A Typhoon from 1(F) Squadron has fired a Meteor missile on an exercise in France with French Air Force Rafales.

The Typhoon jets deployed to Cazaux air base in western France near Bordeaux and flew with French Rafales in the Bay of Biscay where they successfully engaged a Banshee 80 aerial target.

“The Banshee 80 aerial target is a 3-metre-long jet powered flying target, which the RAF Typhoon was required to locate, track, and target. The target has twin jet engines, which enable it to fly at speeds of up to 180 metres per second, making it a realistic and challenging target. The Meteor Beyond Visual Range Air to Air Missile (BVRAAM) state-of-the-art complex weapon is manufactured by MBDA in the UK in collaboration with five other partner nations: France, Germany, Italy, Spain, and Sweden.

The missile is powered by a ramjet motor, which propels it until it hits its target. This gives it a long range and very large “no escape zone”.  It is guided by an active radar seeker, giving it the ability to engage a wide variety of air targets in all weather conditions. It is network-enabled, meaning pilots can operate the missile using third-party target data, allowing flexibility in tactics.”

A small team from 1(F) Squadron deployed to France to support the Typhoons there.

Engineer beneath the wing of a Typhoon in the hangar

The RAF also add that the exercise was also supported by a Voyager from RAF Brize Norton which provided air-to-air refuelling to extend the duration and the range of the Typhoon’s sortie.

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George has a degree in Cyber Security from Glasgow Caledonian University and has a keen interest in naval and cyber security matters and has appeared on national radio and television to discuss current events. George is on Twitter at @geoallison
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Frank62
Frank62 (@guest_773698)
7 months ago

18 meters per second. Like we all know m/s? Why not give mph like everyone understands?

dr
dr (@guest_773703)
7 months ago
Reply to  Frank62

12mph

Bridget Gambold
Bridget Gambold (@guest_773844)
7 months ago
Reply to  dr

It’s 402.649 mph

Last edited 7 months ago by Bridget Gambold
Tony
Tony (@guest_773906)
7 months ago
Reply to  dr

Think you will find it says 180m/s. At 18m/s l could probably hit it with my catapult!!!!

Ray
Ray (@guest_775152)
7 months ago
Reply to  Tony

Well… be lenient after all we’re dealing with more than two numbers here !!

Gordon
Gordon (@guest_773921)
7 months ago
Reply to  dr

I think a bit faster than that… 🤣

Chris T
Chris T (@guest_773977)
7 months ago
Reply to  dr

180 m/s is ~400 mph. So the 18 Frank62 said would be 40 mph

Brian Horsfield
Brian Horsfield (@guest_773987)
7 months ago
Reply to  dr

More like 400mph

Frank62
Frank62 (@guest_774044)
7 months ago
Reply to  dr

Do behave dr. You’re out by a factor of 32. It’s 402.7mph. Though you prove my point that nothing is clear or obvious given as meters per second to most people.

Mark
Mark (@guest_774206)
7 months ago
Reply to  dr

SPOT ON! 🤣👍

John Jones
John Jones (@guest_802691)
4 months ago
Reply to  dr

think it’s a bit faster. You can be as slow as you like though and the little froggies won’t appear

AlexH
AlexH (@guest_773705)
7 months ago
Reply to  Frank62

mph isn’t the right unit for these scenarios. Things happen very quickly in battles between missiles. Things are over in seconds or minutes, nothing is hanging around for an hour!

Chris T
Chris T (@guest_773978)
7 months ago
Reply to  AlexH

I don’t agree. It depends on your audience, ie the reader. Aeronautical engineer yes, general reader no.

Deep32
Deep32 (@guest_773711)
7 months ago
Reply to  Frank62

Its 180m/s mate, but in our terms around about 400 mph give or take.

David Barry
David Barry (@guest_773729)
7 months ago
Reply to  Deep32

Make a wicked broomstick for my mum on full moon nights.

Deep32
Deep32 (@guest_773773)
7 months ago
Reply to  David Barry

Im sure she would love you for that comment?🤣

David Barry
David Barry (@guest_773777)
7 months ago
Reply to  Deep32

It’s OK, she’s on the verge of forgetting who I am; tomorrow is Wednesday, don’t you know.

