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116-464: 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. A two-way data link enables the launch aircraft to provide mid-course target updates or retargeting if required, including data from other parties. The data link can transmit missile information such as functional and kinematic status, information about multiple targets, and notification of target acquisition by

232-400: A convergent–divergent nozzle . Although ramjets have been run as slow as 45 metres per second (160 km/h; 100 mph), below about Mach 0.5 (170 m/s; 610 km/h; 380 mph) they give little thrust and are highly inefficient due to their low pressure ratios. Above this speed, given sufficient initial flight velocity, a ramjet is self-sustaining. Unless the vehicle drag

348-763: A long-range antipodal bomber , similar to the Sänger-Bredt bomber , but powered by ramjet instead of rocket. In 1954, NPO Lavochkin and the Keldysh Institute began development of a Mach 3 ramjet-powered cruise missile, Burya . This project competed with the R-7 ICBM developed by Sergei Korolev , but was cancelled in 1957. Several ram jets were designed, built, and ground-tested at the Kawasaki Aircraft Company's facility in Gifu during

464-434: A pitot -type opening for the inlet. This is followed by a widening internal passage (subsonic diffuser) to achieve a lower subsonic velocity that is required at the combustor. At low supersonic speeds a normal (planar) shock wave forms in front of the inlet. For higher supersonic speeds the pressure loss through the shock wave becomes prohibitive and a protruding spike or cone is used to produce oblique shock waves in front of

580-490: A request for proposal (RFP), which is used when a company sources for business proposals , ITTs are used when a government or company does not require the submission of an original business proposal and is looking solely to award a contract based on the best tender submitted. As a result, whereas ITTs are often decided based on the best price offered, decisions on RFPs may also involve other considerations such as technology and innovation. Both are forms of reverse auction . At

696-409: A turbine , which generates its own compressed air (i.e. ram air in a ramjet) in order to generate thrust. The diffuser converts the high velocity of the air approaching the intake into high (static) pressure required for combustion. High combustion pressures minimise entropy rise during heat addition, this minimising wasted thermal energy in the exhaust gases Subsonic and low-supersonic ramjets use

812-496: A European air-to-air missile, creating interoperability and independence to export". By this stage the In Service Date was 2008. The British House of Commons Defence Select Committee summarised the reasons behind the decision in its Tenth Report: "The Meteor missile has some clear advantages over its Raytheon competitor—it appears to offer the more militarily effective solution; it should help rationalise and consolidate

928-517: A Future Medium Range Air-to-Air Missile ( FMRAAM ) to replace the RAF's BAe Dynamics Skyflash missiles. As the primary air-to-air armament of Eurofighter, the missile would be used against a range of fixed- and rotary-wing targets including unmanned aerial vehicles and cruise missiles . Although no detailed performance requirements have been publicly released, they were understood to demand launch success and no-escape zones approaching twice that of

1044-625: A Project Definition and Risk Reduction (PDRR) programme. This gave the two teams twelve months in which to refine their designs, and identify and understand the risks and how they would be mitigated. PDRR contracts were placed in August 1997 with a second ITT following in October. The results of the PDRR programme were expected in March 1998 but the procurement became ensnared in the run-up to and aftermath of

1160-488: A TTME digital target detection device (a two-way conformal microwave proximity fuze unit); and a shortened control and actuation system. The seeker and warhead were basically unchanged from AMRAAM's. The European content of Hughes' bid had been bolstered by the replacement of the ARC/ATK VFDR by an Aérospatiale-Celerg liquid-fuel ramjet with an ARC integrated nozzleless booster. This was based on studies conducted during

1276-511: A backdrop of government and industrial contacts between the UK, France, and Germany aimed at establishing a common requirement and an industrial consortium. Even at this early stage the competition was developing into a straight fight between a European and a US offering. The US Government agreed to transfer development of the advanced propulsion system to the UK in support of the Hughes bid, although it

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1392-412: A call for bids or a request for tenders) is a formal, structured procedure for generating competing offers from different potential suppliers or contractors looking to obtain an award of business activity in works, supply, or service contracts , often from companies who have been previously assessed for suitability by means of a supplier questionnaire (SQ) or pre-qualification questionnaire (PQQ). Unlike

1508-510: A combustor exit stagnation temperature of the order of 2,400 K (2,130 °C; 3,860 °F) for kerosene . Normally, the combustor must be capable of operating over a wide range of throttle settings, matching flight speeds and altitudes. Usually, a sheltered pilot region enables combustion to continue when the vehicle intake undergoes high yaw/pitch during turns. Other flame stabilization techniques make use of flame holders, which vary in design from combustor cans to flat plates, to shelter

1624-429: A compact mechanism for high-speed, such as missiles . Weapons designers are investigating ramjet technology for use in artillery shells to increase range; a 120 mm ramjet-assisted mortar shell is thought to be able to travel 35 km (22 mi). They have been used, though not efficiently, as tip jets on the ends of helicopter rotors. L'Autre Monde: ou les États et Empires de la Lune ( Comical History of

1740-621: A decision in March, following a meeting of the MoD's Equipment Approvals Committee (EAC) on 21 February. The decision was so politically delicate that some believed that the EAC would leave it to the Prime Minister when he chaired the defence and overseas policy committee. Last minute intervention by the UK Treasury delayed the decision, after concerns about the cost of Meteor, believed to be

1856-480: A dual-pulse solid rocket motor, but decided to offer a fully compliant solution, believing that the staged approach was not cost-effective due to concerns that upgrading from one version to the next would be more complicated than Raytheon claimed. In February 1999 Raytheon added another interim level to their staged approach. The AIM-120B+ would feature the ERAAM/FMRAAM seeker and guidance section but attached to

