Italian Typhoons with Meteor missiles bolster Romania's defence
Italian Typhoons equipped with Meteor missiles are now operational and defending Romania. We present what these unique air-to-air missiles from Europe can do.
According to The Aviationist, the Italian Air Force has published the first images of its Eurofighters armed with MBDA Meteor missiles. These aircraft, equipped with the unique missiles, are currently deployed in Romania as part of the NATO Enhanced Air Policing mission.
Although the MBDA Meteor missile has been in serial production since 2003, its introduction into service has only occurred in recent years due to the prolonged and costly process of integration with military aircraft. For instance, the German Luftwaffe completed this process in 2021, while the Italian program known as the P2E(b) program (Phase 2 Enhancement bravo) only commenced in 2023.
However, the process has now concluded, as Italian Typhoons equipped with Meteors are stationed at the Mihail Kogălniceanu base in Romania as part of Task Force Air 51st Wing and the "Black Storm II" mission. As part of the NATO Enhanced Air Policing mission, they cooperate with Romanian F-16s to ensure the security of Romania's airspace.
On 28 April 2025, two Typhoons were scrambled in response to a potential threat in the country's northeastern sector. This was the first Alpha-Scramble since four Typhoons were declared operational on 10 April. The Italian aircraft are currently seen with a pair of Meteor missiles, flanked by IRIS-T missiles and a Litening 5 pod, although the maximum combat load will be greater.
MBDA Meteor — A revolutionary air-to-air missile from Europe
The MBDA Meteor missile, a result of cooperation between the United Kingdom, Germany, Italy, France, Spain, and Sweden, stands out with a record range of approximately 200 kilometres. This achievement is due to the use of a ramjet engine, which allows for sustained speeds of Mach 4 and enhanced manoeuvrability compared to, for example, the AIM-120 AMRAAM missiles.
The Meteor's ramjet engine, unlike traditional solid-fuel rocket engines, operates longer and allows for thrust modulation, enabling energy conservation and increased effectiveness in engaging targets at greater distances. The secret lies in a greater reserve of combustible material in the fuel, with oxygen being drawn from the atmosphere and compressed through the shaping of air intakes at high speed.
For this reason, the missile has a regular rocket booster that is jettisoned after a few seconds, having propelled it to speeds of around Mach 2, necessary for the ramjet engine to operate.
The result is a missile with a "No Escape Zone" several times larger than its competitors, within which evading with manoeuvres is not possible, as it can regain energy and renew an attack.
The Meteor is guided inertially and uses satellite navigation close to the target, after which the onboard active radio frequency seeker is activated, ensuring precision in the final phase of flight. Additionally, the missile has a communication link that allows connectivity with the aircraft post-launch to receive updates about the target's location.
The Meteor missile is replacing American AIM-120 AMRAAM missiles in some Western countries. The current list of integrated or in-process aircraft includes the Eurofighter Typhoon, JAS-39 Gripen, Rafale, and F-35B.