Meanwhile, Barrow keeps coming up wrt AUKUS.

Certainly property prices are going up and very soon Barrow Island will be chic beaucoup, mon ami. I sh!t you not.

Bj
Bj (@guest_774051)
7 months ago
Reply to  David Barry

Its still a dump and all shops have vertually closed down, its a ghost town.

David Barry
David Barry (@guest_774281)
7 months ago
Reply to  Bj

Yeah! But marketing is marketing, innit!

Give it a year, HSBC will be re-locating from Docklands and we’ll get a tidal barrage over Lancaster and two hours up to London on the train.

I’ll use the tinfoil I bought for the 🦃 perhaps that’ll help.

Paul hinds
Paul hinds (@guest_773847)
7 months ago
Reply to  Deep32

She’s sharing it with my mother in law who is weighing the back end down hence why only 180m/sec. Normally it’s 500msec but u have to allow for tonnage and width of the thing and boy she is moosive.

David Barry
David Barry (@guest_774284)
7 months ago
Reply to  Paul hinds

What you doing under your mother law? How do you know how much she weighs? 😉

Colin Rudge
Colin Rudge (@guest_773838)
7 months ago
Reply to  Deep32

Lets use yards per second for the +50 yr old brits then.,

Trev
Trev (@guest_773905)
7 months ago
Reply to  Deep32

It’s actually 590 mph it’s just over 3 feet to the meter so 180m times 3.281 equals 590 feet

Matt
Matt (@guest_774414)
7 months ago
Reply to  Trev

multiply the speed value by 2.237 so it’s 402.649

Tullzter
Tullzter (@guest_773752)
7 months ago
Reply to  Frank62

You think metric is hard to understand?

cookiethecat
cookiethecat (@guest_773763)
7 months ago
Reply to  Tullzter

You wouldn’t usually quote velocity in meters per seconds, yard or feet and inches – it’s MPH KPH or Knots by convention, unless a higher degree of precision is required as in the field of ballistics.

David
David (@guest_773797)
7 months ago
Reply to  cookiethecat

Hey cookie the cat, technically your not right. Velocity is always measured in m/s. Conversion to mph just makes more sense to the human brain in day to day stuff. I have no idea how many metres my house is from work, nor how fast my car goes in m/s so it’s not relevant. But if I want to calculate acceleration and other fun stuff then the scientific calculations are in m/s.

Jon
Jon (@guest_773840)
7 months ago
Reply to  cookiethecat

If it’s any help, it’s near-enough the same conversion as kilos to pounds. Multiply by 2.2. So 180 m/s = 400 mph.

Last edited 7 months ago by Jon
Micky
Micky (@guest_773881)
7 months ago
Reply to  Jon

If said man can’t count.. Mr Google can🤦🏼😂

Trev
Trev (@guest_773902)
7 months ago
Reply to  Jon

It actually 590 mph you times 180 by 3.281

Matt
Matt (@guest_774415)
7 months ago
Reply to  Trev

Incorrect multiply the speed value by 2.237 so it’s 402.649. No debate about it, it’s maths mate.

Dwayne
Dwayne (@guest_774144)
7 months ago
Reply to  cookiethecat

Theres no such thing as KPH, its km/h. And you certainly would use m/s if its very fast such as muzzle velocities

Jim
Jim (@guest_773819)
7 months ago
Reply to  Tullzter

Many people have a problem counting to 10 😀

David Lloyd
David Lloyd (@guest_773853)
7 months ago
Reply to  Jim

Still trolling new posters I see. Many people have a problem believing the incoherent crap and bullshit you post

Ian
Ian (@guest_773874)
7 months ago
Reply to  Jim

Yep, nothing wrong with the old system,,, but hey baaaahhh

DB
DB (@guest_773762)
7 months ago
Reply to  Frank62

Surely it’s easier to visualise 180 meters than a mile. Also easier judge 1 second🤷‍♂️

Colin Rudge
Colin Rudge (@guest_773837)
7 months ago
Reply to  DB

Ok lets settle this .. yards per second !