1972-459: A few weeks, claiming procedural delays within their national procurement systems. Following parliamentary approval in August, Italy signed the Memorandum on 26 September 2001, for an anticipated procurement of about 400 missiles. Spain followed on 11 December 2001. Germany's financial contribution to the programme was considered essential but for more than two years development was hamstrung by

2088-414: A final normal shock that occurs at the inlet entrance lip. The diffuser in this case consists of two parts, the supersonic diffuser, with shock waves external to the inlet, followed by the internal subsonic diffuser. At higher speeds still, part of the supersonic diffusion has to take place internally, requiring external and internal oblique shock waves. The final normal shock has to occur in the vicinity of

2204-416: A formal statement of intent was signed between the governments of the UK, Germany, Italy, Sweden, and Spain which, subject to the UK's selection of Meteor, agreed to work towards joint procurement of the same missile. In September 1998, Raytheon supplied the UK with estimated costs for AIM-120B AMRAAMs to be fielded on Tornado and as an interim weapon on Eurofighter on initial entry into service while BVRAAM

2320-462: A hot fuel-rich gas which is burnt in the ramcombustor with the compressed air supplied by the intake(s). The flow of gas improves the mixing of the fuel and air and increases total pressure recovery. In a throttleable ducted rocket, also known as a variable flow ducted rocket, a valve allows the gas generator exhaust to be throttled allowing thrust control. Unlike an LFRJ, solid propellant ramjets cannot flame out . The ducted rocket sits somewhere between

2436-436: A long range, a high average speed, a wide operational envelope from sea level to high altitude, a flexible mission envelope via active variable thrust control, relatively simple design, and logistics similar to those of conventional solid-fuel rocket motors. The PSS consists of four main components: a ramcombustor with integrated nozzleless booster; the air intakes ; the interstage; and the sustain gas generator. The PSS forms

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2552-462: A minimum flow area known as the throat, which is followed by the subsonic diffuser. As with other jet engines, the combustor raises the air temperature by burning fuel. This takes place with a small pressure loss. The air velocity entering the combustor has to be low enough such that continuous combustion can take place in sheltered zones provided by flame holders . A ramjet combustor can safely operate at stoichiometric fuel:air ratios. This implies

2668-529: A modified Polikarpov I-15 . Merkulov designed a ramjet fighter "Samolet D" in 1941, which was never completed. Two of his DM-4 engines were installed on the Yak-7 PVRD fighter during World War II. In 1940, the Kostikov-302 experimental plane was designed, powered by a liquid fuel rocket for take-off and ramjet engines for flight. That project was cancelled in 1944. In 1947, Mstislav Keldysh proposed

2784-469: A modified A3M, called Euraam, using a DASA Ulm K-band active seeker, with a passive receiver for stealthy engagements, and a redesigned Bayern Chemie propulsion system. The high energy of the high frequency radar (compared to the I-band used on AMRAAM) was claimed to provide an ability to "burn-through" most ECM and the shorter wavelength would allow the target's position to be determined more precisely allowing

2900-410: A nozzle to accelerate it to supersonic speeds and generate forward thrust . Ramjets are much less complex than turbojets or turbofans , requiring only an air intake, a combustor, and a nozzle to be built. Additionally, ramjets have little to no moving parts - liquid-fuel ramjets have only a fuel pump, whilst solid-fuel ramjets lack even this. By comparison, a turbojet uses a compressor driven by

3016-572: A range of about 105 kilometres (65 miles). It was also used as a surface-to-surface weapon and was modified to destroy land-based radars. Using technology proven by the AQM-60, In the late 1950s and early 1960s the US produced a widespread defense system called the CIM-10 Bomarc , which was equipped with hundreds of nuclear armed ramjet missiles with a range of several hundred miles. It was powered by

3132-424: A solid fuel ramjet (SFRJ) vehicle test in August 2022. In 2023, General Electric demonstrated a ramjet with rotating detonation combustion. It is a turbine-based combined-cycle engine that incorporates a In the late 1950s, 1960s, and early 1970s, the UK developed several ramjet missiles. The Blue Envoy project was supposed to equip the country with a long range ramjet powered air defense against bombers, but

3248-593: A special test rig on a Dornier Do 17 Z at flight speeds of up to 200 metres per second (720 km/h). Later, as petrol became scarce in Germany, tests were carried out with blocks of pressed coal dust as a fuel (see e.g. Lippisch P.13a ), which were not successful due to slow combustion. Stovepipe (flying/flaming/supersonic) was a popular name for the ramjet during the 1950s in trade magazines such as Aviation Week & Space Technology and other publications such as The Cornell Engineer. The simplicity implied by

3364-488: A speed of Mach 3. It was used successfully in combat against multiple types of aircraft during the Falklands War . Eminent Swiss astrophysicist Fritz Zwicky was research director at Aerojet and holds many patents in jet propulsion. Patents US 5121670   and US 4722261   are for ram accelerators . The U.S. Navy would not allow Zwicky to publicly discuss his invention, US 2461797  

3480-415: A standard pre-qualification questionnaire, for example the UK government has developed standard core PQQ questions which have been revised several times and are mandated for use across government, and has also stipulated that PQQs should not be used by central government contracting bodies when procuring goods or services valued less than the threshold values set by UK procurement legislation. A tender box

