Brazilian Air Force fires first Meteor air-to-air missile from Saab Gripen fighter jet
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Brazil carried out the first operational firing of the Meteor beyond-visual-range missile from an F-39E Gripen during the EXTEC BVR-X exercise near Natal Air Base.
On November 27, 2025, the Brazilian Air Force performed the first live launch of the Meteor beyond-visual-range (BVR) air-to-air missile from a Saab F-39E Gripen. The test, made during the EXTEC BVR-X exercise near Natal Air Base, was conducted in a scenario designed to test the missile and the fighter jet against high-speed aerial targets in conditions intended to reproduce complex operational environments. The event forms part of a broader process of evaluating and preparing the Gripen and its armaments for full operational use in Brazilian service.Follow Army Recognition on Google News at this link
With this first launch of Meteor missiles, the Brazilian Air Force further establishes the F-39E Gripen as a central component of its national air defense planning for the coming decades. (Picture source: Brazilian Air Force)
The launch was executed against Mirach 100/5 aerial targets that simulated high-altitude, high-speed fighter maneuvers, allowing the measurement of the missile’s precision under demanding conditions. The region of Natal was selected because its geography provides proximity to the sea, controlled air and maritime traffic, and typically clear skies at this time of the year. The Brazilian Air Force states that the exercise’s goal was to develop and improve procedures for the use of beyond-visual-range missiles, with two real Meteor firings forming the core of the exercise, confirming the integration between the missile and the F-39E. The First Air Defense Group, known as Jaguar, participated with four F-39E Gripen fighters, and the Anápolis Logistics Group carried out the technical and logistical preparation before and after each flight, including loading, inspection, and post-flight checks. The profiles used during the missile launches were chosen by a trained team of pilots and specialists familiar with long-range engagements, and they were intended to extract as much technical information as possible. The Brazilian Air Force considers the combined use of the F-39 Gripen and the Meteor an essential element of its future airspace defense posture and of its broader mission to secure national territory.
Pilot preparation began with initial instruction provided by Saab, followed by operational training focused on Meteor employment and sessions in the mission trainer at Anápolis, where crews practiced the scenarios expected during the BVR-X exercise. The missile manufacturer, MBDA, provided technical support and knowledge to the Operational Applications Institute, which is responsible for defining the testing parameters, evaluating whether launch profiles meet operational requirements, supervising the integration of the missile with the aircraft, and analyzing collected data to determine performance and accuracy under realistic tactical conditions. The cooperation forms part of an offset arrangement linked to the Meteor acquisition contract in 2019, under which industrial, commercial, and technological benefits are generated for the purchasing country, including the transfer of technology. The Operational Applications Institute will now use the results to adjust tactics, techniques, and procedures and to identify real capabilities and potential limitations of the missile, which influences future decisions about further acquisition, modernization, or technological requirements. The overall structure ensures that the evaluation of the missile is connected to broader efforts to develop doctrine and maintain operational effectiveness.
Multiple aircraft and organizations worked together to support the exercise, including A-1M ground-attack from the First Squadron of the Tenth Aviation Group acting as aggressors to create conditions similar to air combat training, while the area of interdiction was monitored by the Third Military Air Operations Center and by an E-99 early warning aircraft from the Second Squadron of the Sixth Aviation Group. A-29 Super Tucano from the Second Squadron of the Fifth Aviation Group remained on alert to restrict uncontrolled air traffic, and maritime traffic was monitored by P-3AMs of the First Squadron of the Seventh Aviation Group and P-95BMs of the Third Squadron of the Seventh Aviation Group, both equipped with radars and electro-optical sensors for identification and observation of vessels near the exclusion area. Throughout the exercise, an H-36 Caracal helicopter from the First Squadron of the Eighth Aviation Group was kept ready for search and rescue operations should the need arise, ensuring that all flight events could proceed with safety support in place. The Barreira do Inferno Launch Center tracked the Mirach 100/5 drones and the missile using real-time telemetry, which was essential to confirm the engagement and to record data from each phase of the flight. These activities were supported by the Preparation Command, the General Support Command, the Directorate of Aeronautical and Armament Material, the São Paulo Aeronautical Material Park, and the Rio de Janeiro Aeronautical Armament Material Park, which provided logistics, equipment availability, and coordination.
