The F-35B integrates the Meteor long-range air-to-air missile, boosting its air superiority capability with ramjet propulsion and a range of over 200 km.
The F-35B fifth-generation fighter recently completed test flights equipped with the Meteor long-range air-to-air missile. This missile, developed by MBDA, features ramjet propulsion, giving it a speed in excess of Mach 4 and a range in excess of 200 km. The integration of the Meteor on the F-35B is designed to significantly enhance the air combat capabilities of the UK and Italy, enabling them to engage targets at very long range while maintaining the aircraft’s stealth.
Integration of the Meteor missile on the F-35B: a technological breakthrough
On February 28, 2025, the Royal Air Force (RAF) announced that the F-35B had carried out its first test flights with the Meteor long-range air-to-air missile. These tests were carried out with an inert missile to collect environmental data essential for the integration of British weapons on the F-35. The sorties were carried out from Naval Air Station Patuxent River, Maryland, USA.
The Meteor is a long-range air-to-air missile developed by MBDA, in service since 2016. It features ramjet propulsion, enabling it to regulate its speed and fly over long distances. The missile is 3.65 meters long, weighs around 190 kg and can reach speeds in excess of Mach 4.
The integration of the Meteor on the F-35B represents a significant step forward for the British and Italian armed forces. It will enable the pilots of these aircraft to engage targets at very long range, reinforcing their air superiority. What’s more, the F-35B’s ability to carry the Meteor internally preserves the aircraft’s stealth, a major asset in modern operations.
Technical features of the Meteor missile
The Meteor boasts a number of advanced technical features that make it one of the world’s most effective air-to-air missiles.
Ramjet propulsion
The Meteor is powered by a ramjet engine, a technology that gives it continuous thrust throughout its flight. Unlike traditional rocket engines, which provide initial thrust and then burn out, the Meteor’s ramjet enables it to maintain high speed over long distances. This propulsion ensures a speed in excess of Mach 4, i.e. over 4,900 km/h.
Range and interception zone
The Meteor has a range of over 200 km, enabling it to engage targets at very long range. Its assured interception zone, i.e. the area within which a target cannot escape the missile, is significantly greater than that of missiles currently in service, and around three times greater than that of the AIM-120 AMRAAM.
Guidance system
The missile is equipped with an active X-band radar seeker, enabling it to detect and track targets with great precision. It also features a two-way data link, enabling in-flight updates from the launch aircraft or other sources. This feature offers enhanced tactical flexibility, enabling the missile to adapt to target movements or mission changes in real time.
Consequences of Meteor integration on the F-35B
The integration of the Meteor missile on the F-35B will have a significant impact on the operational capabilities of the air forces concerned.
Enhanced air superiority
With the Meteor, the F-35B will be able to engage targets at much greater distances than current missiles. This long-range capability, combined with the F-35B’s stealth, will enable British and Italian air forces to dominate airspace, neutralizing threats before they become critical.
Enhanced interoperability between allies
The Meteor is already in service on other European platforms, such as the French Rafale, the Eurofighter Typhoon and the Swedish Gripen. Its integration on the F-35B will promote interoperability between allied air forces, simplifying logistics and joint strategies for multinational operations.
Impact on military doctrines
The ability to engage targets at very long range could lead to a re-evaluation of current military doctrines. Missions could be planned with a greater margin of safety, as aircraft could operate outside the range of enemy defenses while retaining an effective offensive capability.
Challenges and prospects
Technical integration and testing
Integrating a missile as advanced as the Meteor on a platform like the F-35B requires major technical adjustments. Current tests with inert missiles aim to assess the weapon’s impact on the aircraft’s airframe, aerodynamics and overall weapon system performance. These tests are carried out at the Integrated Test Force at Naval Air Station Patuxent River, USA.
The main challenge lies in adapting the aircraft’s software, notably the weapons management system and the AN/APG-85 radar system, to take full advantage of the Meteor’s capabilities. Compatibility with the Block 4 architecture, which modernizes the F-35, is also essential to ensure optimum integration.
Budgetary and strategic issues
The costs involved in integrating a long-range missile on a stealth platform are high. The UK Ministry of Defence has already invested several hundred million euros in the Meteor program, and its deployment on the F-35B could lead to unforeseen additional expenditure. In addition, the gradual reduction in the number of aircraft ordered by the UK (from an initial forecast of 138 to around 74 confirmed aircraft) raises the question of how these costs will be amortized over a smaller fleet.
Competition and reaction from other powers
The emergence of new long-range missiles in Russia and China, such as the R-37M (200 km range) and the Chinese PL-15, is prompting Western nations to modernize their weapons. The Meteor, with its range of over 200 km, puts the UK and its allies in a favorable position in this technological race. However, opposing developments in electronic countermeasures and passive radar are likely to reduce the effectiveness of these systems in the long term.
War Wings Daily is an independant magazine.