The NATO Eurofighter & Tornado Management Agency (NETMA) and Eurofighter Jagdflugzeug GmbH have signed a contract worth close to €300 million, which provides the next steps in the capability evolution of the Eurofighter Typhoon combat aircraft. The Consolidation Package Step Two and Three, Phase 1 Contract’s most important elements include Typhoon capability enhancements when operating the Meteor beyond-visual-range, air-to-air missile, with the capability implementation being transferred from the current M-Scan to the new E-Scan radar.
NATO Eurofighter & Tornado Management Agency DGM, Ruediger Knoepfel, said:”Bringing this contract together has been a successful true team effort across Eurofighter, the Eurofighter Partner Companies, NETMA and the core Nations. It is yet another important step in the development of Europe’s most successful ever aerospace programme. This contract provides an important building block for further developments to come.”
The package also includes improvements to Brimstone precision air-to-surface operations on Typhoon, along with adaptations to the cockpit display formats; interoperability enhancements through development of the MIDS Link 16, radio; and further improvements towards its Defensive Aids Sub-System (DASS). This contract is designed to satisfy the different requirements of the four core Nations customers and will equally benefit export customers, creating a consistent harmonised package as the baseline for ongoing capability development.
Herman Claesen, CEO of Eurofighter Jagdflugzeug GmbH , said:”This contract represents another positive step forward for Eurofighter and will ensure it continues to be one of the most important assets for our customers. This package of developments makes the weapon system performance more effective and versatile for our end users, with improvements to individual capabilities being rolled out across the whole fleet of M-Scan and E-Scan aircraft.”
The capability development activity will primarily take place within the four Eurofighter Partner Companies BAE Systems, Airbus Germany, Airbus Spain and Leonardo but with significant aspects being undertaken within the wider supply base, most specifically EuroRadar and EuroDASS. An important element of the contract deals with capability enhancements for operating Typhoon with the Meteor beyond visual range, air-to-air missile, with the capability implementation being transferred from the M-Scan to E-Scan radar.
It also includes improvements to the way Typhoon operates with the Brimstone precision air-to-surface capability; adaptations to the cockpit display formats; enhancements to interoperability through MIDS Link 16 and radio; and improvements to the defensive aids sub system (DASS). It’s a comprehensive set of individual capabilities, mostly in the avionics domain, but also some extensions to the air vehicle clearance envelopes. As such, its development utilises skills from across the engineering and support spectrum. It is the natural continuation of the drumbeat of consistent capability releases for Eurofighter customers.
