A series of major delivery commitments with a purpose to significantly enhance the aptitude of the world’s most advanced swing role/multi-role combat aircraft has been confirmed by the Eurofighter consortium.
Ground tests with the Storm Shadow and Taurus missiles have already been completed, and intensive flight test campaigns might begin imminently. Both missiles will further increase the air-to-ground capabilities of the Eurofighter Typhoon.
The first Tranche 3 aircraft will perform its first flight by year-end and Phase 1 Enhancements will be completed within this timeframe. This was announced on Wednesday during a Media Briefing on the Dubai Air Show 2013. The development happens from 17 to 21 November within the United Arab Emirates (UAE).
Laurie Hilditch, Head of Future Capability at Eurofighter GmbH, said: “These capability enhancements underline that our proven and trusted programme is easily on the right track and that we achieve what we promise. Looking ahead, i’m pleased to announce today that the 400th Eurofighter Typhoon is scheduled to be dropped at the German Air Force on 4 December 2013 and the worldwide fleet is anticipated to succeed in 1 / 4 million flying hours in spring 2014.”
A major goal of the flight tests is to evaluate the Storm Shadow in flight and to realize clearance for the total integration at the Eurofighter Typhoon by 2015. First tests could be undertaken at the Instrumented Production Aircraft 2 (IPA2) by Alenia Aermacchi on the Decimomannu Air Base in Sardinia/Italy.
The Storm Shadow, manufactured by MBDA, is already in service with the Tornados of the Italian Air Force, Royal Air Force and Royal Saudi Air Force. This is a conventionally armed, stealthy, long-range stand-off precision weapon designed to neutralise high value targets. The weapon system will add the aptitude to strike by day or night in all-climatic conditions, well-defended infrastructure targets along with port facilities, control centres, bunkers and bridges that might otherwise require several missions.
As component of the Storm Shadow integration programme, Cassidian, the Defence and Security Division of EADS, will start flight testing with the Taurus missile at the Instrumented Production Aircraft 7 (IPA7) in December 2013.
Concurrent testing of those two similar missiles optimises the Storm Shadow integration and facilitates the long run airframe integration of Taurus. Taurus KEPD 350 is a German/Swedish missile that is manufactured by Taurus Systems GmbH, a partnership between MBDA Germany and Saab Bofors Dynamics. The missile incorporates stealth characteristics and is designed to strike targets corresponding to bunkers and command and control facilities.
The first Tranche 3 aircraft are currently within the final assembly lines within the Uk, Germany, Italy and Spain. BAE Systems just completed the engines testing of its first Tranche 3 aircraft in Warton. First flight will occur before year-end. First delivery is scheduled for the Royal Air Force (RAF).
In order to further increase the operational capabilities of the combat aircraft, Eurofighter GmbH and the NATO Eurofighter and Tornado Management Agency (NETMA) signed a brand new Development Contract in October 2013. The package (referred to as Evolution Package 2) includes lots of improvements including enhancements to the foremost avionics sensor inclusive of the Radar and the Defensive Aids Sub Systems (DASS). Additionally it is enhancements designed to cater for the newest operational requests of shoppers and improvements to the Multifunction Information and Distribution System (MIDS).
Since entry into service of the primary Eurofighter Typhoon on the end of 2003, greater than 390 Eurofighter Typhoons has been brought to six nations: Germany, the uk, Italy, Spain, Austria and Saudi Arabia. In December 2012, Oman became the seventh customer ordering a complete of twelve aircraft. Eurofighter Typhoon is currently in service at 20 operational units within the Northern and Southern hemisphere and during the past , the full fleet has completed greater than 210,000 flying hours worldwide.
Eurofighter Typhoon is one of the most advanced new generation multi-role/swing-role combat aircraft currently available at the world market. Seven customers (Germany, the uk, Italy, Spain, Austria, Saudi Arabia and Oman) have already ordered the Eurofighter Typhoon. With 719 aircraft under contract and 571 on order, Eurofighter Typhoon is currently the most important military procurement programme in Europe. Its high technology strengthens the location of European aerospace industry within the international market.
The programme secures greater than 100,000 jobs in 400 companies. Eurofighter Jagdflugzeug GmbH manages the programme on behalf of the Eurofighter Partner Companies Alenia Aermacchi/Finmeccanica, BAE Systems and Cassidian in Germany and Spain, that are the key aviation and aerospace companies in Europe with a turnover of about 126 billion euro (2012).
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