Germany buys MBDA Meteor missiles to extend Eurofighter reach

The German government has decided to purchase the European active radar-guided, beyond-visual-range air-to-air Meteor missile, which will become part of the armament of the local Eurofighter Typhoon aircraft. The financing is provided through Individual Plan 14 and the special fund of the Bundeswehr, according to German sources.

Over the years, the German Air Force [Luftwaffe] has played a key role in the process of enhancing European air defense, and the acquisition of the MBDA Meteor missiles – the most advanced air-to-air weapons in the European arsenal – is a pivotal moment in this strategy.

Brigadier General Johannes Hanke, the chief strategist of the German Air Force, says: “With the Meteor, we can truly assert our presence in the airspace in a way that was previously impossible. The missile’s range and maneuverability mean that even older-generation fighters like our Eurofighter Typhoon can handle the most modern threats.” He emphasizes that the Meteor is the ideal response to new missile systems from other countries that were previously thought to be invincible at long ranges.

According to Colonel Hans Schneider, head of pilot training at the German Air Force base in Lechfeld, the new missile has changed the very tactics of air combat. “In the past, we always had to stay alert and predict how the combat situation would unfold. Now, thanks to the Meteor, we can operate at much greater distances and with significantly less concern about the enemy detecting us first,” says Schneider. “This is not just a weapon, but a new way of thinking. Pilots now have a real chance of victory in situations that were previously unimaginable.”

Pilots also share their commanders’ optimism, although they rarely have the opportunity to express opinions publicly. One of them, Captain Christian Mayer, a Eurofighter Typhoon pilot with over 1000 flight hours, speaks anonymously: “The Meteor gives us real confidence that we can face any aircraft. It doesn’t matter whether it’s a new Russian Su-57 or an older model – when you have such a precise and powerful missile, tactics change drastically. Now we know we can take the initiative.”

Military analysts also express their approval of Germany’s decision to invest in this system. Heinrich Kraus, an expert in air operations from the Institute for Defense Analysis in Munich, says: “The key advantage of the Meteor is that it provides Germany with a strategic capability that was previously dominated mostly by the United States. This is a real game-changer on the global stage.” According to him, the Meteor gives Germany not just a defensive option, but a position for active contribution in NATO allied missions. “This missile is a symbol of the fact that Europe, and particularly Germany, can develop and implement the best in the world,” adds Kraus.

The Meteor missiles represent a significant advance in the capabilities of the German Air Force to respond to threats in air combat, thanks to the revolutionary thrust vectoring system that significantly increases the missile’s range and accuracy.

The first mention of the Luftwaffe’s interest in the Meteor came in early 2011 when the German government announced its intention to order the missiles as part of a broader European project involving cooperation with the United Kingdom, France, Italy, Spain, and Sweden.

In 2014, after several years of development and testing, the German Air Force received an initial batch of about 150 missiles. This delivery was part of a larger order aimed at gradually equipping Germany’s Eurofighter Typhoon aircraft with the missiles.

With rising tensions in international relations and increased military budgets in Europe, Germany made another significant order for around 100 Meteor missiles in 2018. By this time, the missiles had undergone various modifications and tests ensuring their compatibility with the new systems of the German Eurofighter Typhoon, as well as NATO’s interoperability plans. With these additional units, Germany solidified its strategic advantage in the field of air defense.

In 2021, as the deadlines for NATO’s weapon modernization approached, Germany made another order for around 100-120 Meteor missiles to secure its air forces against the growing threats of new technologies, such as Russian long-range air-to-air missiles.

This new order marked a substantial enhancement of the German Air Force’s capabilities, which now had more than 350 Meteor missiles in its arsenal, enough for a large-scale defensive or offensive campaign.

Thus, in three waves – 2014, 2018, and 2021 – Germany has strengthened its air forces, creating one of the most powerful air-to-air missile arsenals in Europe.

The Meteor missile, developed by the European consortium MBDA, is one of the most powerful and innovative air-to-air weapons ever created. Designed for air dominance, the Meteor features a unique combination of technologies that place it among the elite of its generation and make it a major threat to enemy aircraft within a radius of over 100 kilometers. This achievement is due to the revolutionary thrust vectoring system, which allows high control over the missile’s thrust and energy throughout its flight.

The key innovation of the Meteor is its ramjet engine technology. Unlike standard solid-propellant missiles, which lose momentum and maneuverability as they near the end of their flight, the Meteor maintains a constant speed and high energy even at long distances. The ramjet engine delivers fuel in a controlled manner, providing high-speed acceleration and maintaining the missile’s optimal velocity throughout the entire flight, significantly increasing the likelihood of a successful strike on maneuvering targets at extreme ranges.

The guidance system of the Meteor is also impressive. It features an active radar seeker that automatically locks onto and tracks targets, and it is compatible with network-centric command and control systems used by NATO. This allows pilots to take advantage of “fire and forget” technology – once launched, the missile autonomously follows its target, but it can still receive updated information from other platforms. Thanks to this network integration, the Meteor can be guided and re-targeted in real-time, creating true air superiority that was previously only achievable by the most advanced fighter jets.

The missile’s flight control system allows for extremely precise maneuvers. Its tail fins, combined with thrust control, enable sharp turns, allowing the missile to pursue even the most agile aircraft at high altitudes and variable speeds. The Meteor’s maximum speed reaches over Mach 4, making it extremely difficult for enemy missile defense systems to intercept and rendering evasive maneuvers almost useless. The pilot of the targeted aircraft will have no time to react after launch, as the Meteor has minimal time to close the gap, even at long distances.

The Meteor’s warhead is highly fragmentation-based, designed to inflict maximum damage upon impact. Although the missile has a large damage radius, its sensors are calibrated for optimized detonation close to the target, significantly increasing its lethality. The Meteor is designed to overcome modern electronic jamming and countermeasures systems – its sensors are highly resistant to interference, making its effectiveness impressive even in complex combat environments.

The Meteor combines all of this into a single, complete package that takes European air forces to a new level in the field of air combat. It is a missile that does not just fly fast and far – it is built to dominate the field where response times are minimal, and technological advantage can mean the difference between life and death.