The Swedish Air Force (SwAF) has become the first operational user of MBDA’s Meteor Beyond Visual Range Air to Air Missile (BVRAAM), which has officially entered service on SwAF Gripen combat aircraft. The SwAF made the announcement on the opening day of the Farnborough show.

At the end of April 2016, the FMV (Sweden’s Defence Materiel Administration) introduced the latest MS20 software load to the SwAF’s Gripen fleet thus enabling the JAS 39C/D to become the first aircraft capable of operating the ramjet-powered Meteor missile.

Meteor has been developed by a group of European partners led by MBDA to meet the needs of six European nations: the UK, Germany, Italy, France, Spain and Sweden. In addition to the Gripen, the weapon system will equip the Eurofighter Typhoon and Rafale. It is also compatible with other advanced fighter aircraft and will be integrated on the F-35 Lightning II Joint Strike Fighter.