US Marine Corps tests British Meteor missile on F-35B stealth fighter to expand long-range air combat capabilities
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As reported by the Royal Air Force on February 28, 2025, a US Marine Corps F-35B has conducted its first test flights with the Meteor beyond-visual-range air-to-air missile (BVRAAM), marking a key step in integrating British weapons onto the F-35 platform. The test flights, conducted at Naval Air Station Patuxent River, involved an inert version of the missile used to collect environmental data necessary for the integration process. This effort was achieved through collaboration between the UK and US governments, the UK Ministry of Defence, Defence Equipment & Support, and industrial partners MBDA and Lockheed Martin.Follow Army Recognition on Google News at this link
The ability to carry the Meteor internally within the F-35B’s weapons bay ensures that it does not compromise the aircraft’s stealth capabilities, preserving its survivability in highly contested airspace. (Picture source: Royal Air Force)
Integrating the Meteor missile into the F-35B could provide significant advantages in air combat. The missile’s advanced propulsion system enables it to sustain high speeds throughout its flight, extending its operational range beyond that of conventional air-to-air missiles. This capability allows the F-35B to engage enemy aircraft from greater distances, reducing its vulnerability in contested airspace. Additionally, the missile’s sustained high-energy state significantly expands its no-escape zone, increasing the probability of successful engagements against maneuvering targets.
Another major advantage of this integration is the Meteor missile’s compatibility with the F-35B’s advanced sensor suite. The aircraft’s AN/APG-81 AESA radar, Distributed Aperture System (DAS), and Electro-Optical Targeting System (EOTS) enhance situational awareness, enabling the Meteor to receive real-time target updates via its two-way data link. This feature supports mid-course corrections and improves engagement accuracy, making the missile highly effective against a variety of airborne threats, including enemy fighters, cruise missiles, and unmanned aerial vehicles. Moreover, the Meteor’s internal carriage within the F-35B’s weapons bay preserves the aircraft’s stealth characteristics, maintaining its survivability in modern air combat scenarios.
The F-35B is the short takeoff and vertical landing (STOVL) variant of the Lockheed Martin F-35 Lightning II stealth fighter, designed for operations from amphibious assault ships and short runways. It incorporates a shaft-driven lift fan system, developed in collaboration with Rolls-Royce, which allows it to perform vertical takeoffs and landings while maintaining supersonic speed and stealth capabilities. Unlike the conventional F-35A, the F-35B has reduced internal fuel capacity due to the space required for the lift fan, resulting in a shorter combat radius. The aircraft is equipped with advanced avionics, including the AN/APG-81 AESA radar, DAS, and EOTS, enhancing its targeting, surveillance, and electronic warfare capabilities.
The F-35B is primarily operated by the US Marine Corps and the UK Royal Navy and Air Force, with additional users including Italy, Japan, and South Korea. It is designed to carry a variety of precision-guided munitions, including AIM-9X and AIM-120 air-to-air missiles, Joint Direct Attack Munitions (JDAM), and Small Diameter Bombs (SDB). The aircraft has been deployed in NATO air policing missions and expeditionary operations, leveraging its advanced networked warfare capabilities to coordinate with allied forces in combat scenarios. Recent software and hardware upgrades, including the Block 4 enhancements, aim to further improve its operational effectiveness by incorporating new weapons and advanced computing power.
The Meteor is a beyond-visual-range air-to-air missile (BVRAAM) developed by MBDA, designed to provide superior engagement capabilities against a wide range of aerial threats. It features a solid-fuel, variable-flow, ducted rocket propulsion system that maintains thrust throughout its flight, achieving speeds over Mach 4 and a maximum range exceeding 200 kilometers. The missile’s high maneuverability and advanced guidance systems allow it to engage fast-moving targets with high precision, even in contested electronic warfare environments. Unlike conventional air-to-air missiles, Meteor’s propulsion system allows it to adjust thrust levels mid-flight, optimizing energy use to maximize effectiveness in the final engagement phase.
Meteor’s integration into the F-35B represents a technological advancement, offering an advantage over traditional missiles like the AIM-120 AMRAAM. Its two-way data link enables it to receive mid-course target updates from the launch aircraft or third-party sources, improving adaptability in dynamic combat scenarios. This capability enhances its kill probability against highly maneuverable enemy aircraft and provides F-35B pilots with real-time tracking information. Additionally, its jamming-resistant proximity fuze and active radar seeker ensure reliable target detection and discrimination, making it effective against a range of aerial threats, including fighters, UAVs, and cruise missiles.
The ability to carry the Meteor internally within the F-35B’s weapons bay ensures that it does not compromise the aircraft’s stealth capabilities, preserving its survivability in highly contested airspace. The missile’s integration into the F-35 program—led by the UK for the F-35B and by Italy for the F-35A—demonstrates collaborative efforts among European and NATO allies to enhance their air combat capabilities. With successful test flights now completed, full integration of the Meteor missile onto the UK and Italian F-35 fleets is expected in the coming years, further strengthening their air defense capabilities in modern warfare scenarios.
