F-35B Soars with First-Ever Flight Carrying Meteor BVR Air-to-Air Missile

(DEFENCE SECURITY ASIA) — In a groundbreaking milestone, a fifth-generation F-35B fighter jet from the United States Marine Corps has soared into history, successfully executing its first flight test with the Meteor air-to-air missile.

This marks the dawn of a new era in aerial warfare, as the cutting-edge, long-range European-made missile begins its integration onto the formidable F-35 platform.

On February 28, the Royal Air Force (RAF) made a historic announcement—an F-35 had taken to the skies for the first time armed with an inert training variant of the Meteor Beyond Visual Range Air-to-Air Missile (BVRAAM), signaling a major leap forward in its integration.

Striking images capture the moment, revealing the formidable Meteor missile nestled within the starboard weapons bay, accompanied by an AIM-120 AMRAAM, a sight that underscores the F-35’s evolving combat prowess.

At the heart of this groundbreaking test was a U.S. Marine Corps F-35B, assigned to Air Test and Evaluation Squadron Two Three (VX-23), which executed multiple test flights from Naval Air Station Patuxent River, Maryland—an essential step in proving the missile’s compatibility with the next-generation stealth fighter.

These groundbreaking flight tests were made possible through an unprecedented alliance between the governments of the United Kingdom and the United States, working in unison with key defense organizations—including the Ministry of Defence, Defence Equipment & Support, and industry giants MBDA and Lockheed Martin.

At the heart of this integration is Meteor, the UK’s premier air-to-air missile, a weapon of unrivaled precision and range that already dominates the skies aboard the RAF’s Eurofighter Typhoon.

Now, these tests propel Meteor toward a new frontier—unlocking its lethal potential on the cutting-edge F-35.

With the UK spearheading the integration of Meteor onto the F-35B, and Italy championing its incorporation into the F-35A, both nations are ensuring that this next-generation missile becomes a game-changing force across multiple platforms, strengthening allied air superiority for years to come.

“This milestone demonstrates the effectiveness of the international government and industry partnerships we have established. The integration of the Meteor air-to-air missile onto the F-35 Lightning II will provide the United Kingdom and the expanding F-35 community with formidable air combat capabilities, significantly enhancing security among allied nations,” said RAF Air Commodore Al Roberts, Head of Air-to-Air Missiles.

As widely known, the Italian Air Force operates both the F-35A and F-35B variants, while the Italian Navy, the RAF, and the Royal Navy operate only the F-35B.

Both the UK and Italy have decided to integrate European-developed weapons currently used on the Typhoon into their F-35 fleets.

The introduction of new missiles such as the Meteor on the F-35 has been in progress for quite some time.

In 2019, Lockheed Martin secured the initial funding to ignite a transformative leap in air combat capability—the integration of the formidable Meteor missile onto the F-35.

This ambitious project aims to arm both the F-35B, renowned for its short take-off and vertical landing (STOVL) prowess, and the F-35A, which relies on conventional take-off and landing, with one of the most advanced air-to-air weapons ever developed.

The UK’s deep involvement in this groundbreaking initiative was publicly revealed in January last year, sending shockwaves through the defense community.

The British Ministry of Defence made a bold declaration—its fleet of stealth F-35B fighter jets will be equipped with Meteor air-to-air missiles and SPEAR 3 precision-guided munitions “by the end of the decade”—a move that will redefine the UK’s aerial dominance and reshape the future of air warfare.

— DEFENCE SECURITY ASIA