Brazilian Gripens Fire Meteor Missile for the First Time

The Brazilian Air Force has conducted its first launch of a European Meteor missile from an F-39E Gripen fighter during the Operation BVR-X exercise at Natal Air Base.

The Brazilian Air Force reported on this.

The exercise involved four Gripen fighter jets and several support aircraft, which documented the missile launch as part of preparations for the Gripen fleet to reach full operational capability in 2026.

The introduction of the Meteor missile into the Brazilian Air Force’s armament is a strong argument for this country’s air power superiority over other Latin American states. In addition, Brazil is the only user of this type of missile on the continent.

The Meteor missile weighs approximately 190 kg, is 3.7 meters long, and has a maximum firing range of over 200 km.

A fighter can carry up to seven missiles of this type, or five missiles and two fuel tanks.

Militarnyi previously reported that India plans to significantly strengthen its air-combat capabilities by purchasing a large batch of European Meteor missiles for its Rafale fighters.

The Rafale is the only aircraft in India’s Air Force capable of launching these missiles, which have a range of up to 200 km.