3596-493: A structural component of the missile, the gas generator and ramcombustor having steel cases. The propulsion control unit electronics are mounted in the port intake fairing, ahead of the fin actuation subsystem. The solid propellant nozzleless booster is integrated within the ramcombustor and accelerates the missile to a velocity where the TDR can take over. The reduced smoke propellant complies with STANAG 6016. The air intakes and

Meteor (missile) - Misplaced Pages Continue

3712-439: A tandem arrangement. Integrated boosters provide a more efficient packaging option, since the booster propellant is cast inside the otherwise empty combustor. This approach has been used on solid-fuel ramjets (SFRJ), for example 2K12 Kub , liquid, for example ASMP , and ducted rocket, for example Meteor , designs. Integrated designs are complicated by the different nozzle requirements of the boost and ramjet flight phases. Due to

3828-413: A two-stage process; the first stage comprises issuing an expression-of-interest (EOI) tender call, resulting in a shortlist of selected suitable vendors. The reasons for using restricted tenders differ in scope and purpose. Sole source tenders involve only one potential supplier being invited to submit a tender. A sole source tender may be used where there is essentially only one suitable supplier of

3944-421: Is a date that must be met if Eurofighter is to fulfil its potential." The selection of Meteor was not a total loss for Raytheon, as the UK ordered a number of AIM-120s to arm Eurofighter on entry into service which was expected before Meteor development was complete. MBDA was formed in 2001, combining Matra BAe Dynamics, EADS' Aerospatiale Matra Missiles and the missile business of Alenia Marconi Systems as

4060-418: Is a mailbox used to receive the physical tender or bid documents, or a digital equivalent. The tender box is not implemented in every country around the world. A tender validity date is a date until which a tenderer commits to keeping their prices (and other tender details) open for acceptance (or otherwise) by the client. Such a date is usually included in a form of tender, either as a specified date or as

4176-463: Is applicable to proposals of different quality within the limits set. Under this the proposals are graded according to their price for value and the contract is awarded to the one with the best grade. Similar to this is the grading of the proposals according to time, making the proposals needing less time of implementation seem more valuable. One of the proposed for public tenders within the EU. The contract

4292-480: Is awarded to a bid close to the mean value of the proposals received. This may apply to procurements where numerous proposals are expected and there is a need for a market-representing value. Under this method the proposals that are deviating the most from the mass of the proposals are excluded and then the procedure continues with one of the above methods. There are also many variants and/or combinations of these main methods. Upon completion of tender evaluation it

4408-486: Is controlled aerodynamically using four rear-mounted fins. Meteor's control principles are intended to allow high turn rates while maintaining intake and propulsion performance.The FAS is mounted at the rear of the intake fairings. The design of the FAS is complicated by the linkages required between the actuator in the fairing and the body-mounted fins. The fin actuation subsystem (FAS) was originally designed and manufactured by

4524-612: Is essential to ensuring the continued interoperability of Allied armed forces". Blair also faced lobbying from the French President and Prime Minister, the German Chancellor, and the Spanish Prime Minister. In response, Clinton later wrote a second time to Blair, on 7 February 2000, timed to arrive before a 21 February meeting to discuss the decision. He put the case for Raytheon's bid, underlining

4640-543: Is extremely high, the engine/airframe combination tends to accelerate to higher and higher flight speeds, substantially increasing the air intake temperature. As this could damage the engine and/or airframe integrity, the fuel control system must reduce fuel flow to stabilize speed and, thereby, air intake temperature. Due to the stoichiometric combustion temperature, efficiency is usually good at high speeds (around Mach 2 – Mach 3, 680–1,000 m/s, 2,500–3,700 km/h, 1,500–2,300 mph), whereas at low speeds

4756-557: Is for the Underwater Jet, a ram jet that performs in a fluid medium. Time magazine reported on Zwicky's work. The first part of a ramjet is its diffuser (compressor) in which the forward motion of the ramjet is used to raise the pressure of its working fluid (air) as required for combustion. Air is compressed, heated by combustion and expanded in a thermodynamic cycle known as the Brayton cycle , before being passed through

Meteor (missile) - Misplaced Pages Continue

4872-521: Is often used in India. The European Union 's institutions often use the terms "calls for tenders" and "calls for expressions of interest". Open tenders (also known as open calls for tenders or advertised tenders) are open to all vendors or contractors who can guarantee performance. Restricted tenders (also known as restricted calls for tenders or invited tenders) are only open to selected pre-qualified vendors or contractors. The tender stage may form part of

4988-520: Is provided by Saab Bofors Dynamics (SBD). The PFS detects the target and calculates the optimum time to detonate the warhead in order to achieve the maximum lethal effect. The PFS has four antennae, arranged symmetrically around the forebody. The Impact Sensor is fitted inside the PFS. Behind the PFS is a section containing thermal batteries , provided by ASB, the AC Power Supply Unit, and

5104-412: Is through ablation of the propellant by the hot compressed air from the intake(s). An aft mixer may be used to improve combustion efficiency . SFIRRs are preferred over LFRJs for some applications because of the simplicity of the fuel supply, but only when the throttling requirements are minimal, i.e. when variations in altitude or speed are limited. In a ducted rocket, a solid fuel gas generator produces

5220-485: The Austro-Hungarian Army , but the proposal was rejected. After World War I, Fonó returned to the subject. In May 1928 he described an "air-jet engine" which he described as suitable for high-altitude supersonic aircraft, in a German patent application. In an additional patent application, he adapted the engine for subsonic speed. The patent was granted in 1932 (German Patent No. 554,906, 1932-11-02). In