The Meteor missile, tested in this exercise, is a long-range missile intended for use against fighter aircraft, remotely piloted aerial vehicles, and cruise missiles in environments with extensive electronic countermeasure activity, and it differs from conventional missiles by using a ramjet propulsion unit capable of adjusting thrust during flight. The Meteor maintains energy across the entire trajectory and can accelerate during the final approach to the target, which increases the likelihood of intercept in the zone where the target is unable to escape. Public figures place its no-escape zone around 60 km, with a maximum range exceeding 100 km and often estimated above 200 km, and a speed of approximately Mach 4. The missile includes a bidirectional data link that allows updates and redirection from the launch aircraft or other cooperating platforms and uses inertial navigation in the mid-course phase with active radar homing for terminal engagement. The Meteor has been integrated into several fighter jets, including Rafale, Eurofighter Typhoon, and Gripen, with planned integration for F-35 and KF-21. Countries employing the missile include France, the United Kingdom, Germany, Italy, Spain, Sweden, India, Greece, Egypt, Qatar, and Croatia, and Brazilian publications reference domestic valuations around R$ 12,4 million per unit and an estimated national acquisition of about one hundred missiles valued around €200 million.
The first Meteor launch also occurred in the context of broader validation activities for the F-39E Gripen, which have included technical and logistical assessments of the fighter jet in its updated configuration and evaluations in real operational conditions conducted at Anápolis between August 18 and September 4, 2025. These included tests of system performance, alert procedures, deployment readiness, and ground refueling using a KC-390 Millennium under Forward Arming and Refueling Point procedures to extend the Gripen’s endurance in dispersed operations. The integration of the Brazilian Link BR2 data link is in an advanced stage to allow the Gripen to exchange information in real-time with other platforms, improving situational awareness and coordination in complex missions. The Gripen program stems from a 2014 contract for 36 aircraft, including 28 single-seat F-39E and eight two-seat F-39F, with deliveries extending to 2026 and later adjustments pushing some deadlines to 2032. Eleven aircraft have been delivered so far, including several units transported by sea from Sweden to Brazil, and additional procurement of Gripen C/Ds from Sweden has been discussed to prevent gaps in air defense coverage. A final assembly line at Gavião Peixoto, inaugurated on May 9, 2023, joins structures produced in Brazil and Sweden and includes the installation of cabling, systems, radars, avionics, landing gear, engine, and weapons before flight testing.
The introduction of the Meteor and the Gripen is linked to the evolution of the Brazilian Air Force’s previous combat aircraft, such as Mirage III, Xavante, and earlier variants of the A-1 and F-5, which were modernized between 2005 and 2020 with upgrades including multifunction displays, new radars, countermeasure suites, and compatibility with modern guided weapons. During CRUZEX 2024, the F-39E flew with inert versions of the Meteor and IRIS-T in multinational scenarios against F-16, F-15C, IA-63, F-5, and A-1, sometimes with its capabilities reduced to preserve training balance when assigned to opposing force roles. As the performance characteristics of the Meteor exceed those of AIM-120 AMRAAM missiles used by Chile and future Argentine F-16s, as well as the R-77 and R-27 carried by Venezuelan Su-30 fighters, Brazil is now well positioned within a group of South American countries employing long-range missiles with extended no-escape zones. Following the Meteor’s first live launch and the completion of additional tests, including future evaluation of the 27 mm cannon over the sea near Rio de Janeiro and continued assessments of weapon configurations, the Brazilian Air Force intends to clear the Gripen for real operational missions in 2026, establishing the F-39E as a central component of its national air defense planning for the coming decades.
Written by Jérôme Brahy
Jérôme Brahy is a defense analyst and documentalist at Army Recognition. He specializes in naval modernization, aviation, drones, armored vehicles, and artillery, with a focus on strategic developments in the United States, China, Ukraine, Russia, Türkiye, and Belgium. His analyses go beyond the facts, providing context, identifying key actors, and explaining why defense news matters on a global scale.
