Aviation News – A Lockheed Martin F-35B has successfully released an MBDA Meteor beyond-visual-range air-to-air missile test asset from its internal weapons bay for the first time, marking a major milestone toward integrating the European weapon onto British and Italian Lightning II fleets.
The trial took place on October 7, 2026, at Naval Air Station Patuxent River, Maryland, according to official announcements by the F-35 Joint Program Office (JPO) and MBDA on November 5, 2026. This milestone represents crucial engineering progress for the collaborative development program.
The historic test demonstrates the mechanical and operational compatibility of housing the advanced European missile inside the stealth jet’s internal weapons bay, preserving its radar-evading profile. The initiative directly supports the upcoming integration of the Meteor weapon system for international operators, specifically empowering the Royal Air Force, the Royal Navy, and the Italian Air Force.
Technically, the MBDA Meteor relies on a revolutionary ramjet propulsion system that delivers a high-energy “no-escape zone,” significantly boosting air-to-air lethality. Integrating this weapon into the F-35B short takeoff and vertical landing (STOVL) variant requires complex software modifications and structural clearances to ensure safe separation from the internal bay during high-speed flight maneuvers.
“This successful weapon release is a testament to the strong collaboration between the F-35 enterprise, our international partners, and industry leaders like MBDA,” stated representatives close to the F-35 Joint Program Office. “Integrating the Meteor missile ensures that our allied pilots maintain superior combat reach and deterrence capabilities well into the future.”
Looking forward, the program will advance toward guided flight trials and comprehensive operational testing to clear the missile for full combat deployment across British and Italian fleets. Defense planners expect the integration to reach operational status later this decade, significantly upgrading the multi-role strike capabilities of allied 5th-generation fighter squadrons.
