BAE Systems has inked an 80-million-pound ($90.5 million) deal to continue providing avionics support for the Eurofighter Typhoons of the British, German, Spanish, and Italian air forces.
Under the agreement, BAE will deliver service and repairs for avionics equipment including displays, flight controls, and helmet-mounted displays to enhance the Typhoon’s readiness for deployment at all times.
“BAE Systems’ avionics service and support team helps our customers ensure that Typhoon is ready to secure our skies and support the UK’s international allies 24/7, 365 days a year,” Senior Project Manager Jim Whittington said.
“The flexibility within these services will help increase our customers’ flying capability, whereby we are able to meet any additional service demands.”
The multi-million contract is expected to be complete by 2027.
Keeping Typhoon aircraft mission-ready.
We have been awarded Typhoon avionics support contracts worth £80 million ($90 million), securing ongoing service and repairs and ensuring that Typhoon aircraft are ready for deployment at all times.https://t.co/jjzF7GLsgd pic.twitter.com/280rf2hbav
— BAE Systems, Inc. (@BAESystemsInc) November 4, 2022
‘Powerful, Reliable Combat Aircraft’
The 15.96-meter (52.36 feet) aircraft features twin engines that provide a combined thrust of 180 kilonewtons. The Typhoon can fly for 1,000 hours without unscheduled maintenance.
The Pirate sensor-equipped jet is designed with Captor-M mechanically scanned and Captor-E electronically scanned radars that allow for simultaneously deployable air-to-air and air-to-surface capabilities.
The radars’ power and aperture allow pilots enhanced angular coverage as opposed to fixed plate systems.
“Every day our aircraft are protecting the skies in Europe, the Middle East and even in the Southern hemisphere. They are on Quick Reaction Alert (QRA) duty 24 hours a day, 7 days a week,” the Eurofighter Typhoon consortium stated on its website.
Made from strong, lightweight composite materials, Typhoon also boasts “superior maneuverability at subsonic speeds and efficient supersonic capability” for wide-ranging combat missions.
The swing-role combat aircraft is also capable of carrying multiple weapons, including up to six bombs, six missiles, a cannon, and a targeting pod while providing missile in-flight updates and bomb in-flight targeting.
“During conflict, air chiefs want an aircraft that is versatile, reliable, resilient and cost-effective. Eurofighter Typhoon fulfills all of these requirements and the operational experiences gained during these flying hours have proven it,” the developers said.
At present, more than 500 Eurofighter Typhoon aircraft have bolstered the air forces in seven countries: the four founding nations, Austria, Saudi Arabia, and Oman.
