Documents
United Kingdom MBDA
Meteor
A ramjet-powered beyond-visual-range air-to-air missile developed by a six-nation European consortium under MBDA, offering a substantially larger no-escape zone than rocket-powered rivals. It arms the Eurofighter Typhoon, Rafale, Gripen and F-35 for several European air forces.
In service since 2016 · 8 operator countries
Compiled from public sources ·primary reference ↗ ·last verified 2026-07-01
200
km range
4
Mach
25
kg warhead
💲 ≈ $2,000,000, Publicly cited export unit price estimate
Procurement snapshot
Availability & export
UK export-licensed
Subject to UK SPIRE licensing (ECJU); generally available to allied states.
Channel: Government-to-government or direct
Fielded & proven
Established · 8 operators
In service since 2016. Status: active · ~3,000 built.
Lifecycle cost (est.)
Unit cost known; one-shot / small-arms class has no meaningful O&S tail to model.
Interoperability
No standardised NATO calibre / datalink detected in public specs.
Derived guidance from public data, export regime by country of origin, lifecycle from the GAO ~30% acquisition rule. Verify eligibility, pricing and offsets with the manufacturer and your acquisition authority.
Full specifications
Performance
Speed, range, altitude and engagement capability.
| Max speed (Mach) Maximum speed as a multiple of the speed of sound. Mach 2+ is typical for air-superiority fighters. | 4 Mach |
|---|---|
| Range Maximum distance: ferry range for aircraft, operational range for vehicles, maximum engagement distance for missiles. Higher means more standoff or persistence. | 200 km |
Firepower
Armament, payload and guidance.
| Warhead Warhead mass. Heavier generally means larger effect radius, at the cost of range. | 25 kg |
|---|---|
| Warhead type Blast-fragmentation, shaped charge (HEAT), penetrator, thermobaric or nuclear-capable. | Blast-fragmentation, proximity fuze |
| Guidance How the weapon finds its target: inertial, GPS/GLONASS, active/semi-active radar, infrared, laser, TV, wire. | Active radar homing, Two-way datalink, INS midcourse update |
Physical
Dimensions, weight and crew.
| Length Overall length including gun/probe where applicable. | 3.65 m |
|---|---|
| Combat weight Fully loaded weight. Lighter eases transport and bridging limits; heavier often means more armor. | 185 kg |
Propulsion
Engine, power and fuel.
| Propulsion type Turbofan, turboshaft, diesel, gas turbine, solid-fuel rocket, ramjet… | Ramjet |
|---|
Program
Cost, production scale and operators.
| Unit cost Approximate flyaway/unit cost where public. Defense pricing varies hugely by contract, offsets and configuration. Lower is cheaper. | $2,000,000 |
|---|---|
| Units built Total production run. Higher means proven manufacturing, mature logistics and spares availability. | 3,000 |
| Operator countries Number of countries operating the system. More operators means broader support ecosystem. | 8 |
Specifications compiled from public MBDA and reference sources ↗. Published defense figures are approximations, treat comparisons as directional. Last verified 2026-07-01.
Compare with rivals
See how it stacks up
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Meteor vs
PL-15 Frequently asked questions
What is the range of the MBDA Meteor? +
The MBDA Meteor has a maximum range of 200 km.
How much does the MBDA Meteor weigh? +
The MBDA Meteor has a combat weight of 185 kg.
What is the MBDA Meteor used for? +
The MBDA Meteor is a missile typically used for air superiority.
How many countries operate the MBDA Meteor? +
The MBDA Meteor is operated by 8 countries.
How much does the MBDA Meteor cost? +
The MBDA Meteor has an approximate unit cost of 2,000,000 USD. Defense pricing varies by contract, offsets and configuration, treat this as directional.
Similar systems
MBDA
ASRAAM
Raytheon (RTX)
AIM-120D AMRAAM
Tactical Missiles Corporation (KTRV)
R-37M
AVIC (Aviation Industry Corporation of China)
PL-10
Related coverage
Meteor in the news
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