🇪🇺🤝🇺🇸 Meteor moves closer to the F-35 The Meteor air-to-air missile has successfully undergone a release test from an F-35’s internal weapons bay. Integration will give European operators an alternative to the American AIM-120 AMRAAM, reducing their dependence on US weapons supplies. The test took place on 7 October at Naval Air Station Patuxent River, Maryland. A US Marine Corps F-35B from VX-23, flown by a British test pilot, released an inert missile mock-up matching the weapon’s dimensions and weight. The programme, launched by Britain in 2019, with additional funding in 2021, aims to integrate European weapons onto the F-35. Britain leads integration for the F-35B short-takeoff and vertical-landing variant, while Italy supports equivalent work for the conventional F-35A. BAE Systems, Lockheed Martin and MBDA are involved. Earlier captive-carry flights and weapons-bay door tests in February last year collected aerodynamic data for this configuration. The latest test confirmed safe separation without ignition of the missile’s engine. The results will help refine digital models of the weapon’s behaviour in complex airflow. Further separation tests and live launches lie ahead. Certification for the F-35B will not automatically cover the F-35A, whose ground tests concluded in 2025. Initial operational capability for the F-35 armed with Meteor is expected in the early 2030s. The F-35’s internal weapons bays are normally configured to accommodate two AIM-120 AMRAAM missiles. However, as part of Meteor integration, MBDA developed a special version with shortened, folding wings, allowing up to four Meteor missiles to be carried internally. Meteor measures 3.7 metres long and weighs 190 kg. Unlike the solid-propellant AMRAAM, it uses a throttleable ramjet, maintaining thrust through much of its flight. This preserves energy during the final stage of an interception and expands its no-escape zone against manoeuvring targets. An active radar seeker and two-way datalink allow targeting information to be updated in flight. Combined with the F-35’s sensor fusion, these features give Meteor considerable flexibility and the ability to respond quickly to changing conditions in aerial combat. Britain and Italy are the only European F-35B operators and already deploy Meteor on their Eurofighters. Integration will expand the capabilities of their tactical aviation fleets. Germany and Greece, which have also ordered F-35As and already operate Meteor on their Eurofighters and Rafales respectively, could join the programme in future, although neither has made an official announcement. The first release is an important milestone, but it does not mean the F-35 will be able to use Meteor “tomorrow”. Weapons-separation testing is a lengthy process involving releases across a broad range of flight conditions. #info #Meteor #Eurofighter #F35 #Air_to_Air
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