Friday 28 March, as part of the activities carried out by’Italian Air Force for the operational verification of its structures, the second phase of the campaign has concluded Operational Test and Evaluation (Operational Testing and Evaluation) for the operational verification of the aircraft Eurofighter Typhoon equipped with the missile Beyond Visual Range Air-to-Air Missile (BVRAAM) – METEOR.This second phase followed the first, which concluded in 2023.
The activity, which began in the first days of March and affected the firing range Hebrides Range in the United Kingdom, it aimed to assess the employment of the METEOR missile in operationally representative scenarios. For this purpose, F-2000 aircraft equipped with METEOR missiles and missiles Advanced Medium Range Air-to-Air Missile (AMRAAM) carried out missions, operating for the first time in this specific type of activity in an integrated way with 5th generation aircrafta F-35 Generation Lightning II.
For the management of the complex system, the following has been established: 1st Autonomous Flight Unit RAV Operational Testing and Evaluation Meteor, deployed on the two air bases at Leuchars e Lossiemouth in Scotland (United Kingdom) consisting of approximately 170 military personnel from 28 different Air Force Departments and under the command of Colonel Michele Schiavi.
The activity, structured according to a precise sequence of missions characterised by increasing complexity and flown against real targets guided from the ground, was planned and piloted by 4th Department of the Air Force General Staff and developed by the “Typhoon Operational Evaluation Team – TOET’ – composed of Pilots and engineers of the Experimental Flight Department, Weapon Instructor from the Flight Groups of the Squadrons with aircraft supplied Eurofighter e Mission Data Specialist del Technical Operational Support Unit for Electronic Warfare. Furthermore, for the first time, the activity was carried out under the responsibility of the Initial Training Unit of the constituent Aerospace Warfare Centre del Air Squad Command-1aAir Region in Milan.
The testing and evaluation activity, which follows the recent operational entry into service of the latest F-2000 aircraft update, was carried out using a telemetry version of the missile called Telemetered Operational Missile (Tom) METEOR and aircraft in experimental configuration equipped with Flight Test Instrumentation (FTI), which have enabled, in coordination with the firing range facilities, real-time monitoring and recording of all flight parameters. This is essential both for the effective and completely safe execution of the activity and for verifying the actual behaviour of the weapon system as a whole.
At the end of the campaign, the Commander of the 1st Autonomous Flight Department “OT&E Meteor”, Colonel Michele Schiavi, highlighted how “The preparation and development phase carried out in Italy in the preceding two-year period, long and meticulous, was fundamental to achieving the objectives that had been set.”He then went on to emphasise how “The OT&E METEOR was an extraordinary opportunity to verify the operational capabilities of the most advanced Italian Air Force weapon systems and, at the same time, a valuable training opportunity for all participating personnel who, operating in full synergy, were able to increase their experience and further improve standardisation among the various components involved.”.
The METEOR is an advanced missile born from Partnership Between Great Britain, Germany, Italy, Spain, France and Sweden. The 6 Nations Partner The complex and ambitious programme has given rise to an industrial consortium that still exists today, involving the national defence industries of the 6 countries. The METEOR missile is, therefore, the result of a political and strategic collaboration of absolute importance.
