F-35A Inches Closer to Meteor Missile Integration After Ground Tests

F-35A fighters have achieved a significant milestone in integrating the European Meteor beyond-visual-range air-to-air missile following successful ground-based testing at Edwards Air Force Base in California. The Lockheed-led industry team announced completion of critical ground vibration testing and fit checks that validated essential hardware interactions between the fifth-generation fighter and the ramjet-powered weapon system.

Engineers meticulously evaluated data from the trials to confirm safe stowage and deployment of the Meteor from the F-35A’s internal weapons bay while preserving the aircraft’s stealth profile—a paramount consideration for fifth-generation platform operations. The testing represents a pivotal precursor to airborne flight trials, with a single outstanding ground test remaining before clearance for the next phase.

MBDA, the European defense contractor manufacturing Meteor, emphasized the strategic value of integrating the weapon onto fifth-generation platforms. “As a network-enabled capability met through weapons data link communication, integrating METEOR onto a fifth-generation platform like F-35 enables aircrew to have the most flexible weapon system and take advantage of both the weapon system and platform capabilities,” the company stated.

Integration efforts are internationally coordinated: Italy is sponsoring F-35A integration while the UK leads parallel efforts for the F-35B Short Takeoff and Vertical Landing variant. Flight testing already commenced in March when a US Marine Corps F-35B conducted initial Meteor trials from Naval Air Station Patuxent River, demonstrating tangible progress toward operational capability.

However, the integration timeline has experienced delays. Meteor’s estimated service entry now targets the early 2030s, pushed back from a previous 2027 objective. The UK Ministry of Defence has characterized delays as stemming from supplier performance issues and commercial arrangement challenges with MBDA, compounded by broader global programme constraints.

The delays carry strategic implications for European operators. The UK’s F-35 fleet, numbering 138 aircraft on commitment with 48 currently contracted, still lacks a standoff, long-range ground-strike capability—an issue the Ministry of Defence identified as its “biggest concern” for the fleet. The MBDA Spear 3 missile is intended to address this gap, though its deployment similarly faces early 2030s timelines. These capability gaps underscore the complexity of integrating advanced weapons systems onto fifth-generation platforms while maintaining stealth characteristics and operational flexibility.

Source ID: SRCE-2025-1764954526234-1208