Germany launches Meteor missile from Eurofighter for the first time

10 December, 2024 First launch of Meteor missile by German Eurofighter. Freeze frame from video of German Armed Forces Germany has conducted the first test launch of the MBDA Meteor long-range air-to-air missile from a Eurofighter fighter jet.

German Armed Forces reported this on their website. The test was conducted at the British military training ground in Scotland, as no German training ground is of sufficient size. Currently, German Eurofighters are equipped with the IRIS-T short-range heat-seeking missile and the AMRAAM medium-range missile.

The integration of the Meteor will significantly enhance the aircraft's combat capabilities and increase its ability to neutralize threats over long distances. "This means that we can now better protect ourselves because targets can be attacked from a long distance and cannot get as close to us. Therefore, the Meteor is also a great asset in terms of deterrence," the German Air Force noted.

German Air Force Eurofighter Typhoon fighter jet and Meteor air-to-air missile.

Photo: MBDA

The full integration of Meteor missiles into a new fighter jet is a complex and lengthy process. The German Air Force completed flight tests of the Meteor air-to-air missile and declared it ready for use onboard Eurofighter Typhoon fighter jets back in August 2021. That is, more than three years have passed since the formal completion of flight tests to the first real launch.

At the same time, the flight tests themselves began in June 2020 and lasted over a year. A similar situation is observed in the Italian Air Force. Despite adopting the Meteor missile in 2020, their integration had not occurred until then.

The integration research program was launched only in October 2023. These tests are planned to be divided into three stages: the first stage is scheduled for testing at the end of 2023, the second stage for the end of 2024, and the third stage for the end of 2026. But despite the difficulties, the Meteor missile remains probably the best missile in the long-range air-to-air missile class.

That is why the German government, despite financial difficulties, allocated more than EUR521 million at the end of November 2024 to purchase an additional number of these missiles.