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Brazil carried out the first operational firing of the Meteor beyond-visual-range missile from an F-39E Gripen during the EXTEC BVR-X exercise near Natal Air Base.
On November 27, 2025, the Brazilian Air Force performed the first live launch of the Meteor beyond-visual-range (BVR) air-to-air missile from a Saab F-39E Gripen. The test, made during the EXTEC BVR-X exercise near Natal Air Base, was conducted in a scenario designed to test the missile and the fighter jet against high-speed aerial targets in conditions intended to reproduce complex operational environments. The event forms part of a broader process of evaluating and preparing the Gripen and its armaments for full operational use in Brazilian service.
Follow Army Recognition on Google News at this link
With this first launch of Meteor missiles, the Brazilian Air Force further establishes the F-39E Gripen as a central component of its national air defense planning for the coming decades. (Picture source: Brazilian Air Force)
The launch was executed against Mirach 100/5 aerial targets that simulated high-altitude, high-speed fighter maneuvers, allowing the measurement of the missile’s precision under demanding conditions. The region of Natal was selected because its geography provides proximity to the sea, controlled air and maritime traffic, and typically clear skies at this time of the year. The Brazilian Air Force states that the exercise’s goal was to develop and improve procedures for the use of beyond-visual-range missiles, with two real Meteor firings forming the core of the exercise, confirming the integration between the missile and the F-39E. The First Air Defense Group, known as Jaguar, participated with four F-39E Gripen fighters, and the Anápolis Logistics Group carried out the technical and logistical preparation before and after each flight, including loading, inspection, and post-flight checks. The profiles used during the missile launches were chosen by a trained team of pilots and specialists familiar with long-range engagements, and they were intended to extract as much technical information as possible. The Brazilian Air Force considers the combined use of the F-39 Gripen and the Meteor an essential element of its future airspace defense posture and of its broader mission to secure national territory.
Pilot preparation began with initial instruction provided by Saab, followed by operational training focused on Meteor employment and sessions in the mission trainer at Anápolis, where crews practiced the scenarios expected during the BVR-X exercise. The missile manufacturer, MBDA, provided technical support and knowledge to the Operational Applications Institute, which is responsible for defining the testing parameters, evaluating whether launch profiles meet operational requirements, supervising the integration of the missile with the aircraft, and analyzing collected data to determine performance and accuracy under realistic tactical conditions. The cooperation forms part of an offset arrangement linked to the Meteor acquisition contract in 2019, under which industrial, commercial, and technological benefits are generated for the purchasing country, including the transfer of technology. The Operational Applications Institute will now use the results to adjust tactics, techniques, and procedures and to identify real capabilities and potential limitations of the missile, which influences future decisions about further acquisition, modernization, or technological requirements. The overall structure ensures that the evaluation of the missile is connected to broader efforts to develop doctrine and maintain operational effectiveness.
Multiple aircraft and organizations worked together to support the exercise, including A-1M ground-attack from the First Squadron of the Tenth Aviation Group acting as aggressors to create conditions similar to air combat training, while the area of interdiction was monitored by the Third Military Air Operations Center and by an E-99 early warning aircraft from the Second Squadron of the Sixth Aviation Group. A-29 Super Tucano from the Second Squadron of the Fifth Aviation Group remained on alert to restrict uncontrolled air traffic, and maritime traffic was monitored by P-3AMs of the First Squadron of the Seventh Aviation Group and P-95BMs of the Third Squadron of the Seventh Aviation Group, both equipped with radars and electro-optical sensors for identification and observation of vessels near the exclusion area. Throughout the exercise, an H-36 Caracal helicopter from the First Squadron of the Eighth Aviation Group was kept ready for search and rescue operations should the need arise, ensuring that all flight events could proceed with safety support in place. The Barreira do Inferno Launch Center tracked the Mirach 100/5 drones and the missile using real-time telemetry, which was essential to confirm the engagement and to record data from each phase of the flight. These activities were supported by the Preparation Command, the General Support Command, the Directorate of Aeronautical and Armament Material, the São Paulo Aeronautical Material Park, and the Rio de Janeiro Aeronautical Armament Material Park, which provided logistics, equipment availability, and coordination.
