MBDA’s Meteor missile has successfully completed a firing campaign on board the Saab Gripen fighter, marking the complete validation of the integration of the weapon with the aircraft.
The testing of the beyond visual range air-to-air missile was conducted in March in collaboration with the Swedish Defence Materiel Administration (FMV), and was the last major milestone the Meteor had to pass before it could enter operational service on board the Swedish air force's Gripen C/Ds.
The Meteor capability is being added to Sweden's Gripens under the Material System 20 combat systems upgrade for the air force, which will become the first operator of the missile.
MBDA
Two airborne launches were carried out on 12 and 13 March at the Vidsel test range in Sweden, during which two Meteors were fired at remotely-controlled targets in order to validate seeker performance and the weapon’s range.
“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,” MBDA says.
The tests demonstrated safe separation from the aircraft as well as datalink functions between the aircraft and the missile.
Software verification of the Meteor system's integration was previously tested by Saab during other trials in Sweden, but the March firing campaign led to the full validation of the missile's integration with the C/D model.
Source: Flight International
