Eurofighter World 2010-1 by avia lduo

PROGRAMME NEWS & FEATURES 1/2010

 OPERATIONAL IN THE KINGDOM OF SAUDI ARABIA  EUROFIGHTER OVER BALTIC AIRSPACE  200 AIRCRAFT DELIVERED  THE ECONOMIC IMPACT  ASTA FLYING LEVEL

AIR SHOW FOCUS EUROFIGHTER IN PARIS, ZELTWEG, RIAT, DUBAI www.eurofighter.com

nothing comes close

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EDITORIAL

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CONTENTS AIR SHOW FOCUS: EUROFIGHTER IS A SHOW STOPPER

EDITORIAL

EUROFIGHTER NEWS

EUROFIGHTER TYPHOON ON DUTY OVER THE BALTIC AIRSPACE

TESTING THE FLEET: AIR-TO-GROUND WEAPON TRIALS

THE ECONOMIC IMPACT OF THE EUROFIGHTER TYPHOON

AIR SHOW FOCUS: 

LE BOURGET, PARIS: EUROFIGHTER IS A SHOW STOPPER

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ECD IN DEMAND

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ZELTWEG AUSTRIA: AIRPOWER 2009

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ROYAL INTERNATIONAL AIR TATTOO (RIAT)

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DUBAI AIR SHOW

EUROJET PARTNER ROLLS ROYCE

Eurofighter World is published by Eurofighter GmbH, PR & Communications Am Söldnermoos 17, 85399 Hallbergmoos Tel: +49 (0) 811-80 1587 communications@eurofighter.com

Enzo Casolini CEO Eurofighter GmbH

ASTA FLYING LEVEL

WORLD-CLASS FACILITIES TO SUPPORT AVAILABILITY OF TYPHOON AIRCRAFT ARE OPENED

EUROFIGHTER TYPHOON IN FOCUS IN ROMANIA

NOTHING COMES CLOSE: 200 AIRCRAFT IN SERVICE

EUROJET PARTNER ROLLS ROYCE — DELIVERING INCREASED CAPABILITY IN EJ200 PRODUCTION AND SUPPORT

EUROFIGHTER TYPHOON IN THE GULF: THE BEST SOLUTION FOR THE REGION’S REQUIREMENTS

PANAVIA CELEBRATE 40TH ANNIVERSARY

Editorial representative Marco Valerio Bonelli Head of PR and Communications

Photography Eurofighter GmbH, Eurofighter Partner Companies Geoffrey Lee Planefocus Katsuiko Tokunaga Italian Air Force German Air Force

Design & Production images.art.design. Werbeagentur GmbH www.iad-design.de Printed by ESTA Druck GmbH www.esta-druck.de Eurofighter World on the Internet www.eurofighter.com

Royal Air Force Typhoon flies over the desert during the 2009 Dubai Air Show Photography: Katsuiko Tokunaga

If you would like to request additional copies of Eurofighter World, please contact the PR & Communications Department at Eurofighter GmbH February 2010

Welcome to the first edition of Eurofighter World, our new inhouse magazine created to bring you the latest news and views on the Eurofighter Typhoon. In this first edition we will look back over the second half of 2009 and look forward to what we can expect for 2010. 2009 was a very successful year for Eurofighter Typhoon. In my first eight months as CEO of Eurofighter GmbH we made some important steps forward in the programme – most significant during this time was the successful signing of the Tranche 3a contract which took place in July. This saw Eurofighter GmbH, NETMA and EUROJET reach another major milestone as part of the umbrella contract by agreeing production of a further 112 aircraft, including 241 engines for the four Partner Nations of Germany, Italy, Spain and the UK. The contract is worth around 9 billion Euros and confirms Eurofighter Typhoon as the best selling defence aircraft on the market. This achievement serves to reaffirm the importance and independence of the European defence sector which fundamentally will provide the Air Forces with the best asset available to address their requirements in both air-to-air and air-to-ground scenarios. In financial terms, last year was very successful for the programme with a turnover of approximately 4.3 billion Euros, incoming orders of approximately 10 billion Euros and an order book of approximately 25 billion Euros. We have had further success with the signing of support contracts in the UK, Italy and most recently Spain; numerous export campaigns are running and we have seen the steady delivery of aircraft to customers. This delivery success is proven by the Austrian customer who received the final aircraft from their order of 15 in September 2009, the delivery of the first eight aircraft to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia which began in June and con-

