The test didn’t look like much from the outside: an F‑35A on the ground, a team of specialists, and a sleek grey missile being eased into its weapons bay. Yet this dry integration trial could mark a turning point, where US-built fighters start flying with one of Europe’s sharpest air‑to‑air weapons.
A European missile inside an American bestseller
The F‑35 has become the default choice for many Western air forces, with more than a thousand jets sold worldwide. Until now, its primary long‑range air‑to‑air weapon has been the US‑made AIM‑120 AMRAAM. That may soon change.
At Edwards Air Force Base in California, teams from Lockheed Martin, European missile house MBDA and the F‑35 Joint Program Office recently completed a key step: checking that the Franco‑British‑designed Meteor missile can fit and function inside the jet’s internal bay.
The world’s most popular stealth fighter is on track to carry a missile designed in Europe, not in the United States.
The trials focused on the basics that make or break integration:
- vibration tests to see how the missile behaves under the jet’s stress profile
- fit checks to ensure the weapon locks correctly on its pylons
- clearance measurements so the bay doors can close without touching the missile
- stealth verification to ensure the installation does not compromise low radar visibility
According to programme sources, data from these tests confirmed that the mechanical interfaces and fixings meet requirements. That validation opens the door to the next phase: live flight trials and, later on, operational clearance.
Italy and the UK quietly leading the charge
This is not just a transatlantic story. Two European F‑35 customers have been driving the effort from the inside.
Italy has taken the lead on integrating Meteor with the F‑35A, the conventional take‑off version used by many NATO air forces. The UK is doing the same for the F‑35B, the short take‑off and vertical landing variant used by the Royal Navy and Royal Air Force.
Both countries sit at a crossroads of programmes. They are founding members of the Meteor project and major partners in the F‑35. For Rome and London, getting Meteor on the jet is a way to leverage that double status and give their fleets a distinctive edge.
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For the first time, a non‑US air‑to‑air missile is on track to arm America’s flagship fighter export.
A missile born from a shared European ambition
Meteor did not appear overnight. The project dates back to the 1990s, when the UK started looking for a successor to the AMRAAM for its future Eurofighter Typhoon fleet.
Rather than going alone, London brought together five partners: France, Germany, Italy, Spain and Sweden. In December 2002, the six nations signed up with MBDA to jointly fund and develop a new beyond‑visual‑range missile optimised for European fighters.
Key milestones in Meteor’s rise
- 2005 – First test firing from a Swedish Gripen at Vidsel.
- 2005–2015 – Progressive integration on Rafale and Typhoon fleets.
- 2011 – Initial separation tests from a Typhoon.
- 2015 – First guided launch from a French Rafale.
- 2016 – Sweden becomes the first air force to declare Meteor operational.
- 2025 – A mid‑life upgrade programme already under way, securing long‑term service.
French Rafales can currently carry up to four Meteors in an air‑superiority loadout, typically alongside MICA missiles and a supersonic drop tank. The result is a dense “bubble” of air defence that is hard to challenge.
Who already flies Meteor – and who wants it
Meteor is no longer a niche European project. Several air forces in Europe, the Middle East and Asia have already bought and fielded it.
| Country | Status | Main aircraft |
|---|---|---|
| France | In service | Rafale |
| Sweden | In service (first user) | Gripen |
| Germany | In service | Eurofighter Typhoon |
| Italy | In service / integrating | Typhoon, future F‑35A |
| Spain | In service | Typhoon |
| Greece | In service | Rafale |
| India | In service | Rafale |
| Qatar | In service | Rafale |
| United Kingdom | Planned | F‑35B |
| Saudi Arabia | Planned (on hold) | Typhoon |
| Brazil | Planned | Gripen E/F |
| South Korea | Planned | KF‑21 Boramae |
| Egypt | Planned | Rafale |
France and Qatar have each ordered around 160 missiles. Germany has passed the 250 mark after a top‑up in 2019. Spain’s stock entered service in 2022. More contracts are in the pipeline, tied to new fighter deals and upgrades.
Why Meteor changes air combat for the F‑35
Meteor’s key technical trick is its ramjet propulsion. Most classic beyond‑visual‑range missiles use a rocket motor that burns hard at launch, then the weapon glides in a “coast” phase. Meteor does something different: it stays powered almost all the way to the target.
That constant thrust gives it high energy at long range, which translates into a wider “no‑escape zone” – the area in which a target cannot manoeuvre, outrun or dive away to break the shot.
How the missile stacks the odds
- Ramjet motor with throttle control, managing thrust through the entire flight.
- Two‑way data link that lets the launching aircraft update target data mid‑flight.