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As reported by the Royal Air Force on February 28, 2025, a US Marine Corps F-35B has conducted its first test flights with the Meteor beyond-visual-range air-to-air missile (BVRAAM), marking a key step in integrating British weapons onto the F-35 platform. The test flights, conducted at Naval Air Station Patuxent River, involved an inert version of the missile used to collect environmental data necessary for the integration process. This effort was achieved through collaboration between the UK and US governments, the UK Ministry of Defence, Defence Equipment & Support, and industrial partners MBDA and Lockheed Martin.
Follow Army Recognition on Google News at this link
The ability to carry the Meteor internally within the F-35B’s weapons bay ensures that it does not compromise the aircraft’s stealth capabilities, preserving its survivability in highly contested airspace. (Picture source: Royal Air Force)
Integrating the Meteor missile into the F-35B could provide significant advantages in air combat. The missile’s advanced propulsion system enables it to sustain high speeds throughout its flight, extending its operational range beyond that of conventional air-to-air missiles. This capability allows the F-35B to engage enemy aircraft from greater distances, reducing its vulnerability in contested airspace. Additionally, the missile’s sustained high-energy state significantly expands its no-escape zone, increasing the probability of successful engagements against maneuvering targets.
Another major advantage of this integration is the Meteor missile’s compatibility with the F-35B’s advanced sensor suite. The aircraft’s AN/APG-81 AESA radar, Distributed Aperture System (DAS), and Electro-Optical Targeting System (EOTS) enhance situational awareness, enabling the Meteor to receive real-time target updates via its two-way data link. This feature supports mid-course corrections and improves engagement accuracy, making the missile highly effective against a variety of airborne threats, including enemy fighters, cruise missiles, and unmanned aerial vehicles. Moreover, the Meteor’s internal carriage within the F-35B’s weapons bay preserves the aircraft’s stealth characteristics, maintaining its survivability in modern air combat scenarios.
The F-35B is the short takeoff and vertical landing (STOVL) variant of the Lockheed Martin F-35 Lightning II stealth fighter, designed for operations from amphibious assault ships and short runways. It incorporates a shaft-driven lift fan system, developed in collaboration with Rolls-Royce, which allows it to perform vertical takeoffs and landings while maintaining supersonic speed and stealth capabilities. Unlike the conventional F-35A, the F-35B has reduced internal fuel capacity due to the space required for the lift fan, resulting in a shorter combat radius. The aircraft is equipped with advanced avionics, including the AN/APG-81 AESA radar, DAS, and EOTS, enhancing its targeting, surveillance, and electronic warfare capabilities.
The F-35B is primarily operated by the US Marine Corps and the UK Royal Navy and Air Force, with additional users including Italy, Japan, and South Korea. It is designed to carry a variety of precision-guided munitions, including AIM-9X and AIM-120 air-to-air missiles, Joint Direct Attack Munitions (JDAM), and Small Diameter Bombs (SDB). The aircraft has been deployed in NATO air policing missions and expeditionary operations, leveraging its advanced networked warfare capabilities to coordinate with allied forces in combat scenarios. Recent software and hardware upgrades, including the Block 4 enhancements, aim to further improve its operational effectiveness by incorporating new weapons and advanced computing power.
The Meteor is a beyond-visual-range air-to-air missile (BVRAAM) developed by MBDA, designed to provide superior engagement capabilities against a wide range of aerial threats. It features a solid-fuel, variable-flow, ducted rocket propulsion system that maintains thrust throughout its flight, achieving speeds over Mach 4 and a maximum range exceeding 200 kilometers. The missile’s high maneuverability and advanced guidance systems allow it to engage fast-moving targets with high precision, even in contested electronic warfare environments. Unlike conventional air-to-air missiles, Meteor’s propulsion system allows it to adjust thrust levels mid-flight, optimizing energy use to maximize effectiveness in the final engagement phase.
Meteor’s integration into the F-35B represents a technological advancement, offering an advantage over traditional missiles like the AIM-120 AMRAAM. Its two-way data link enables it to receive mid-course target updates from the launch aircraft or third-party sources, improving adaptability in dynamic combat scenarios. This capability enhances its kill probability against highly maneuverable enemy aircraft and provides F-35B pilots with real-time tracking information. Additionally, its jamming-resistant proximity fuze and active radar seeker ensure reliable target detection and discrimination, making it effective against a range of aerial threats, including fighters, UAVs, and cruise missiles.
The ability to carry the Meteor internally within the F-35B’s weapons bay ensures that it does not compromise the aircraft’s stealth capabilities, preserving its survivability in highly contested airspace. The missile’s integration into the F-35 program—led by the UK for the F-35B and by Italy for the F-35A—demonstrates collaborative efforts among European and NATO allies to enhance their air combat capabilities. With successful test flights now completed, full integration of the Meteor missile onto the UK and Italian F-35 fleets is expected in the coming years, further strengthening their air defense capabilities in modern warfare scenarios.