Jon
Jon (@guest_773841)
7 months ago
Reply to  DB

If your target is 180m away and you are firing a BVRAAM, I visualise that you messed up.

Aaron as
Aaron as (@guest_773792)
7 months ago
Reply to  Frank62

40 mph doesn’t sound as fast 🤣

James
James (@guest_773858)
7 months ago
Reply to  Frank62

It’s 400 mph

Last edited 7 months ago by James
Phil
Phil (@guest_774185)
7 months ago
Reply to  James

Npt far off I make it 403….🤣👍

Mark ODonovan
Mark ODonovan (@guest_773884)
7 months ago
Reply to  Frank62

Metric is the way forward, it just makes sense. Try Google if you’re stumped.

Jonathan
Jonathan (@guest_773890)
7 months ago
Reply to  Frank62

Sub sonic jet speeds..402 miles an hour in this case…meters per second is the standardised international unit, in this case probably would have been best to convert to a more public friendly speed.

Hal matic
Hal matic (@guest_774205)
7 months ago
Reply to  Jonathan

Wot, like football fields or double decker buses???

Jonathan
Jonathan (@guest_774307)
7 months ago
Reply to  Hal matic

Baked and and sausages work well for size but not speed.

Kirby
Kirby (@guest_773918)
7 months ago
Reply to  Frank62

It was 180 meter per second slightly faster

Martin Turay
Martin Turay (@guest_773973)
7 months ago
Reply to  Frank62

MPs X2 = knots (approximately) so 180 mps= 360knots (fair enough for a target drone)

Frank62
Frank62 (@guest_774047)
7 months ago
Reply to  Martin Turay

Thanks guys. Just done the calculations to check for myself. Indeed it’s 402.7mph. So that’s closer to c2.2x for m/s to mph, x c2 for knots as you suggest Martin.
If you want to convey a speed then mph is immedeately clear & obvious in mph in the English speaking world. Bit of a pain if given as kmph, knots too but often used in naval/air circles, but particularly obtuse given as m/s.

Nothing particularly impresive about a meteor aam downing a 400mph drone unless it’s stealthy, manouvering evasively, or emitting ECM.

John Henry
John Henry (@guest_774055)
7 months ago
Reply to  Frank62

m/s is an ISO which is global while mph is BS or AS. The context, here is in France. I think that’s why they used the ISO

Chris T
Chris T (@guest_773976)
7 months ago
Reply to  Frank62

It’s 180 m/s according to the article, which is just over 400 mph. But I agree, why not in mph so it’s clear to everyone.

David Barry
David Barry (@guest_774286)
7 months ago
Reply to  Chris T

Have you listened to the BBC where they quote in $ ?

Bad enough having Aussies reading our sports new and (name) Keiron Heselthwithe fuckwit giving us the business news, but, financially in Dollars?

Mark
Mark (@guest_773994)
7 months ago
Reply to  Frank62

The majority of the world is on the metric system so go and learn about it

John
John (@guest_774038)
7 months ago
Reply to  Frank62

180 metres/second (not 18)
(180x60x60) /1500= 432 miles per hour.
/1000= 648 kilometres per hour….

Matt
Matt (@guest_774416)
7 months ago
Reply to  John

Just multiply by 2.2 mate

Terence
Terence (@guest_774108)
7 months ago
Reply to  Frank62

180 meters per second = 402 miles per hour

Corrector 118
Corrector 118 (@guest_774145)
7 months ago
Reply to  Frank62

180 not 18 🙄

Gabriel
Gabriel (@guest_774196)
7 months ago
Reply to  Frank62

Because is more accurate!

Elliott
Elliott (@guest_774200)
7 months ago
Reply to  Frank62

That’s 6,012.88 furlongs per second
7086.614 inches per second or
Mach 0.525 speed of sound

Glad to help! 🙃

Over Gene
Over Gene (@guest_774246)
7 months ago
Reply to  Frank62

Because the real world understands metrics

Brian
Brian (@guest_774257)
7 months ago
Reply to  Frank62

180 metres a second far better illustrates it than mph. Reality thats fast.