5336-553: The Claverham Group , a UK based division of the US company Hamilton Sundstrand . After a short time the design was taken on board by MBDA UK , at Stevenage , but was transferred to the Spanish company SENER at an early stage of the development. SENER completed the development and certification of the FAS including the production and qualification of the prototypes. Meteor will be "network-enabled" . A datalink will allow

5452-743: The French Air and Space Force and the Navy's Dassault Rafale , and the Eurofighter Typhoons of the Royal Air Force , German Air Force , Italian Air Force and Spanish Air Force . The Meteor is also intended to equip British and Italian F-35 Lightning IIs , and has been exported to various customers of the Rafale, Typhoon and Gripen. Meteor was selected in competition to meet the UK's Staff Requirement (Air) 1239 (SR(A)1239), for

5568-562: The Leduc 0.10 was one of the first ramjet-powered aircraft to fly, in 1949. The Nord 1500 Griffon reached Mach 2.19 (745 m/s; 2,680 km/h) in 1958. In 1915, Hungarian inventor Albert Fonó devised a solution for increasing the range of artillery , comprising a gun-launched projectile united with a ramjet propulsion unit, thus giving a long range from relatively low muzzle velocities, allowing heavy shells to be fired from relatively lightweight guns. Fonó submitted his invention to

5684-640: The Lockheed D-21 spy drone. In the late 1950s the US Navy introduced a system called the RIM-8 Talos , which was a long range surface-to-air missile fired from ships. It successfully shot down enemy fighters during the Vietnam War , and was the first ship-launched missile to destroy an enemy aircraft in combat. On 23 May 1968, a Talos fired from USS Long Beach shot down a Vietnamese MiG at

5800-638: The AIM-120B solid rocket motor. This would be ready for Eurofighter's 2004 ISD and could be updated to the ERAAM or FMRAAM configurations in 2005 and 2007 by swapping the propulsion system and updating the software. At the 1999 Paris Air Show the French Defence Minister expressed his country's interest in joining the Meteor project, putting further pressure on the UK to use BVRAAM as a focus for

5916-501: The European missile industry, and provide future competitions with a counterweight to US dominance in this field; and it entails a lower risk of constraints on Eurofighter exports. Although the programme is in its early days, it also offers the prospect of avoiding some of the problems that have plagued other European procurement collaborations, without arbitrary workshare divisions and with a clear project leadership role to be provided by

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6032-550: The F-22, allowing economies of scale from large US procurement. ERAAM+ would retain the ERAAM dual-pulse motor but fitted to a front end incorporating all the features of Phase 3 of the US Department of Defense's (DoD) AMRAAM Pre-Planned Product Improvement (P3I) programme, which was planned out to 2015. These included upgraded seeker hardware and software to provide improved performance against advanced threats and replacement of

6148-545: The Power and Signal Distribution Unit. In August 2003 SBD received a contract worth SEK 450 million to develop the PFS. The blast-fragmentation warhead is produced by TDW . The warhead is a structural component of the missile. A Telemetry and Break-Up System (TBUS) replaces the warhead on trials missiles. The propulsion sub-system (PSS) is a throttleable ducted rocket (TDR) with an integrated nozzleless booster , designed and manufactured by Bayern-Chemie. TDR propulsion provides

6264-489: The Raytheon missile would not leave the UK vulnerable to US export restrictions, which could potentially handicap Eurofighter exports, a major concern highlighted by Meteor supporters. The letter assured "open and complete technology transfer", adding that FMRAAM would be cleared for countries already cleared for AMRAAM and that a joint commission could be set up to consider release to other "sensitive countries". In July 1998

6380-595: The Second World War. Company officials claimed, in December 1945, that these domestic initiatives were uninfluenced by parallel German developments. One post-war U.S. intelligence assessment described the Kawasaki ram jet's centrifugal fuel disperser as the company's "most outstanding accomplishment ... eliminat[ing] a large amount of the fuel injection system normally employed." Because of excessive vibration,

6496-537: The Simple Regulation Ramjet programme, which began in 1994. The direct-injection design used an inflatable elastomer bladder within the fuel tank to control the fuel flow and was believed to offer a lower cost approach compared to a regulated liquid ramjet requiring a turbopump and associated fuel supply hardware. Eighty percent of FMRAAM production and development would be carried out in Europe, 72% in

6612-567: The Soviet Union, a theory of supersonic ramjet engines was presented in 1928 by Boris Stechkin . Yuri Pobedonostsev, chief of GIRD 's 3rd Brigade, carried out research. The first engine, the GIRD-04, was designed by I.A. Merkulov and tested in April 1933. To simulate supersonic flight, it was fed by air compressed to 200 bar , and was fueled with hydrogen. The GIRD-08 phosphorus-fueled ramjet

6728-574: The States and Empires of the Moon ) (1657) was the first of three satirical novels written by Cyrano de Bergerac that are considered among the first science fiction stories. Arthur C Clarke credited this book with conceiving the ramjet, and as the first fictional example of rocket-powered space flight. The ramjet was designed in 1913 by French inventor René Lorin , who was granted a patent (FR290356) for his device. He could not test his invention due to

6844-590: The Swedish Air Force announced that it would not be funding development of Meteor due to a shortfall in the defence budget. However, this decision was not expected to affect Sweden's participation in the programme, with funding being found from other sources. The political stakes were high. On 4 August 1999, US President Bill Clinton wrote to the UK Prime Minister, Tony Blair. Clinton said that "I believe transatlantic defence industry cooperation