EDITORIAL

cluding with the delivery of the 200th Eurofighter Typhoon in November. This last achievement is an impressive milestone, and something for everyone who works directly or indirectly on the programme to be very proud of -

”Typhoon is the only combat aircraft of its generation with not only 200 aircraft delivered but 200 in service“. The Eurofighter Typhoon has been operational since 2003 and the first five customers have been on active QRA duty since 2008. Now we can boast real operational roles with air policing in Lithuania, border patrol in Albania and deployment as far a field as the Falkland Islands to prove the value of the aircraft. We have had a strong presence at many air shows and exhibitions through 2009 and 2010 will not be any different. At Paris and Dubai air shows, the full compliment of our capabilities was on display and generated huge interest. My thanks go out to the Air Forces and pilots who supported these events all year, enthusiastically sharing their technical knowledge and passion for the aircraft with visitors. This year we will have a significant presence at ILA Berlin in June and Farnborough International in July along with many other key shows and events around the world. For 2010, we must look to build on the success of 2009, ensure we deliver promised technology enhancements which will be a driver for our export business and concentrate on achieving the full compliment of aircraft as agreed in the umbrella contract - working together and with our Supplier base to deliver the operating cost reductions promised as part of the overall Tranche 3A contract. I would like to thank everyone who has supported Eurofighter Typhoon over the last year and wish you a prosperous 2010. Here’s to another year full of successes. Enjoy this issue Enzo Casolini CEO Eurofighter GmbH

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NEWS

AUSTRIAN AIR FORCE’S EUROFIGHTER FLEET REACHES 1,000 FLYING HOURS MILESTONE  The Eurofighter Typhoons in service with the Air Surveillance Wing of Österreichische Luftstreitkräfte, Austria’s Joint Armed Forces Command, reached the 1,000 flying hours milestone in July. The Überwachungsgeschwader had received 12 aircraft by this date and delivery

AUSTRIAN EUROFIGHTER ON DUTY FOR NATO’S DEFENCE MINISTERS MEETING IN BRATISLAVA, SLOVAKIA

he Austrian Air Force’s Eurofighter Typhoons were significantly involved in air policing missions during meetings of NATO’s Defence Ministers held in Bratislava, Slovakia, on Thursday 22 and Friday 23 October 2009. The air policing over the meetings in Slovakia was another demonstration of the interoperability of the Typhoon with NATO assets as the centre to European air defence. The Austrian Typhoon's role was to collaborate with the Slovakian Air Force to protect the airspace from any possible threat including "slow movers" such as helicopters and light aircraft which are difficult to track with conventional assets. As stated by the Austrian Ministry for Defence “The support of these aircraft ensures the best possible protection of participants and the local population against air threats”. It would not be possible to carry out such events without adequate airspace surveillance. Even though the Eurofighter system is still in its introductory phase in Austria, it has already clocked up more than 1100 flight hours and performed around 1300 flights. A total of 26 “alpha priority” missions have already been flown by the Austria Air Force’s Typhoon this year.

EUROFIGHTER NEWS

of the remaining 3 was completed in September. The aircraft are based in Zeltweg, an air base close to the Styrian mountains, that also hosts a Eurofighter ASTA simulator and modern maintenance facilities to support the aircraft in service. Enzo Casolini, Eurofighter CEO, said: “We are very pleased that the Austrian Air Surveillance Wing has reached this important milestone. The Typhoon is a defence system that is perfectly suited to the air force requirements for air policing, assuring the best fleet effectiveness available in the fighter aircraft arena”.