The Meteor missile, tested in this exercise, is a long-range missile intended for use against fighter aircraft, remotely piloted aerial vehicles, and cruise missiles in environments with extensive electronic countermeasure activity, and it differs from conventional missiles by using a ramjet propulsion unit capable of adjusting thrust during flight. The Meteor maintains energy across the entire trajectory and can accelerate during the final approach to the target, which increases the likelihood of intercept in the zone where the target is unable to escape. Public figures place its no-escape zone around 60 km, with a maximum range exceeding 100 km and often estimated above 200 km, and a speed of approximately Mach 4. The missile includes a bidirectional data link that allows updates and redirection from the launch aircraft or other cooperating platforms and uses inertial navigation in the mid-course phase with active radar homing for terminal engagement. The Meteor has been integrated into several fighter jets, including Rafale, Eurofighter Typhoon, and Gripen, with planned integration for F-35 and KF-21. Countries employing the missile include France, the United Kingdom, Germany, Italy, Spain, Sweden, India, Greece, Egypt, Qatar, and Croatia, and Brazilian publications reference domestic valuations around R$ 12,4 million per unit and an estimated national acquisition of about one hundred missiles valued around €200 million.
The first Meteor launch also occurred in the context of broader validation activities for the F-39E Gripen, which have included technical and logistical assessments of the fighter jet in its updated configuration and evaluations in real operational conditions conducted at Anápolis between August 18 and September 4, 2025. These included tests of system performance, alert procedures, deployment readiness, and ground refueling using a KC-390 Millennium under Forward Arming and Refueling Point procedures to extend the Gripen’s endurance in dispersed operations. The integration of the Brazilian Link BR2 data link is in an advanced stage to allow the Gripen to exchange information in real-time with other platforms, improving situational awareness and coordination in complex missions. The Gripen program stems from a 2014 contract for 36 aircraft, including 28 single-seat F-39E and eight two-seat F-39F, with deliveries extending to 2026 and later adjustments pushing some deadlines to 2032. Eleven aircraft have been delivered so far, including several units transported by sea from Sweden to Brazil, and additional procurement of Gripen C/Ds from Sweden has been discussed to prevent gaps in air defense coverage. A final assembly line at Gavião Peixoto, inaugurated on May 9, 2023, joins structures produced in Brazil and Sweden and includes the installation of cabling, systems, radars, avionics, landing gear, engine, and weapons before flight testing.
The introduction of the Meteor and the Gripen is linked to the evolution of the Brazilian Air Force’s previous combat aircraft, such as Mirage III, Xavante, and earlier variants of the A-1 and F-5, which were modernized between 2005 and 2020 with upgrades including multifunction displays, new radars, countermeasure suites, and compatibility with modern guided weapons. During CRUZEX 2024, the F-39E flew with inert versions of the Meteor and IRIS-T in multinational scenarios against F-16, F-15C, IA-63, F-5, and A-1, sometimes with its capabilities reduced to preserve training balance when assigned to opposing force roles. As the performance characteristics of the Meteor exceed those of AIM-120 AMRAAM missiles used by Chile and future Argentine F-16s, as well as the R-77 and R-27 carried by Venezuelan Su-30 fighters, Brazil is now well positioned within a group of South American countries employing long-range missiles with extended no-escape zones. Following the Meteor’s first live launch and the completion of additional tests, including future evaluation of the 27 mm cannon over the sea near Rio de Janeiro and continued assessments of weapon configurations, the Brazilian Air Force intends to clear the Gripen for real operational missions in 2026, establishing the F-39E as a central component of its national air defense planning for the coming decades.
Written by Jérôme Brahy
Jérôme Brahy is a defense analyst and documentalist at Army Recognition. He specializes in naval modernization, aviation, drones, armored vehicles, and artillery, with a focus on strategic developments in the United States, China, Ukraine, Russia, Türkiye, and Belgium. His analyses go beyond the facts, providing context, identifying key actors, and explaining why defense news matters on a global scale.
