Meteor vs Sky Flash
The Meteor and the Sky Flash are both Air-to-Air missiles. The Meteor has a range of 200 km — 4.0x the Sky Flash's 50 km. The Meteor reaches 4,900 km/h vs 4,939 km/h for the Sky Flash. Launch weight is 190 kg for the Meteor vs 193 kg for the Sky Flash. The Meteor uses Inertial guidance, mid-course update via datalink, terminal active radar homing guidance, while the Sky Flash relies on Inverse monopulse semi-active radar homing. Unit cost is $2M for the Meteor vs $0.19M for the Sky Flash. The Sky Flash entered service 38 years before the Meteor (1978 vs 2016).
| European air-to-air missile, entering service in 2016, uses active radar homing for terminal guidance. | |
| Origin | 🇪🇸 Spain, 🇫🇷 France, 🇬🇧 United Kingdom, 🇮🇹 Italy, 🇸🇪 Sweden |
| Category | Air-to-Air |
| Type | Beyond-visual-range air-to-air missile |
| Manufacturer | MBDA, Saab, Bayern-Chemie et Inmize |
| Service year | 2016 |
| Number produced | -- units |
| Estimated unit price | $2 million |
| British air-to-air missile, entering service in 1978, utilizes inverse monopulse semi-active radar homing. | |
| Origin | 🇬🇧 United Kingdom |
| Category | Air-to-Air |
| Type | Radar-guided air-to-air missile |
| Manufacturer | British Aerospace |
| Service year | 1978 |
| Number produced | -- units |
| Estimated unit price | $0.2 million |
| Range | 200.0 km ◉ |
| Maximum speed | Mach 4.0 ◉ |
| Weight | 190 kg ◉ |
| Warhead | -- kg |
| Length | 3.65 m ◉ |
| Diameter | 178 mm ◉ |
| Guidance | Inertial guidance, mid-course update via datalink, terminal active radar homing |
| Warhead type | High explosive blast-fragmentation |
| Range | 50.0 km ◉ |
| Maximum speed | Mach 4.0 ◉ |
| Weight | 193 kg ◉ |
| Warhead | 39.5 kg |
| Length | 3.68 m ◉ |
| Diameter | 203 mm ◉ |
| Guidance | Inverse monopulse semi-active radar homing |
| Warhead type | High Explosive |
Performance Radar Chart
Frequently Asked Questions
Which has longer range, the Meteor or Sky Flash?
The Meteor has a longer range at 200 km compared to the Sky Flash's 50 km.
Which is faster, the Meteor or Sky Flash?
The Sky Flash is faster with a maximum speed of Mach 4.0 compared to the Meteor's Mach 4.0.
Which has a larger warhead, the Meteor or Sky Flash?
The Sky Flash carries a larger warhead at 39 kg compared to the Meteor's 0 kg.
Which is heavier, the Meteor or Sky Flash?
The Sky Flash is heavier at 193 kg compared to the Meteor's 190 kg.
Which is longer, the Meteor or Sky Flash?
The Sky Flash is longer at 3.68 meters compared to the Meteor's 3.65 meters.
What guidance systems do the Meteor and Sky Flash use?
The Meteor uses Inertial guidance, mid-course update via datalink, terminal active radar homing guidance while the Sky Flash uses Inverse monopulse semi-active radar homing guidance.
Which entered service first, the Meteor or Sky Flash?
The Sky Flash entered service first in 1978, 38 years before the Meteor which entered service in 2016.