The Gripen will be the first aircraft to test the Meteor beyond visual
range (BVR) missile. In an addition to the Meteor order, whereby Saab Bofors Dynamics was awarded the development and production order by MBDA in August 2003, Saab Aerosystems is now being commissioned to integrate Meteor on the Gripen in a contract worth MSEK 435 (US 35 Million dollars).
"The Meteor program is an extensive development project that will continue until 2010. It is a large-scale project that could grow and it's important for Saab and Sweden to be involved," says Johan Lehander, Vice President and Deputy General Manager, Saab Aerosystems.
Meteor is a beyond visual range missile approximately 3.5 meters in length, for use against air targets. In the future it will replace the American AMRAAM system. The development of the Meteor air-to-air missile is being carried out as an international industrial project involving the UK, Germany, Sweden, France, Italy and Spain.
Saab Aerosystems submitted a tender to the Swedish Defence Materiel Administration (FMV) in June 2002 concerning the integration of Meteor into the Gripen for testing purposes. FMV has signed an international commitment whereby it will provide the Gripen as a test platform, to support the development of the missile and prepare for integration on the Gripen.
At a later stage Meteor will also be integrated in Rafale and
Eurofighter aircraft. The Gripen is first fourth generation aircraft
operational in service and the only fighter aircraft currently available for testing the high-tech beyond visual range missiles of the future. The first Meteor is planned to be fired in 2005, from the Gripen.
Saab is one of the world's leading high-technology companies, with its main operations focusing on defence, aviation and space. The Group covers a broad spectrum of competence and capability in systems integration.
http://www.gripen.com/pr_031120_meteor.asp