The UK and France have entered into a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to jointly explore the development of the Meteor missile’s successor.
Meteor is currently fielded by the Royal Air Force on Typhoon jets and the French Air Force on Rafale aircraft. The missile is capable of autonomous engagement of aerial targets under various operational environments and electronic warfare settings.
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It was developed by a consortium led by MBDA to meet the air defence needs of the UK, France, Germany, Italy, Spain, and Sweden.
The latest initiative, established under the Lancaster House 2.0 treaty, sets out a 12-month collaborative study aimed at analysing future threats and designing new air-to-air missile concepts to address evolving challenges in aerial combat.
According to a statement from the UK’s Defence Equipment & Support (DE&S), the study will identify suitable technologies for integration into a next-generation weapon system and produce a roadmap for its creation.
The newly launched study is regarded by both governments as an initial phase towards maintaining air superiority for the UK, France, and potential partner nations.
The project is part of a renewed “Entente Industrielle” between the UK and France, aimed at limiting overlap, increasing efficiency in defence manufacturing, and supporting Nato’s capabilities in advanced air warfare.
As part of this collaboration, the two countries plan to set up a joint Complex Weapons Portfolio Office to oversee this and additional missile initiatives.
UK Defence Readiness and Industry Minister Luke Pollard said: “In a new era of threat we are increasing co-operation with our friends and allies. This agreement is a significant step forward in delivering on our Lancaster House 2.0 commitments, demonstrating the strength of our UK-France defence partnership.
“We are strengthening Nato’s capabilities and European security by working with France on the next generation of air-to-air missiles – exactly the kind of close collaboration needed to deter our adversaries in this new era of threat.”
