T h r o t t l e a b l e D u c t e d R o c k e t ( T D R )
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Meteor
is a high performance air-to-air combat missile against aircraft beyond
visual range (BVRAAM).
It is for European Partner Nations of the UK, France, Germany, Italy,
Spain and Sweden for use on Eurofighter-Typhoon, Rafale and Gripen aircraft.
The prime contractor is MBDA (UK).
The main success of Meteor is the throttleable ducted rocket motor by
BAYERN-CHEMIE/PROTAC, offering high performance with variable thrust for
manoeuvring and the endgame over a wide range of launch conditions. Currently
it is unmatched. |
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METEOR ALD (Air Launched Demonstrator)
firing
from Gripen aircraft
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Type TDR-motor (flightweight) operational sequence
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C u r r e n t a n d f
u t u r e A p p l i c a t i o n
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P e r f o r m a n c e C h a r a c t e r i s t i c a
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 Beyond
visual range air-to-air (BVRAAM)
Air-to
ground, improved anti-radar
Ground-to
ground/land attack, anti-ship
High
speed (Mach 3.5) cruise missile
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Three
times better kinematic
performance
compared with
conventional
solid rocket motor
Robustness
and logistics comparable
a
solid rocket motor
Active
thrust control on missile
mission demand
Wide
operational range
(Mach
number, altitude)
Demonstrated
high HF-signal
transmissibility
of exhaust plume
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T e c h n i c a l D a
t a
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Steel
cases (gas generators and
ram
combuster) |
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Auto
ignition of ram combustion
from
low to high altitude |
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High-energy
boron filled gas
generator
composite propellant,
volum.
heathing value > 50 MJ/dm3 |
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Nozzlesless
integrated booster
with
smoke-reduced propellant
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Continuous
gas generator flow
variation
(> 10:1) |
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No
ejecta from intake closures
and
port covers |
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Stabile
combustion,
no
flameout risk
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High
performance air intakes
(titanium
structure) |
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B a c k g r o u n d
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TDR
component technology developed
up to the
mid-1980s including flight
demonstration
of a ducted rocket with
boron filled
gas generator propellant
in 1981
Demonstration
of a TDR for anti-ship
application
(ANS) in lightweight hard-
ware in
1986
Predevelopment
on BVRAAM type
motors (asymmetrical
configuration)
in German
R&D programmes since
1990, including
full functional demon-
stration
(boost-transition-sustain) in
flightweight
hardware (1998)
Meteor
motor development started
end 2000
Prototype
development phase of
Meteor motor
completed with
successful flight tests in 2006
Development
of the Meteor production
standard
motor in progress
Start
of the Meteor motor production
planned
for 2010
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