Saab carries out new Meteor missile tests in the Hebrides

Saab has been awarded two new contracts, valued at approximately 300 million SEK, for carrying out new missile tests with the Meteor Beyond Visual Range (BVR) missile.

Gripen is the first and so far only fighter aircraft which has air-launched the Meteor missile. The first Air Launched Demonstration firing took place in 2006 and was followed by several important flight test campaigns during the year. The two new contracts awarded to Saab, constitute the continuation of Saab/Gripen's leading role in the testing of Meteor up until 2010.

"Meteor is the leading missile programme in Europe and Gripen has once again been selected as the platform for carrying out new test firings of Meteor�, says Thomas Hellström, Programme Manager for the Meteor programme at Saab Aerosystems.

The new contracts include air-launched firings and radar tests, taking place in the Hebrides region and Aberporth in the United Kingdom, as well as at FMV's test base in Vidsel, Sweden.

Saab became involved in the Meteor programme as early as 2003, when Saab Bofors Dynamics was awarded a contract to develop and produce the prototype of the missile. The same year, Saab Aerosystems was awarded a contract for the integration of Meteor on the Gripen. Saab therefore plays a key and prominent role within the Meteor programme.

Meteor is a European collaborative programme between the United Kingdom, France, Italy, Spain, Sweden and Germany. The missile is planned to be the primary BVR air-to-air missile for all the modern European fighter aircraft; Gripen, Eurofighter and Rafale.