ITALIAN AIR FORCE TYPHOONS AIR POLICING OVER ALBANIA  The Typhoons of the Gioia del Colle Air Base’s 36th Stormo of the Italian Air Force started their air policing task over the Albanian airspace in July, as requested by NATO. Albania, as a new NATO member lacks assets capable of performing this task with an air force equipped only with helicopters and light liaison aircraft. The Italian Typhoons are the first Eurofighter Typhoons committed to the air policing task for Nations lacking any such capability. The air policing role includes the surveillance of the airspace; the protection of borders and infrastructures; interception of aircraft flying without proper authorisation and the assistance to aircraft with communication problems. This new task confirms the capabilities of the Typhoon as the backbone of the air policing role within the air forces that operate the new generation European aircraft.

EUROFIGHTER NEWS

WAR OF WORDS: RAFALE VS TYPHOON  After the Dubai Air Shows on the web circulated a series of unofficial reports about exercises held in the UAE with both Rafales and Typhoons. The fact that these reports are unofficial could be a sign of our French competitor frustration in not having signed the much anticipated contract with UAE or possibly even to fulfil a basic need to develop positive stories about the currently unexported fighter. The unofficial reports were circulated using French Air Force Rafale pilots who used their blogs to say that Rafale won 4 vs 1 engagements with RAF Typhoons during the exercises in UAE. Propaganda is a science, but in this specific case the stories about the Rafale vs Typhoon are unjustified and an unfair representations of reality because in the exercise sorties Typhoons and Rafales worked together on the same team! There were red Typhoon/Rafale combos and blue Typhoon/Rafale combos which took part in the exercise. On the CT (Continuation Training) sorties both Typhoon and Rafale squadrons were conducting work-up sorties for their junior pilots and this is in fact the subject and source of the unofficial reports. To be quoting results from this training does not give a true reflection of aircraft superiority not to mention the fact that similar results against the Rafale and in Typhoons favour also occurred in this training too, thus dissolving the basis on which these unofficial reports are based. Throughout the exercise Typhoon was always carrying a greater payload than Rafale, Typhoon always came into the fight above Rafale and Typhoon take off performance was always more stunning than Rafale - all fully as expected.

GERMAN AIR FORCE JaBoG 31 “BOELCKE” RECEIVES ITS FIRST EUROFIGHTERS

The first German Air Force JaBoG 31 Eurofighter Typhoon in the skies above Nörvenich during the handover ceremony

On December 16th 2009, the German Air Force’s Jagdbombergeschwader 31 “Boelcke” Fighter Wing received its first four Eurofighter Typhoon aircraft. It was an important event as the Nörvenich, North Rhine Westphalia, JaboG 31 is the first Luftwaffe air-to-ground squadron to receive its Eurofighter Typhoons. They will replace the Tornados currently in service with the Wing by the end of June 2010. The Wing’s aircraft – currently running initial operations in cooperation with train-

ing Fighter Wing 73 “Steinhoff” – is expected to be fully operational with all weather GBU-48 laser-guided bombs and the Laser Designator Pod by 2012. The Fighter Bomber Wing 31 “Boelcke” is the third German Air Force Squadron equipped with the Eurofighter Typhoon. Fighter Wing 73 “Steinhoff” based in LaageRostock, in northern Germany, received its first aircraft in May 2004 and the Fighter Wing 74 in Neuburg –Donau, based in southern Germany, in July 2006.

