The F-35B fighter jet of the US Marine Corps has successfully conducted its first test flights with the Meteor missile, one of the UK’s leading air-to-air missiles.
During the tests, an inert missile was used to collect environmental data as part of the British weapons integration campaign into the F-35 fleet.
The test flights were conducted from Naval Air Station Patuxent River in the United States. The tests were made possible through collaboration between the governments of the United Kingdom and the United States, as well as organizations such as the UK Ministry of Defence (MoD), Defence Equipment & Support, and industrial partners MBDA and Lockheed Martin.
Meteor: A New Capability for the F-35
The Meteor is the UK’s premier air-to-air missile, widely used by the Typhoon in operations. The integration campaign represents a significant advancement, allowing the F-35 to also benefit from this advanced aerial combat technology.
While the UK is leading the integration of the Meteor on the F-35B, Italy is conducting the integration process for the F-35A model, enabling both aircraft variants to take advantage of this state-of-the-art long-range missile.
Enhancing Allied Security
Air Commodore Al Roberts, head of the RAF’s air-to-air missile division, emphasized the importance of this milestone for the security of the international military alliance:
“This milestone is a testament to the effective collaboration between governments and industries across multiple countries. The inclusion of the Meteor in the Lightning II will bring this powerful air combat capability to the United Kingdom and the growing community of F-35 operators, significantly increasing security among allies.”
With the integration of the Meteor into the F-35, the United Kingdom and its NATO partners will see a significant boost in their air superiority capabilities, ensuring an advantage in modern combat scenarios.
Source and images: RAF. This content was created with the help of AI and reviewed by the editorial team.
