By Eurofighter GmgH on Thursday, June 20th, 2013
Eurofighter Signs Contract for Meteor Integration
Eurofighter Jagdflugzeug GmbH has today signed a weapon system integration contract with NETMA, the NATO Eurofighter and Tornado Management Agency, to facilitate and secure integration of MBDA’s Meteor Beyond Visual Range Missile system.
The contract was signed on the Paris Air Show 2013 in Le Bourget by Jesus Pinillos Prieto, General Manager of NETMA and Alberto Gutierrez, Chief Executive Officer of Eurofighter GmbH. It was witnessed by high-level defence representatives from all of the four core nations of Eurofighter: Philip Dunne, Minister for Defence Equipment Support & Technology inside the Uk; Stéphane Beemelmans, Secretary of State for Defence in Germany; Roberta Pinotti, Under Secretary of State for Defence in Italy, and Pedro Argüelles Salaverría, Secretary of State for Defence in Spain.
The signing is further evidence of delivery around quite a number capability enhancements for the Eurofighter Typhoon, and secures work on a programme to integrate the state-of-the-art ramjet missile system in the course of the partner nations in Eurofighter for the foreseeable future.
Alberto Gutierrez, Chief Executive Officer of Eurofighter GmbH, said: “These latest developments confirm the growing momentum of the Eurofighter enhancement programme that is delivering real capability to our customers. Meteor adds genuine potency to the Eurofighter Typhoon. When coupled with a number other enhancements we’re bringing into the programme, this can further secure the aircraft’s position as best-in-class offering customers unrivalled levels of performance, reliability and support.”
Jesus Pinillos Prieto, General Manager of NETMA, said: “This is another significant milestone within the success story of the Eurofighter Typhoon. NETMA is delighted to progress this aircraft integration contract with a purpose to deliver new capability to Eurofighter. Much work has already been done to put this capability, the continued work on integration will now see it safely delivered into the hands of the client.”
The Meteor missile system, integrated with the present class-leading M-Scan radar (and sooner or later the advanced E-Scan radar) suited to the Eurofighter, and utilizing the total potential of 2-way data-link communication, will greatly increase the ‘no-escape-zone’ round the aircraft enhancing both its effectiveness and lethality.
In December 2012, BAE Systems, among the four Eurofighter Partner Companies within Eurofighter, completed a test-firing of a Meteor missile from a Eurofighter Typhoon, Instrumented Production Aircraft 1 (IPA1) off the coast of Wales. Further design and test work at the missile system will continue as a part of the combination programme as BAE Systems, Cassidian, Alenia Aermacchi embed the system throughout the programme inside the UK, Germany, Italy and Spain.
Eurofighter Typhoon is the foremost 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 biggest military procurement programme in Europe. Its high technology strengthens the placement 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 major aviation and aerospace companies in Europe with a turnover of about 126 billion euro (2012).
Since entry into service in 2004, almost 400 Eurofighter Typhoons were dropped at six nations: Germany, the uk, Italy, Spain, Austria and Saudi Arabia. In December 2012, Oman became the seventh customer and ordered a complete of twelve aircraft. Currently, Eurofighter Typhoon is in service at 20 operational units and to this point, the complete fleet has completed greater than 186,000 flying hours worldwide.
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