Saab receives new missile pylon for testing and evaluation on Gripen E
MELP5 under the fuselage of a Gripen fighter aircraft. (Photo: Saab)
Saab has taken delivery of MELP5 hardware for test-firing Meteor missiles on the Gripen E fighter aircraft.
L3Harris has begun delivering captive flight test Missile Eject Launcher, Pylon 5 (MELP5) hardware to Saab for trials on the Swedish company’s Gripen E multirole fighter aircraft.
L3Harris developed the system under a design contract with Saab inked in 2014.
The units will support under-fuselage captive carriage of the Meteor Beyond Visual Range Air-to-Air Missile on Gripen E and clear the way for release trials.
The deliveries are occurring under a $27-million production contract with L3 Harris release and integrated solutions; business development specialist Lee Parnell said the company was now in the execution phase of the contract.
The production
Our news & analysis is now part of Defence Insight®
A Basic-level or higher Defence Insight subscription is now required to view this content.
More from Air Warfare
-
![Attack drones versus CUAS – the future of warfare or just another trend?]()
Attack drones versus CUAS – the future of warfare or just another trend?
Demand signals for counter-drone technology are strong and the market is becoming crowded, but is this really the beginning of a new phase of warfare or will commentators be talking about something else 10 years from now?
-
![The 2020s: a decade of UAV spending growth]()
The 2020s: a decade of UAV spending growth
Total annual drone spending has increased nearly sixfold since the start of the decade, from $2.9 billion in 2020 to $16.3 billion in 2028, with Europe leading the rise.
-
![July drone digest: Sovereign production takes centre stage at Farnborough]()
July drone digest: Sovereign production takes centre stage at Farnborough
Farnborough International Airshow (FIA) 2026 revealed the growing scale of the UK’s uncrewed ambitions, with companies showcasing new CCA, autonomous wingmen and surveillance drones, while sovereign production emerged as a key factor for multiple programmes.
-
![July air forces review: Farnborough steals the headlines as programmes develop]()
July air forces review: Farnborough steals the headlines as programmes develop
The biannual Farnborough International Airshow 2026 was the backdrop in July for scores of deals, partnerships and announcements, including developments in the multinational next-generation Global Combat Air Programme and the UK’s $486 million trainer aircraft requirement.
