Meteor is an active radar guided beyond-visual-range air-to-air missile (BVRAAM) developed by MBDA. Meteor offers a multi-shot capability (multiple launches against multiple targets), and has the ability to engage highly maneuverable targets, such as jets, and small targets such as UAVs and cruise missiles in a heavy electronic countermeasures (ECM) environment with a range in excess of 100 kilometres (54 nmi). A solid-fueled ramjet motor allows the missile to cruise at a speed of over Mach 4 and provides the missile with thrust and mid-course acceleration to target intercept. A two-way datalink enables the launch aircraft to provide mid-course target updates or retargeting if required, including data from off-board third parties. The datalink is capable of transmitting missile information such as functional and kinematic status, information about multiple targets, and notification of target acquisition by the seeker.

Meteor missiles entered service on Swedish Air Force JAS 39 Gripens in April 2016 and officially achieved initial operating capability (IOC) in July 2016. It is also intended to equip the Eurofighter Typhoon of the Royal Air Force (RAF), Royal Saudi Air Force, Luftwaffe, Spanish Air Force, Italian Air Force and Qatar Air Force, British and Italian F-35 Lightning IIs, Dassault Rafale of the French Air Force, Hellenic Air Force, Indian Air Force Qatar Air Force, and the JAS 39 Gripen of the Brazilian Air Force.

According to MBDA, Meteor has three to six times the kinetic performance of current air-air missiles of its type. The key to Meteor's performance is a throttleable ducted rocket (ramjet) manufactured by Bayern-Chemie of Germany.