as one of the world’s leading swing-role combat aircraft and continues to be upgraded to provide decades of effective, relevant effect. 

7 July 2014 Saab

Defence and security company Saab and FMV have concluded missile integration firings with Gripen and the MBDA Meteor BVRAAM (Beyond Visual-Range Air-to-Air Missile). These latest firings, conducted earlier this year, further verified missile integration with Gripen and validated seeker performance and missile range. This was the last major trials task required to clear the new missile for operational service on the Gripen C/D multi-role fighter. Full Meteor capability will be delivered as part of Gripen’s latest MS20 (Materiel System 20) combat systems update for the Swedish Air Force. Once MS20 has been cleared for service Sweden, and Gripen, will have the world’s first and only functional Meteor BVRAAM capability.

In March 2014 Gripen conducted two airborne launches with MBDA’s ramjet-powered, Meteor very long-range air-to-air missile. These were the final Meteor launches before the missile is cleared for operational service with Gripen. The shots were carried out over consecutive days, on 12 and 13 March, at FMV’s Vidsel Test Range in northern Sweden. Saab performed the trials in cooperation with its customer, the Swedish Defence Materiel Administration (FMV), along with the Meteor supplier team which includes the missile prime contractor MBDA (and Saab).

Two Meteors were fired at remotely-controlled targets. The tests demonstrated missile safe separation from the aircraft and datalink functions between the aircraft and missile. The tests also validated missile performance for the customer, FMV.

Saab’s previous successful Meteor trials in Sweden had already provided software verification of the Meteor system integration. The March 2014 trials completed the full integration programme for Gripen C/D and MS20. The March firings added significant additional data to Saab’s experience in using the missile with an operational combat aircraft, experience that is unrivalled after years of development and integration trials with the Meteor.

The March 2014 trials parameters included firings at both low and high altitude and at speed while the launch aircraft was manoeuvring, as well as demonstrating a long engagement range, engagement of manoeuvring targets, aircraft/missile datalink functionality and missile seeker performance.

Since March Saab has supported further Gripen/Meteor trials work in support of the final MS20 standard, including flight qualities testing and carefree handling validation. Delivery of the final MS20 to FMV, and subsequent operational test and evaluation, will be completed by the end of this year.

“For Saab Aeronautics it has been a privilege to work together with the Meteor team during the development programme. The integration of this capability for the Swedish Air Force is a first for this kind of BVR missile. Sweden now has a head start in developing strategies to use this capability in air combat”, says Tobias Andersson, Project Manager for the Meteor integration, Saab.

Sweden is working with France, Germany, Italy, Spain and the UK to develop and field the Meteor BVRAAM, with MBDA acting as the programme’s prime contractor. The Meteor is a highly advanced, long-range and agile air-to-air weapon that is uniquely designed to counter the most sophisticated airborne threats of the 21st century. Full Meteor integration will be delivered to the Swedish Air Force as part of the MS20 systems update. When MS20 enters service in 2015 Gripen will be the first platform with an operationally effective Meteor capability. At that point Meteor capability also becomes available for other Gripen users. Sweden has signed a contract for delivery of serially-produced Meteor missiles in addition to the integration missiles that were used during trials.

LINKOPING, Sweden, Dec. 18 (UPI)

Saab of Sweden is integrating MBDA's Meteor missile system on Gripen E fighter aircraft under a contract from the Swedish Defense Materiel Administration.

The order from FMV for integration of the beyond-line-of-sight, air-to-air weapon system is worth nearly $29.3 million.

Saab said the order is in addition to an FMV contract issued in February for development and modification of the Gripen E, a multi-role fighter produced by Saab.

"The additional order secures the implementation of integration of the weapon system Meteor for Gripen E," said Ulf Nilsson, head of Saab's Gripen product unit. "It also confirms Gripen's position as the leading fighter system with a flexible design that offers great possibilities to integrate new capabilities."

Meteor, manufactured by France-based MBDA, was developed under a collaborative project involving Sweden, France, Italy, Spain, Germany and Britain. At the end of June 2013 Saab, in cooperation with FMV, conducted the first test firing of the serial production configuration of Meteor.

Gripen Fighter With Meteor Missile

02/07/2013 by Victoria Knowles - Armed Forces International Reporter

Saab has successfully carried out the initial test firing of the Meteor air-to-air missile, which is radar controlled and developed for mass production.

The test was conducted by the security and defence company in collaboration with the Swedish Defence Material Administration. Gripen, therefore, is the world's first combat fighter system that has been developed with the capability to fire this Meteor version, which has been designed for Gripen, Rafale and Eurofighter.

In late June, the first pair of Meteor missiles in their mass production configuration was triggered for the first time at a remote-controlled target from Gripen. The trial firing illustrated the missile's capacity to lock on to the target, and also demonstrated the link function between the missile and aircraft and its separation from the aircraft. The test was also used to substantiate the command support for the pilot.

"Testing has been completed as planned and we've now taken yet another important step in work with integration and development of Gripen C/D," said FMV's project manager for the Meteor, Michael Östergren.

Radar Controlled Meteor Developed for Mass Production

He described his satisfaction for the results that has been jointly accomplished, and said it has given the integration project between the Gripen and the Meteor "considerable confidence."

Classified as a Beyond Visual Range Air-to-Air Missile (BVRAAM), the Meteor is designed to engage with long distance airborne targets. A European collaborative project, between Germany, Spain, Italy, France, Sweden and Great Britain developed the missile. Great Britain is responsible for contracts and the UK's Defence Equipment and Support (DE&S) led the work.

Saab's head of Aeronautics, Lennart Sindahl, said thanks to Gripen's advanced design and the team's efficiency of working, it is evident that the combat fighter system possesses great potential for cost-efficient and fast new capability integration, such as with sensors and weapons.

He described the Meteor missile, Saab PS05 radar and Gripen collaboration as being world-class regarding air defence. Representatives from British MBDA, FMV and Saab comprised the test team. Further tests will take place in the autumn, allowing the new capabilities to be delivered next year.

14/06/2011 DGA