Saab recently conducted the first test firing with the advanced Meteor Beyond Visual Range Air-to-Air Missile (BVRAAM) on the Gripen E with a successful end-to-end result on target. The Meteor missile was launched from the Gripen E at an altitude of approximately 16,500 feet above the Vidsel test range in northern Sweden.
“It is very good that we have now completed the first test firing with the Meteor from the Gripen E. It is a very important milestone for both the program and Saab. It shows that Gripen’s weapons capability is at the absolute forefront,” says Mikael Olsson, head of Flight Test and Verification at Saab.
Mikael Olsson
MBDA’s Meteor missile is an unmatched BVRAAM that can operate in the most challenging environments. It can successfully engage a wide variety of targets, from fighter aircraft to small unmanned aerial vehicles and cruise missiles at unmatched ranges.
“This success is a great demonstration of the partnership between MBDA and Saab, which after many years of active cooperation continues to grow stronger. This test also excellently showcases our joint ability to rapidly integrate weapons capabilities into the new Gripen E,” said Jim Price, MBDA’s vice president in Europe.
Jim Price
The focus of the Gripen E flight test program is on the continued development and testing of primarily tactical systems and the integration of a variety of weaponry, for example Meteor. The Meteor program is one of Europe’s most successful defense collaborations and has seen the UK, France, Germany, Italy, Spain and Sweden come together to create this revolutionary air combat missile. Saab is a partner in the Meteor program together with prime contractor MBDA UK.
