5/23/2007 - Yet another important milestone was reached today when Gripen successfully conducted the first Meteor firing in the UK and continued the testing of the six-nation Meteor air dominance missile.

“Gripen is the first and so far only fighter aircraft that has launched Meteor. With today’s firing Gripen once again proves to be a reliable platform for the integration and testing of complex future missile systems for the world’s new generation combat aircraft”, says Lennart Sindahl, Senior Vice President and General Manager of Saab Aerosystems.

At the same time as being an important achievement for Saab and Gripen, the firing also marks a significant milestone in the European multinational Meteor air-to-air missile project. The purpose of today’s High Altitude Control and Dispersion (C&D) firing was to test the performance of the missile’s integrated boost, ramjet sustain motor and control systems during high altitude supersonic launch, extended free flight and extensive manoeuvres.

“Meteor was rail-launched from Gripen flying supersonic at an altitude of 42,650ft. The missile followed a pre-programmed flight profile for several minutes and was then broken up in flight as intended”, says Magnus Ljungdahl, Gripen Test Pilot at Saab.

Today’s firing with Meteor at the UK’s Hebrides missile firing range follows a series of lower altitude Air Launched Demonstrator firings in 2006 and seeker data gathering trials in early 2007. Saab will continue the firing and radar tests with the missile up until 2010 in Vidsel in Sweden, the Hebrides in Scotland and at Aberporth in Wales.

Source: Saab Aerosystems Press Release