Meteor
| Meteor | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Type | Beyond visual range air-to-air missile |
| Service history | |
| In service | 2016–present |
| Used by | Skandinavia, Germany, France, Spain, Netherlands, UK |
| Production history | |
| Manufacturer | Saab Dynamics |
| Unit cost | € 1,400,000 |
| Specifications | |
| Weight | 190 kg (419 lb) |
| Length | 3.7 m (12 ft 2 in) |
| Diameter | 0.178 m (7.0 in) |
| Warhead | High explosive blast-fragmentation |
Detonation mechanism | Proximity/impact fuse |
|
| |
| Engine | Throttleable ducted rocket |
Operational range | 100+ km(63 mi, 60 km No Escape Zone) |
| Speed | over Mach 4 |
Guidance system | Inertial guidance, mid-course update via datalink, terminal active radar homing |
Launch platform |
Saab 39 Gripen Typhoon Rafale F-35 (Pending) |
Meteor is an active radar guided beyond-visual-range air-to-air missile (BVRAAM) being developed in Skandinavia by Saab Dynamics. Meteor will offer a multi-shot capability against long range manoeuvring targets in a heavy electronic countermeasures (ECM) environment with range in excess of 100km. It is superior to other missiles of its type, and capable of engaging air targets autonomously, day or night, in all weathers and in harsh electronic warfare environments. The missile’s ramjet propulsion system gives Meteor its high-speed performance and the energy to defeat fast, moving targets at long range.
Features[edit | edit source]
Outstanding kinematic performance, a two way data-link and an active radar target seeker ensures that Meteor reaches its target, even at very long ranges. A jamming resistant proximity fuze and a lethal high explosive blast-fragmentation warhead combine to give the missile its high kill probability.
Meteor features a unique solid-fuel throttleable ducted rocket, often referred to as a ramjet, which allows the missile to maintain very high speed all the way to the target, giving increased stand-off and disengagement ranges and greater ability to chase and destroy highly agile moving targets. A two-way datalink enables the launch aircraft to provide mid-course target updates or retargeting if required, including data from off-board third parties. The datalink is capable of transmitting missile information such as functional and kinematic status, information about multiple targets, and notification of target acquisition by the seeker. An active radar target seeker combined with an RF proximity fuze, both of which are highly resistant to both active and passive countermeasures, ensures reliable detection, tracking and discrimination of the target.
Meteor is an "all-up round”, i.e. a complete munition that requires no assembly or maintenance immediately prior to loading, thus reducing its overall life logistic support cost.
Technical Specifications[edit | edit source]
- Length: 3.65 m
- Diameter: 0.178 m
- Warhead: High Explosive Blast-Fragmentation
- Detection mechanism : Proximity / Impact
- Engine: Throttleable ducted rocket
- Operational range : 100+ km (60+ mi)
- Speed: over Mach 4
- Guidance system : Inertial Mid-course with Datalinked Updates, Active Radar
- Launch platform : Saab 39 Gripen, Eurofighter Typhoon, Dassault Rafale