South Korea leans on European tech with meteor missile buy

South Korea is currently pursuing an ambitious program to develop not only its own 5th generation fighter jet, the KF-21 Boramae, but also a full range of aviation weaponry. Seoul plans to initiate independent production of various classes of air-to-air missiles, guided air-to-ground weapons, and aerial cruise missiles.

Before South Korea's industry can develop and deliver them, the Korean Air Force is reliant on imports. After a series of successful tests of European aviation weaponry, Korea decided to order the first batch of Meteor air-to-air missiles. They are to be delivered along with the beginning of serial deliveries of the KF-21, scheduled for 2026.

The MBDA Meteor missile is a European-developed weapon that, thanks to its design innovations, offers a record-breaking range of approximately 200 kilometres and unique capabilities.

Various European aircraft, such as the Dassault Rafale, Saab JAS-39 Gripen, or Eurofighter Typhoon, are gradually being integrated with the Meteor, which has been in service since 2016. The missile is scheduled to be integrated with the F-35, but this process will take at least a few years.

The MBDA Meteor is an intriguing, valuable weapon offering exceptional capabilities, including a record-breaking range.

The MBDA Meteor is 3.7 metres long, less than 18 centimetres in diameter, and weighs 190 kilograms. The missile is equipped with a two-way datalink.

After launch, it initially flies towards the target using inertial (dead-reckoning) guidance, but midway it communicates with the aircraft from which it was fired to receive updated target position information. Near the target—when the response time is minimal—the missile activates its own radar for precise guidance and target destruction.

The Meteor stands out not only in its guidance method but also in its propulsion, as described thoroughly by Wirtualna Polska journalist Przemysław Juraszek.

Most competing solutions, such as the American AIM-120 AMRAAM, are solid-fuel missiles. Their engine operates for several seconds, during which the missile accelerates; after that, it travels from momentum, without its own propulsion.

The Meteor operates differently—it is launched using a small solid-fuel engine, but after launch, a ramjet engine is activated, allowing it to maintain a constant, high speed of Mach 4 during flight.

This allows not only for a long range but also for missile manoeuvring without a sudden energy loss. Consequently, the Meteor can target objects beyond the reach of the AMRAAM—flying not only far but also, for instance, at high altitudes.

The range of an air-to-air missile depends on many factors. Data provided in different compilations, Wikipedia, or even specialized reports fundamentally say little—when asked about range, the honest answer is: "it depends."

The same missile will have a different range against a target flying at the same altitude and different against a higher target, where distance must also be covered vertically. Factors such as air density, which provides more resistance closer to the Earth's surface, are significant.

A lot also depends on whether the target is manoeuvring or disrupting the missile's guidance and whether the missile is powered only at launch or also—in the case of the MBDA Meteor—during flight.

The platform from which the missile is launched is also important. The same AMRAAM carried by an F-16 will have a shorter range than an identical missile carried by an F-15 or F-22. If the launching aircraft is flying faster at the time of missile release, the missile is already at a speed that another missile would have to reach.

Therefore, seemingly similar multi-role aircraft may have different capabilities in combating aerial targets. However, their armament provides the key difference.