Countering Guided Bombs: Ukrainian Gripen Jets to Be Armed with Long-Range Meteor Missiles

The latest long-range Meteor missiles will be delivered to Ukraine for its Gripen fighter jets.

President Volodymyr Zelensky reported that the delivery of Gripen fighter jets from Sweden will help Ukraine defend against Russian guided aerial bombs (GABs).

“So, of course, with these aircraft equipped with very specific weapons, such as Meteor missiles and the like, which can strike targets over 200 km away, we believe we will be able to drive out these Russian aircraft. And they will not be able to use guided aerial bombs on a massive scale,” he emphasized.

This missile has a range of over 120 km, with an estimated maximum target range of up to 200 km. The European company MBDA manufactures the Meteor missile.

Its key advantage is an adjustable ramjet engine, which allows the missile to reliably hit a target at significantly greater distances, even when the target is actively maneuvering.

This factor will significantly increase the risks for Russian fighters and bombers, as they will have to react earlier to air-to-air missile launches and perform evasive maneuvers in advance, which will increase the chances of their being hit.

The development and production of the Meteor missile involve approximately 50 companies from five countries, united in the MBDA joint venture.