- Active radar seeker for the final phase, allowing fire‑and‑forget capability.
- High agility to keep up with manoeuvring targets at altitude.
Meteor is engineered to stay fast and manoeuvrable even at the far edge of its range, where older missiles start to run out of breath.
On a stealth jet like the F‑35, that combination is potent. The aircraft can stay radar‑silent, track an opponent through its sensors and fire at long range without revealing its exact position. If Meteor lives up to its billing on the F‑35, the jet could threaten enemy fighters, bombers and even high‑value assets like tankers or AEW&C aircraft from distances that complicate enemy planning.
Meteor against its rivals
Meteor will not fly alone in the sky. It enters a competitive landscape of long‑range missiles such as the US AIM‑120D, China’s PL‑15 and Russia’s R‑37M.
| Missile | Origin | Propulsion | Estimated range | Main strength | Key platforms |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Meteor | Europe | Variable‑flow ramjet | 200 km+ | Very large no‑escape zone | Rafale, Gripen, Typhoon, future F‑35, KF‑21 |
| AIM‑120D | United States | Boost‑and‑coast rocket | 160–180 km | NATO integration and combat record | F‑16, F‑18, F‑22, F‑35 |
| PL‑15 | China | Improved rocket | 200–250 km | Advanced seeker, threat to support aircraft | J‑20, J‑16 |
| R‑37M | Russia | Large rocket | 300–400 km | Very long‑range interception | MiG‑31BM, Su‑35, future Su‑57 |
Exact ranges remain classified or highly debated. What matters operationally is not the absolute distance, but how far each missile can still turn, accelerate and hit a target that is trying to react. On that metric, Western analysts usually rate Meteor highly.
What this means for the UK, NATO and future wars
For the UK, Meteor on the F‑35B would bring the Royal Navy’s carrier strike group closer to parity with land‑based air forces already flying the missile. A British F‑35B taking off from HMS Queen Elizabeth could one day patrol with the same long‑range punch as a land‑based Typhoon.
NATO planners gain something else: flexibility. A mixed F‑35 fleet where some nations use AMRAAM and others use Meteor forces potential adversaries to account for several threat envelopes instead of just one. That complicates mission planning for any opposing air force.
There are trade‑offs. Integrating a non‑US missile into a US‑designed fighter means more software, more certification work and potentially more export constraints on both sides. Some F‑35 customers may choose to stick with US‑supplied weapons for simplicity, common training and political reasons.
Two key concepts worth unpacking
For anyone not steeped in air‑combat jargon, two terms sit at the heart of this story: “range” and “no‑escape zone”.
Headline range figures – 200 km, 300 km and so on – describe the maximum theoretical distance a missile can fly under ideal conditions. That can involve a non‑manoeuvring target flying towards the missile at high altitude. Real combat rarely looks that clean.
The “no‑escape zone” is more telling. It describes the portion of that range in which, if the missile is fired, the target cannot survive by turning, climbing, diving, jamming or accelerating. Meteor is built to stretch that zone as far as possible by keeping energy in reserve until late in the engagement.
A quick scenario: F‑35 with Meteor in a high‑end clash
Picture a tense standoff over the Baltic or the South China Sea in the 2030s. On one side, F‑35s equipped with Meteor and networked sensors. On the other, advanced fighters armed with PL‑15s or future Russian designs.
In such a fight, the side that can quietly build a picture first and fire from a position of strength has a huge advantage. If the F‑35 can use its stealth to approach undetected and then launch Meteors from well outside the opponent’s comfort zone, it forces enemy aircraft to either retreat, accept a disadvantaged fight or risk serious losses.
That kind of scenario shows why long‑range missiles and stealth jets are treated as a combined system. The missile extends the reach of the aircraft; the aircraft’s sensors and low visibility give the missile better starting conditions.
Risks and benefits going forward
On the benefit side, Meteor on the F‑35 means European industry keeps a strong seat at the table in high‑end air combat, instead of relying entirely on US weapons. It gives European F‑35 operators a distinct upgrade path and strengthens the business case for MBDA’s ongoing Meteor mid‑life refresh.
Risks centre on cost, timelines and politics. Integration is expensive test work, and tight defence budgets can delay full rollout. US lawmakers might push back against fitting non‑US missiles on a flagship export platform. Export customers could face extra layers of approval from both Washington and European capitals before they can buy the full package.
Still, if flight tests confirm what the ground trials suggest, the F‑35 could soon add a French‑rooted, European‑built weapon to its arsenal. For a jet that already dominates export charts, that combination could quietly rewrite the balance of air power for years to come.