Italian typhoons armed with Meteor missiles secure Romanian skies
Italian Typhoons equipped with Meteor missiles are now operational and defending Romania. We explore 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 distinctive 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 integration process with military aircraft. For example, the German Luftwaffe completed this process in 2021, while the Italian process, known as the P2E(b) program (Phase 2 Enhancement bravo), only started in 2023.
However, the process has concluded, as Italian Typhoons equipped with Meteors are now 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 April 28, 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 April 10. The Italian aircraft are currently seen with a pair of Meteor missiles alongside IRIS-T missiles and a Litening 5 pod, but the maximum combat load will be greater.
MBDA Meteor — a revolutionary air-to-air missile from Europe
The MBDA Meteor missile, developed through cooperation among the United Kingdom, Germany, Italy, France, Spain, and Sweden, boasts a record range of about 124 miles. This capability was achieved thanks to a ramjet engine that allows for sustained speeds of Mach 4 and enhanced maneuverability compared to, for instance, 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 key lies in a greater reserve of combustible material in the fuel, reducing the need for an oxidizer, as oxygen is 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.
As a result, a missile has been developed with a "No Escape Zone" several times larger than its competitors, within which it cannot be evaded through evasive maneuvers, as it still retains the capacity to regain energy and renew an attack.
The Meteor is guided inertially and with 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 allowing connectivity with the aircraft post-launch to receive updates about the area where the target is to be found.
The Meteor missile is replacing the American AIM-120 AMRAAM missiles in some Western countries, and the current list of integrated or in-process aircraft includes the Eurofighter Typhoon, JAS-39 Gripen, Rafale, and F-35B.
