Leonardo has announced the next round of upgrades to the Eurofighter Typhoon’s Defensive Aids Sub-System (DASS).
The upgrades for the Eurofighter four-nation Phase 4 Enhancement package include a new radar.
They are being developed by a consortium comprising Leonardo, ELT Group, Indra, and Hensoldt.
New Capabilities
The upgrades will add new capabilities to the Eurofighter DASS, called Praetorian, including a digital receiver, band extension, enhancements to signal processing algorithms, and processor capabilities.
Hensoldt is developing the digital receiver, which will help the aircraft identify “modern and complex targets and their modes of operation, enabling it to deploy the appropriate countermeasures,” Leonardo explained.
The band extension developed by Indra allows the aircraft “to operate in the increasingly complex, congested and contested electromagnetic battlespace of the future.”
To Complement Typhoon Radar
Leonardo says the Praetorian’s jamming capability will complement the Typhoon radar’s electronic attack capability.
It will also complement the Active electronically scanned array radar’s next-gen CRS Mk2, currently being developed for the UK military.
Trials to Start Shortly
Leonardo displayed the capabilities onboard a Navajo test aircraft at last week’s 2023 Royal International Air Tattoo in Fairford, UK.
The capabilities’ first flight trial onboard a Navajo aircraft is scheduled shortly. Further tests onboard a Typhoon are expected in early 2024.