6960-581: The UK General Election in May 1997, as the new Labour government conducted its Strategic Defence Review . By 1998 the in-service date (ISD), defined as the first unit equipped with 72 missiles, had slipped to 2007. The UK MoD hosted a government-to-government level briefing on 14/15 July 1997 with Italy, Germany, and Sweden to discuss the BVRAAM programme and how it might meet their requirements, with

7076-419: The UK and German requirements to forge the consolidation of the European industry into a critical mass capable of engaging the US on more equal terms. Hughes had assembled a team including Aérospatiale (propulsion), Shorts (integration and final assembly), Thomson-Thorn Missile Electronics (TTME), Fokker Special Projects (fin actuation), and Diehl BGT Defence (warhead). Incidentally, the adoption of FMRAAM as

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7192-547: The UK with 62% of development, production, and jobs for the MoD BVRAAM procurement and would give the UK 50% of the significantly larger US air-to-air market. The UK would have participated in the production of every AMRAAM-derivative sold around the world, projected at that time to be about 15000 over the following 15 years. The ARC dual-pulse motor would not enable full compliance with the SR(A)1239 requirement, however it

7308-524: The UK. The European team, consisting of BAe Dynamics, Matra Defense, Alenia Difesa, GEC-Marconi, Saab Dynamics, LFK, and Bayern-Chemie was finally assembled just six weeks ahead of 11 June 1996 deadline for bids. BAe brokered an agreement whereby it would lead the team. This tie-up avoided a division in the European attempts to provide a credible alternative to the US bid. Matra and LFK had already teamed and would have bid independently, had BAe's "shuttle diplomacy" failed. BAe Dynamics' original S225XR proposal

7424-417: The UK. The MoD needs to take advantage of that leadership role to keep momentum behind the project, including an early contract which will lock-in not just the contractor but also the commitments of our international partners. The cautious definition of the missile's target in-service date may be realistic, particularly in view of the technological challenges that will have to be overcome, but in BVRAAM's case it

7540-476: The US DoD, essential in any future attempts to get Meteor on US aircraft. Although initially interested in developing a suppression of enemy air defence variant of Meteor as a successor to HARM , Boeing became less and less of an active partner as development progressed. In late 1999 Sweden rejoined the programme. By early 2000 both teams had submitted best and final offers. The Government was expected to announce

7656-564: The VFDR as a powerplant for the S225XR, along with systems from Bayern Chemie and Volvo. ARC had discussions with Royal Ordnance , the only UK company with the necessary capability following Rolls-Royce's decision to stop work on ramjets. The UK MoD issued an Invitation to Tender (ITT) in December 1995. Responses were due in June 1996 for a UK contract valued at £800m. By February 1996 the US team

7772-783: The ability for the launch aircraft to fire and disengage at the earliest opportunity thus enhancing aircraft survivability". These requirements were largely shaped by the perceived threat posed by advanced versions of the Russian Sukhoi Su-27 "Flanker" armed with extended range ramjet -powered versions of the R-77 missile. In February 1994 the UK MoD issued a RFI on the possibility of the development of an advanced medium range air-to-air missile. Four concepts were produced in response, all using integrated rocket/ramjet propulsion: The competition commenced formally in June 1995 against

7888-469: The aim of pursuing a collaborative procurement. There were issues at this time over the funding of the risk-reduction contracts, and some nations were discussing possible financial contributions to the studies in return for access to the data. The European team hoped that, if chosen by the UK, Meteor would also be adopted by Germany, Italy, Sweden, and France. However, Germany had now formulated an even more demanding requirement. In response, DASA/LFK proposed

8004-421: The booster is mounted immediately aft of the ramjet, e.g. Sea Dart , or wraparound where multiple boosters are attached around the outside of the ramjet, e.g. 2K11 Krug . The choice of booster arrangement is usually driven by the size of the launch platform. A tandem booster increases the length of the system, whereas wraparound boosters increase the diameter. Wraparound boosters typically generate higher drag than

8120-496: The booster's higher thrust levels, a differently shaped nozzle is required for optimum thrust compared to that required for the lower thrust ramjet sustainer. This is usually achieved via a separate nozzle, which is ejected after booster burnout. However, designs such as Meteor feature nozzleless boosters. This offers the advantages of elimination of the hazard to launch aircraft from the boost debris, simplicity, reliability, and reduced mass and cost, although this must be traded against

8236-457: The compressed air bottle from which it is inflated, which is mounted lengthwise in the tank. This offers a lower-cost approach than a regulated LFRJ requiring a pump system to supply the fuel. A ramjet generates no static thrust and needs a booster to achieve a forward velocity high enough for efficient operation of the intake system. The first ramjet-powered missiles used external boosters, usually solid-propellant rockets, either in tandem, where

8352-468: The consolidation of the European guided weapons industry. The French offered to fund up to 20% of the development if Meteor won the UK contest. Inter-governmental letters of intent were exchanged between the UK and French defence ministers in advance of signing the official MoU prepared by Germany, Italy, Spain, Sweden, and the UK. The French officially joined the programme in September 1999. In July 1999

8468-429: The current AIM-120 AMRAAM used by Eurofighter Typhoon -equipped airforces. Thrust is controlled by a valve which varies throat area of the gas generator nozzle. Reducing the throat area increases the pressure in the gas generator which increases the propellant burn rate, increasing the fuel mass flow into the ramcombustor. The mass flow can be varied continuously over a ratio greater than 10:1. The missile trajectory

8584-408: The deal without British assurances that the UK would adopt a more pro-European approach to procurement. The merger was concluded in 1996 with the formation of Matra BAe Dynamics (MBD). This was not the only merger in prospect as Aérospatiale and DASA were conducting due diligence , although Matra had also expressed an interest in the former's missile business. The German government was trying to use

