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.

Range

200 km

Combat weight

185 kg

💲 Publicly cited export unit price estimate

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

75th pct in class
Range Maximum distance: ferry range for aircraft, operational range for vehicles, maximum engagement distance for missiles. Higher means more standoff or persistence.: 200 km

38th pct in class

Firepower

Armament, payload and guidance.

Warhead Warhead mass. Heavier generally means larger effect radius, at the cost of range.: 25 kg

38th pct in class
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

25th pct in class
Units built Total production run. Higher means proven manufacturing, mature logistics and spares availability.: 3,000

13th pct in class
Operator countries Number of countries operating the system. More operators means broader support ecosystem.: 8

38th pct in class

Specifications compiled from public MBDA and reference sources ↗. Published defense figures are approximations — treat comparisons as directional. Last verified 2026-07-01.

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.