Germany’s arms procurement agency has awarded MBDA a contract to supply an additional batch of Meteor air-to-air missiles for the German Armed Forces.
No further contract details have been disclosed. According to MBDA, the order follows Meteor contracts and test activities in 2025.
In November 2024, the German budget committee approved 521 million euros ($609 million) for the procurement of the missile’s third production lot. Earlier batches, ordered in 2014 and 2018, comprised 150 and 100 missiles, respectively.
“Meteor is a defining example of the strength of multinational collaboration in delivering world-leading defence capabilities,” CEO of MBDA Eric Béranger said.
“This latest contract from Germany, one of the missile’s development partners, reflects continued confidence in a programme that unites cutting-edge technologies from six European nations, through a unique partnership led by MBDA, to deliver a common decisive military capability.
In 2025, we saw another successful year for METEOR, as nations continued to invest in its air dominance and secure the sovereignty of their airspaces.”
Meteor Missile
The Meteor is developed by an MBDA-led European consortium comprising Germany, the UK, France, Italy, Spain, and Sweden.
The beyond-visual-range air-to-air missile is powered by a solid-fuel, variable-flow ducted ramjet engine, providing sustained thrust throughout flight and giving it a uniquely larger “no-escape zone” compared with many other air-to-air missiles.
With an estimated range of around 200 kilometers (124 miles), the Meteor features an active radar seeker and network-centric capability, allowing it to receive real-time updates for mid-course flight corrections.
Germany has already allocated 34.9 million euros ($38.2 million) for studies aimed at developing an upgraded version of the missile.
The Meteor is in service on multiple combat aircraft worldwide, including Eurofighter Typhoon, Rafale, Gripen, and KF-21 Boramae. In 2025, integration on the F-35 progressed with the missile’s first flight on the F-35B, alongside ground testing ahead of the first flight on the F-35A.
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