8700-635: The engine was only intended for use in rocket, or catapult-launched pilotless aircraft. Preparations for flight testing ended with the Japanese surrender in August 1945. In 1936, Hellmuth Walter constructed a test engine powered by natural gas . Theoretical work was carried out at BMW , Junkers , and DFL . In 1941, Eugen Sänger of DFL proposed a ramjet engine with a high combustion chamber temperature. He constructed large ramjet pipes with 500 millimetres (20 in) and 1,000 millimetres (39 in) diameter and carried out combustion tests on lorries and on

8816-427: The flame and improve fuel mixing. Over-fuelling the combustor can cause the final (normal) shock in the diffuser to be pushed forward beyond the intake lip, resulting in a substantial drop in airflow and thrust. The propelling nozzle is a critical part of a ramjet design, since it accelerates exhaust flow to produce thrust. Subsonic ramjets accelerate exhaust flow with a nozzle . Supersonic flight typically requires

8932-418: The fuel to the ramcombustor is required, which can be complicated and expensive. This propulsion system was first perfected by Yvonne Brill during her work at Marquardt Corporation . Aérospatiale-Celerg designed an LFRJ where the fuel is forced into the injectors by an elastomer bladder that inflates progressively along the length of the fuel tank. Initially, the bladder forms a close-fitting sheath around

9048-518: The full SR(A)1239 requirement offered an interim weapon with a capability between the AIM-120B AMRAAM and the FMRAAM. The Extended Range Air-to-Air Missile (ERAAM) had the FMRAAM seeker and guidance section mated to a dual-pulse solid propellant rocket motor. Raytheon estimated that ERAAM could be ready by the then Eurofighter ISD of 2004 and provided 80% of the FMRAAM capability but at only half

9164-425: The incoming air is slowed to subsonic velocities for combustion. In addition, the combustion chamber's inlet temperature increases to very high values, approaching the dissociation limit at some limiting Mach number. Ramjet diffusers slow the incoming air to a subsonic velocity before it enters the combustor. Scramjets are similar to ramjets, but the air flows through the combustor at supersonic speed. This increases

9280-652: The launch aircraft to provide mid-course target updates or retargeting if required, including data from offboard third parties. The datalink electronics are mounted in the starboard intake fairing, ahead of the FAS. The antenna is mounted in the rear of the fairing. Ramjet A ramjet is a form of airbreathing jet engine that requires forward motion of the engine to provide air for combustion. Ramjets work most efficiently at supersonic speeds around Mach  3 (2,300 mph; 3,700 km/h) and can operate up to Mach 6 (4,600 mph; 7,400 km/h). Ramjets can be particularly appropriate in uses requiring

9396-429: The longitudinally mounted electronics boards with a circular design which reduced the volume occupied by the electronics allowing space for a longer rocket motor. As equal partners the US and UK would jointly specify and develop the new missile. It was estimated that ERAAM+ could be delivered for less than half the budget allocated for BVRAAM with a 2007 ISD. According to Raytheon, the programme would have initially provided

9512-502: The majority of cases, these are listed on their websites and traditional print media. Electronic procurement and tendering systems or e-procurement are also increasingly prevalent. The European Union states that 235,000 calls for tender are issued annually using its Tenders Electronic Daily system, including those issued by countries in the European Economic Area and beyond. The term "notice inviting tenders" (NIT)

9628-479: The name came from a comparison with the turbojet engine which employs relatively complex and expensive spinning turbomachinery. The US Navy developed a series of air-to-air missiles under the name of " Gorgon " using different propulsion mechanisms, including ramjet propulsion on the Gorgon IV. The ramjet Gorgon IVs, made by Glenn Martin , were tested in 1948 and 1949 at Naval Air Station Point Mugu . The ramjet

9744-435: The name of Hughes' proposal forced the UK MoD to change the title of SR(A)1239 to BVRAAM. Hughes would provide the seeker, with electronics from its Scottish subsidiary, Hughes Micro Electronics Europa. The upgraded guidance electronics would be compressed compared to the existing AMRAAM. Other changes included: a new electronic, as opposed to the usual mechanical, safe and arm device, based on Diehl BGT Defence's IRIS-T system;

9860-450: The open control valve. The gas generator contains an oxygen deficient composite solid propellant which produces a hot, fuel-rich gas which auto-ignites in the air which has been decelerated and compressed by the intakes. The high energy boron -loaded propellant provides a roughly threefold increase in specific impulse compared to conventional solid rocket motors. The result yields a no-escape zone more than three times greater than that of

9976-408: The performance of which was critical to meeting the requirements. Germany had set two conditions for participation in the project: that the UK should place a contract for the weapon; and that MBDA give a guaranteed level of performance, both of which were achieved by 30 April 2002. It was hoped to sign an agreement at that summer's Farnborough Air Show . However Germany would not approve funding for

10092-660: The phrase "I feel strongly" about the decision. The direct intervention of the US president emphasised the political and diplomatic significance that the BVRAAM procurement had acquired. In autumn 1999 Raytheon offered yet another twist to its staged approach with the ERAAM+. If chosen, the US Government, in an unprecedented move, offered to merge the US AMRAAM and UK BVRAAM programmes, under joint control. ERAAM+ would be adopted by both countries, equipping Eurofighter, JSF, and

10208-511: The port covers which seal the intake diffusors from the ramcombustor remain closed during the boost phase . The intakes are manufactured from titanium . The interstage is mounted between the gas-generator and the ramcombustor and contains the Motor Safety Ignition Unit (MSIU), the booster igniter, and the gas generator control valve. The gas generator is ignited by the hot gases from the booster combustion which flow through