Alex Imanol
Alex Imanol (@guest_774325)
7 months ago
Reply to  Frank62

180 meters per second wich is roughly 650km/h of I did the math right – that was the drone, not the Tayphoon

Carl Remark
Carl Remark (@guest_774776)
7 months ago
Reply to  Frank62

Ballistic speed is usually measured in feet per second. I guess that in places where metric system (majority of the world) is used, the meter per second is the norm.

Malc
Malc (@guest_774810)
7 months ago
Reply to  Frank62

No kids in the UK have learned miles and yards since 1974… This means most people under 55 are metric! Very few have imperial as their primary measurement system

Kerry
Kerry (@guest_775260)
7 months ago
Reply to  Frank62

When you write to report for international community, you report in standard units not and archaic system of units

Tom
Tom (@guest_773730)
7 months ago

So how much do these missiles cost?

AlexS
AlexS (@guest_773747)
7 months ago
Reply to  Tom

2 Million

FieldLander
FieldLander (@guest_773793)
7 months ago
Reply to  AlexS

200 million pennies I guess.

Pmb
Pmb (@guest_773839)
7 months ago
Reply to  FieldLander

Surely we should be quoting pennies per hour 😁

James
James (@guest_773842)
7 months ago
Reply to  Pmb

Whats the Metres per gallon fuel consumption also?

Tommo
Tommo (@guest_773869)
7 months ago
Reply to  James

Litres please James imperial is so Colonial in 2023 the use of the term “Gallons” could get you cancelled 😢

Petey
Petey (@guest_773821)
7 months ago

It’s 403.2 miles a hour which ain’t that fast compared to today’s missile speeds could of been cought and shot down by a second world war spitfire.

Leon
Leon (@guest_773846)
7 months ago

This is one of the most sarcastically funny discussions I’ve seen in a long time. Merry Xmas all

David Barry
David Barry (@guest_774287)
7 months ago
Reply to  Leon

Merry Christmas Leon.

Oli G
Oli G (@guest_773852)
7 months ago

Turn it into a Ship and Land SAM – could fill our GBAD gap if a booster was added – and it would have excellent range

Armchair Admiral
Armchair Admiral (@guest_773879)
7 months ago
Reply to  Oli G

That would be an idea, however if we were going for long range it would be best to use the Aster missile setup, as it was designed as an essentially ground launches system.
More Sky Sabre with perhaps camm-mr (when built) would be good.

Even better a few more Typhoon to stop the other missiles being launched in the first place!
AA

Rob
Rob (@guest_773933)
7 months ago

Did you hear that Ireland made an advanced stealth fighter. But the pilot forgot where he parked it and nobody can find it.

Nick R
Nick R (@guest_773894)
7 months ago

What about the sub-launcbed” low-level hyper-sonic ones that can travel from just outside Belgian territorial waters to London in under two minutes. Now there’s a target worthy of practice…. But UK Defence Forces have nothing to touch ’em. Oh dear !

Billy Whizz
Billy Whizz (@guest_774142)
7 months ago

Wow, 7 miles per minute is quite slow

Andy
Andy (@guest_774189)
7 months ago

I’m wondering, what would have happened if they couldn’t shoot it down in time?

Jd
Jd (@guest_774331)
7 months ago
Reply to  Andy

Then we would not be reading this article, or having this discussion.

Daveh
Daveh (@guest_774386)
7 months ago

First rule is never release the true figures for consumption by your potential enemies.

Adam Cattle
Adam Cattle (@guest_774423)
7 months ago

There are no RAF Typhoon aircraft left in operation. They were all destroyed like sparrows by a cat in Sunak’s top secret UK military attack on Russia from Estonia. They were useless SHIT, every fact and figure in the official specification document is a lie.

KP.
KP. (@guest_774503)
7 months ago

Anglophobes take note: The exercise was in held by France in French airspace.
The thought of the French using MPH is hilarious!
So m/s is their definition of speed.

Moriarty
Moriarty (@guest_774625)
7 months ago

650 km/hr in metric terms

Mark Harding
Mark Harding (@guest_775009)
7 months ago

1 m/s =2.24 mph.

Mark Harding
Mark Harding (@guest_775290)
7 months ago

403.2 mph.=180m/s