Gripen med superlange klør

PICTURE: Gripen on target with Meteor missile firings

By:   CRAIG HOYLE LONDON

Source: 

MBDA's Meteor beyond visual-range air-to-air missile is on 
target to enter use with the Swedish air force from 2014, 
following a dual firing performed using a Saab Gripen test 
aircraft.

Conducted over the Vidsel range in late June, the test event
involved releasing two production-configuration weapons
against remote targets. The firings "demonstrated separation
from the aircraft and the [data] link function between the
aircraft and missile, as well as the missile's ability to lock
in on the target", says Saab.

Clearing the activity with production rounds "instils
considerable confidence in continued work with
integrating the Meteor on Gripen", says Michael Östergren,
project manager for Sweden's Defence Materiel
Administration.

Additional firings will be performed in "the autumn",
Saab says, "so that delivery of the new capabilities can
be made during 2014".

Sweden's Gripen C/Ds will be the first European fighters
to fly with the Meteor, with the weapon also to be fielded
with French air force and navy Dassault Rafales and
Eurofighters from the air forces of Germany, Italy, Spain
and the UK. All six partner nations are now under contract
to acquire production rounds, with Germany having cleared
its delayed acquisition process in late May.

A Gripen test aircraft had previously been used during
MBDA's development firing campaign for the Meteor