10324-496: The preferred solution, compared to the cheaper incremental approach offered by Raytheon. In May 2000 the UK Secretary of State for Defence, Geoff Hoon , announced that Meteor had been selected to meet SR(A)1239. Fabrice Bregier, then chief executive officer of MBD, said "This decision marks a historic milestone in the establishment of a European defence capability. For the first time, Europe will equip its fighter aircraft with

10440-559: The pressure recovered from the streaming air and improves net thrust. Thermal choking of the exhaust is avoided by having a relatively high supersonic air velocity at combustor entry. Fuel injection is often into a sheltered region below a step in the combustor wall. The Boeing X-43 was a small experimental ramjet that achieved Mach 5 (1,700 m/s; 6,100 km/h) for 200 seconds on the X-51A Waverider . Call for bids An invitation to tender ( ITT , also known as

10556-567: The price. This approach played to perceived MoD budget limitations and a realisation that the main threat on which the SR(A)1239 requirement had been predicated, the advanced R-77 derivatives, did not look like entering development any time soon. An incremental approach would allow any technological advances to be incorporated into future upgrades. These could have included multi-pulse rocket motors, thrust vectoring, hybrid rockets , gel propellants, and ductless external combustion ramjets. The Meteor team had considered an interim design, also powered by

10672-551: The project until December 2002, at the same time cutting its planned acquisition from 1,488 to 600 missiles. Terminal guidance is provided by an active radar homing seeker which is a joint development between MBDA's Seeker Division and Thales Airborne Systems and builds on their co-operation on the AD4A (Active Anti-Air Seeker) family of seekers that equip the MICA and Aster missiles. The active radar proximity fuze subsystem (PFS)

10788-489: The proposition method asked by the procurement management: This method is the simplest and oldest of all. Under this the procurement contract is awarded to the best price. Some relevant methods are these of examining the overall or in parts and in total discount in a given price list or on a given budget. One of the options available under rules applicable to government procurement in the European Union (EU). This

10904-437: The reduction in performance of a dedicated booster nozzle. A slight variation on the ramjet uses the supersonic exhaust from a rocket combustion process to compress and react with the incoming air in the main combustion chamber. This has the advantage of giving thrust even at zero speed. In a solid fuel integrated rocket ramjet (SFIRR), the solid fuel is cast along the outer wall of the ramcombustor. In this case, fuel injection

11020-430: The relatively low pressure means the ramjets are outperformed by turbojets and rockets . Ramjets can be classified according to the type of fuel, either liquid or solid; and the booster. In a liquid fuel ramjet (LFRJ), hydrocarbon fuel (typically) is injected into the combustor ahead of a flameholder. The flameholder stabilises the flame with the compressed air from the intake(s). A means of pressurizing and supplying

11136-454: The repeated failure of the German defence budget committee to approve funding. Without the German propulsion system, MBDA deemed that Meteor could not realistically proceed. During this gap in the programme MBDA was funding Meteor from its own resources and, by June 2002, had spent around £70m - most of which had gone, ironically, to Bayern-Chemie to reduce technical risk in the propulsion system,

11252-539: The same engines as the AQM-60, but with improved materials to endure longer flight times. The system was withdrawn in the 1970s as the threat from bombers subsided. In April 2020, the U.S. Department of Defense and the Norwegian Ministry of Defense jointly announced their partnership to develop advanced technologies applicable to long range high-speed and hypersonic weapons. The Tactical High-speed Offensive Ramjet for Extended Range (THOR-ER) program completed

11368-466: The same time, variants may be requested in an ITT, which allow suppliers to offer proposals which differ in non-essential terms from the supplies or services requested. The European Commission has suggested that requesting variants is one way in which suppliers can be asked to offer more socially responsible solutions to meeting public needs. Public sector organisations in many countries are legally obliged to release tenders for works and services. In

11484-463: The second largest missile company after Raytheon. Negotiations to conclude a smart procurement contract continued. At the Paris Air Show 2001 defence ministers from France, Sweden, and the UK signed a Memorandum of Understanding committing their nations to the Meteor programme. The nations of the other industrial partners, Germany, Italy, and Spain, only signalled an intention to sign within

11600-515: The seeker. According to MBDA, Meteor has three to six times the kinetic performance of current air-to-air missiles of its type. The missile is equipped with both proximity and impact fuses to maximise destructive effects and reliability. The fruit of a joint European project, Meteor missiles first entered service on the Swedish Air Force's JAS 39 Gripens in April 2016 and officially achieved initial operating capability (IOC) in July 2016. They also equip

11716-478: The services or product. Tenders have a bid preparation period available to bidders. Research has shown that the length of this period might affect the number of bids and, as a result, the level of competition among tenderers. Supplier questionnaires or pre-qualification questionnaires ensure that potential suppliers are all asked the same information when assessing their suitability to be invited to tender or to have their tenders evaluated. Some organisations issue

11832-1081: The simplicity of the SFRJ and LFRJ's unlimited speed control. Ramjets generally give little or no thrust below about half the speed of sound , and they are inefficient ( specific impulse of less than 600 seconds) until the airspeed exceeds 1,000 kilometres per hour (280 m/s; 620 mph) due to low compression ratios. Even above the minimum speed, a wide flight envelope (range of flight conditions), such as low to high speeds and low to high altitudes, can force significant design compromises, and they tend to work best optimised for one designed speed and altitude (point designs). However, ramjets generally outperform gas turbine-based jet engine designs and work best at supersonic speeds (Mach 2–4). Although inefficient at slower speeds, they are more fuel-efficient than rockets over their entire useful working range up to at least Mach 6 (2,000 m/s; 7,400 km/h). The performance of conventional ramjets falls off above Mach 6 due to dissociation and pressure loss caused by shock as

