When it comes to missiles in modern combat situations, the air-to-air missile you typically hear about is the AIM-120 AMRAAM, or its shorter-range sibling, the 70-year-old AIM-9 Sidewinder, which is still in frontline service. The AIM-120 was developed during the Cold War and entered service in the 1990s. This is the most popular choice among the U.S. Armed Forces. But across the ocean, in Europe, there is a different missile that may surpass medium-range air-to-air missiles in a very specific and important way. This missile is simply called “Meteor”.
This missile was developed by the European MBDA Inc. later than the AMRAAM for very special reasons. Both missiles belong to the BVRAAM (Beyond Visual Range Air-to-Air Missile) category. As their names suggest, they can both be fired at targets detected only by radar, and they all have sensors that can detonate the missile on impact or close proximity to a target. But the Meteor was developed specifically to address a key limitation of the AMRAAM missile. It’s called the NEZ or “No Place”.
A no-go zone is a rough boundary around a missile that makes it difficult, if not impossible, for enemy aircraft to escape once the missile locks on. The exact NEZ varies based on target conditions, evasive maneuvers, etc., but MBDA claims that the Meteor’s NEZ is approximately three times the size of an AMRAAM missile, and a key reason for this is its propulsion system.
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The key is how it gets there
German Air Force Eurofighter Typhoon EF2000 (98+37) with Taurus KEPD 350 air-to-surface long-range missiles, Meteor missiles, and IRIS-T missiles on display at the 2004 Berlin Air Show (ILA). – Flying Camera/Shutterstock
When it comes to missile range, there are two factors to consider. While the exact numbers remain highly classified, the two missiles are believed to have similar ranges, which is a good thing. But the missile’s range really only matters if the enemy aircraft takes no steps to avoid impact—such as not performing an evasive maneuver. That’s why filming the “longest known” AIM-120 AMRAAM shot is cool, but not very informative. NEZ is a better statistic for measuring missile effectiveness.
The AMRAAM missile has a solid rocket booster that essentially uses up all of its fuel in an initial burst to gain speed and altitude as it flies toward its target. From there, it can maneuver to track the target, but is unable to maintain its speed while doing so. This makes the missile less efficient at tracking targets at close range and therefore the northeastern zone is smaller.
The Meteor missile uses solid fuel ramjet propulsion to maintain thrust during flight. This makes the missile more maneuverable and better able to track targets even at shorter ranges. This is why the missile has a larger northeastern area. If a missile can not only track its target and maneuver, but also maintain thrust, it will be harder for it to escape. Meteor is compatible with Rafale, Eurofighter Typhoon, Gripen and F-35 fighter jets. It’s also worth mentioning that the Meteor missile has yet to achieve combat kills to date, so be sure to stay tuned on that front.
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Read the original article on SlashGear.
