In a call with Swedish Defense Minister Pål Jonson, Ukraine’s Mykhailo Fedorov discussed plans for one of the most consequential security assistance packages Ukraine has received to date.
The Swedish package could incorporate Saab-manufactured air defense systems and radars, as well as enhanced support for Ukraine’s own defense industry, including electronic warfare systems and Deep Strike drones.
During the talks, Fedorov conveyed deep appreciation to Sweden for its reliable, long-term support and for the latest wave of investments aimed at reinforcing Ukraine’s defense potential.
The discussion then turned to several high-priority collaboration tracks, focusing on enhancing air defense systems and strengthening protection against ballistic missile attacks. Both sides underscored ongoing efforts to scale up the PURL initiative to ensure Ukrainian forces receive critical weaponry.
The ministers also discussed the potential supply of Gripen fighter jets and the transfer of Meteor beyond-visual-range air-to-air missiles (BVRAAM) to the Ukrainian Air Force (UAF).
The Gripen is considered a powerful platform for Ukraine due to its excellent sensor fusion, powerful AESA radar, low operating costs, and its ability to operate effectively from dispersed and austere airfields.
The Gripen is fully integrated with the Meteor missile, widely regarded as the longest-range and most capable Western air-to-air missile.
Equipped with a ramjet propulsion system, Meteor maintains high speed and maneuverability throughout its flight, giving fighter pilots a decisive “no-escape zone” advantage over adversaries.
The Gripen-Meteor combo could be invaluable to neutralize Russian tactical aircraft — especially Su-34 and Su-35 fighters — that launch guided aerial bombs from standoff distances.
While no final decisions have been announced, the inclusion of Gripen and Meteor in official readouts marks the most concrete high-level discussion of these systems to date.
The Meteor missile, known for its ability to engage aerial targets at distances up to 200 kilometers and speeds exceeding Mach 4, could provide Ukraine with a “game changer” tool to establish aerial superiority.
The Meteor represents a technological leap intended to surpass the US AIM-120 AMRAAM, a long-standing benchmark in BVRAAM technology.
The missile would allow the Ukrainian Gripen to offer mid-course target updates, including information from third parties. This is accomplished by integrating a two-way datalink communication system with a state-of-the-art active radar seeker.
The pilot firing the Meteor missile receives critical data about the missile’s fuel, energy, and tracking state via the datalink, aiding decisions to fire again, disengage, or assign a different target, thereby improving the missile’s precision, lethality, and kill probability.
The Meteor can fire multiple shots at a variety of targets, including aircraft, cruise missiles, long-range moving targets, and unmanned aerial vehicles, even under strong electronic countermeasures. The Meteor provides all-weather capability to engage a wide variety of targets.
Meteor is known for its outstanding kinematic performance, achieved through its distinctive ramjet propulsion system—solid-fuel, variable-flow, ducted rocket.
MBDA emphasizes that this “ramjet” motor creates the greatest No-Escape Zone– within which there is a high kill probability against a target, even if it has been alerted–is more than 60 kilometers. This is believed to be the largest no-escape zone among air-to-air missiles.
The cutting-edge propulsion system also enables the Meteor to conserve fuel during the initial phase of flight, adjust thrust as needed, and maintain endurance and range for extended engagements.
The Meteor functions more like a small air-to-air cruise missile than a traditional rocket-propelled missile with a sophisticated thrust modulation mechanism that enables fine control throughout its flight.
The missile can also adjust its performance across a variety of tactical contexts during combat. It maintains high velocity throughout its flight and dynamically controls its energy to be extremely effective in both close- and long-range combat. This feature enhances Meteor’s agility and targeting accuracy against agile, evasive adversaries, making it even deadlier.
In addition to Gripens, the Meteor missiles are integrated with Typhoon, Rafale, and, more recently, F-35 stealth fighters.
Via: ET Online Desk