11948-613: The system was cancelled. It was replaced by a shorter range ramjet missile system called the Bloodhound . The system was designed as a second line of defense in case attackers were able to bypass the fleet of defending English Electric Lightning fighters. In the 1960s the Royal Navy developed and deployed a ramjet powered surface to air missile for ships called the Sea Dart . It had a range of 65–130 kilometres (40–80 mi) and

12064-514: The termination of a specified period from another key tender date. For example, in tendering for gym equipment in 2013, West Dunbartonshire Council required tenderers to accept that "Your tender shall remain open for acceptance for ninety (90) days from the date for return of tenders indicated above, or any subsequent date notified to you by us. Your tender may be accepted by us at any time during this period." There are several different methods for available for tender evaluation, which are related to

12180-523: The then "state-of-the-art" medium-range missile, AMRAAM . The missile external geometry would be constrained by the need for compatibility with Eurofighter's semi-recessed underfuselage launchers which had been designed for the AMRAAM. Key features of the requirement included "stealthy launch, enhanced kinematics, which will provide the missile with sufficient energy to chase and destroy a highly agile manoeuvring target, robust performance in countermeasures and

12296-428: The unavailability of adequate equipment since there was no way at the time for an aircraft to go fast enough for a ramjet to function properly. His patent showed a piston internal combustion engine with added 'trumpets' as exhaust nozzles, expressing the idea that the exhaust from internal combustion engines could be directed into nozzles to create jet propulsion. The works of René Leduc were notable. Leduc's Model,

12412-546: The use of directional warheads. At one stage DASA was pushing their government for a two-year demonstration programme which would culminate in four unguided flight tests. This was presented as a fallback position in case the UK chose Raytheon's proposal. More cynical observers regarded this as a tactic to push the UK towards Meteor. Revised BVRAAM bids were submitted on 28 May 1998, with final reports in August. The US Secretary of Defense, William Cohen, wrote to his UK counterpart, George Robertson, with assurances that procurement of

12528-472: Was a wingless design. However, during the international discussions the evolving UK and German proposals were found to be near identical in concept apart from the latter's wings. The trade-off between winged and wingless configurations was very closely balanced but the wings offered increased roll damping which was believed to be useful given the asymmetric intake configuration so the German A3M configuration

12644-439: Was adopted for the European proposal, called Meteor. When the bids went in it was anticipated that a contract would be awarded at the end of 1997 with first deliveries by 2005. Following several rounds of bid clarification it was concluded in early 1997 that the risks were too high to proceed directly to development. The UK's Defence Procurement Agency (DPA) and Sweden's Defence Materiel Administration (FMV) therefore launched

12760-461: Was believed to be adequate to counter the threats expected until 2012-15 when improvements to the warhead, datalink, and propulsion would be available. The slow pace of Russia's ramjet powered R-77 derivative, a mock-up of which had been displayed at the Paris Air Show but which had not progressed past component ground tests and for which the Russian air force had no requirement due to lack of funding,

12876-689: Was designed at the University of Southern California and manufactured by the Marquardt Aircraft Company . The engine was 2.1 metres (7 ft) long and 510 millimetres (20 in) in diameter and was positioned below the missile. In the early 1950s the US developed a Mach 4+ ramjet under the Lockheed X-7 program. This was developed into the Lockheed AQM-60 Kingfisher . Further development resulted in

12992-499: Was in place whereas the European effort remained fragmented. Matra and DASA's missile division (LFK), were on the brink of a joint bid, which BAe and Alenia were also considering. The Matra/LFK proposal was based on Matra's MICA-Rustique project using a Matra/ ONERA designed self-regulating solid fuel ramjet. The merger between Matra and BAE's missile businesses had stalled due to the French Government's reluctance to approve

13108-506: Was not clear how much of the work would be European. Hughes' initial offering was powered by a variable-flow ducted rocket (VFDR) which had been under development by an Atlantic Research Corporation (ARC)/ Alliant Techsystems team for ten years, but the USAF had no plans at that time to develop an extended range AMRAAM since this could endanger support for the stealthy F-22 Raptor . The team had also provided information to BAe who were considering

13224-494: Was offered as evidence that the full capability required by SR(A)1239 would not be necessary for some time. At a press conference to launch ERAAM+ Raytheon said that a ramjet powerplant "is not needed today". Countering Raytheon's proposed transatlantic team, Boeing was added to the European team, to provide expertise on aircraft integration, risk management, lean manufacturing technology and marketing activities in selected markets. Boeing also brought vast experience of dealing with

13340-469: Was still in development. The US declined to sell the improved AIM-120C version. This was the first stage in Raytheon's incremental approach to fielding the full capability FMRAAM. The MoD had offered both teams the opportunity to propose alternative acquisition strategies which would have involved reaching the full capability on an incremental basis by initially providing an interim capability which could later be upgraded. Raytheon's staged approach to meeting

13456-520: Was tested by firing it from an artillery cannon. These shells may have been the first jet-powered projectiles to break the speed of sound . In 1939, Merkulov did further ramjet tests using a two-stage rocket , the R-3. He developed the first ramjet engine for use as an auxiliary motor of an aircraft, the DM-1. The world's first ramjet-powered airplane flight took place in December 1940, using two DM-2 engines on

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