SUPPORT CONTRACTS SIGNED IN ITALY AND SPAIN  Essential support contracts for the Eurofighter Typhoon fleets were signed between Eurofighter GmbH and NETMA in November to provide integrated support solutions to the Italian and Spanish Air Forces for the next five to ten years. Eurofighter, its partner companies and suppliers have been working alongside the Italian Ministry of Defence for the past 18 months in a partnered approach to develop an Integrated Supply Chain Management Service (ISCMS) support solution. This collaboration will ensure the best possible performance of the aircraft and will sustain the high operational availability shown by the Typhoon fleet in Italy, delivering substantial cost savings for the customer. The ISCMS contract which will run for five years, meets the requirement to reduce maintenance costs as proposed by the NETMA nations. The Military Air Systems (MAS) Business Unit of EADS Defence & Security in Spain signed a similar contract with the Spanish Air Force to provide the ON Aircraft Scheduled Inspections Industrial Service (OASIIS) for the Eurofighter aircraft being operated at Morón Air Base near Seville. Worth 150 million Euros, the contract will run for ten years and includes scheduled maintenance activities and the procurement and management of consumables for the Eurofighter fleet. Enrique Barrientos, CEO of EADS Defence & Security in Spain, commented: “This is the first time we have signed this kind of shared risk agreement with the Air Force and I believe it could form the basis for more logistical support contracts in the future.”

GROSSETO’S 4TH STORMO FIRST OPERATIONAL NATO ASSESSMENT OF A EUROFIGHTER WING  Excellent results were achieved after the first operational evaluation made by NATO of a Eurofighter Typhoon Wing in July. A NATO evaluation team certified the Italian Air Force’s 4th Fighter Stormo at the Grosseto Base as a NATO Quick Response Force. This meant that the 4th Wing was the first Eurofighter flight unit to obtain this important NATO certification. The operational evaluation took place during the “Operation Discrete Jury” exercise, which tested the ability of the 4th Stormo to be deployed abroad for peace-keeping and peace-making missions. The exercise involved many air wings’ activities, from rescue to telecommunication services, self-defence and survival capabilities and, more particularly, logistic support, maintenance and flight operations. It was in this very field that the operations of the Grosseto Base’s Typhoons were positively evaluated, having demonstrated excellent operational availability and compliance with national and NATO’s operational requirement.

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base which was attended by the Italian Air Force's Chief of Staff Daniele Tei. One of the aircraft from the squadron sported a special paint scheme on its fin to mark the occasion. Italian’s Typhoons are used for the vital role of assuring the security of Italy's national airspace. The Italian Air Force assures surveillance and defence of the national airspace 365 days a year, 24 hours a day, through an integrated system of radar, aircraft and missile systems, with the systems of the other NATO member countries. In addition to Grosseto’s 4th Air Wing, the 36th Air Wing of Gioia del Colle is also equipped with Eurofighter Typhoons and is committed to performing immediate take-off and interception in the event of alarm. Cervia’s 5th Air Wing (near Ravenna on the eastern coast) and Trapani’s 37th Air Wing in Siciliy accomplish these duties. The Italian Typhoons have been ensuring since last summer, on a NATO mandate, that the airspace of Albania, a country lacking it’s own aircraft to perform this role, is protected.

ITALIAN AIR FORCE 4TH STORMO REACH 10,000 FLIGHT HOURS  The 4th Air Wing of the Italian Air Force reached the key milestone of 10,000 flying hours with the Eurofighter Typhoon in September of this year. Based in Grosseto, central Italy, the 4th Air Wing was the first Italian Air Force unit to receive the Typhoon in 2004. To celebrate the milestone a ceremony was held at the

An Italian Air Force Eurofighter Typhoon flies above Grosseto decorated in a special color scheme to mark 10,000 flying hours

9 BILLION EURO CONTRACT FOR 112 EUROFIGHTER SIGNED The biggest event for Eurofighter Typhoon in 2009 was undoubtedly the Tranche 3a contract signature. NETMA (NATO Eurofighter and Tornado Management Agency), Eurofighter Jagd-flugzeug GmbH and EUROJET Turbo GmbH on the last day of July signed the production contract for a further 112 aircraft, including 241 engines, for the four partner Nations: Germany, Italy, Spain and the United Kingdom. The news of the Tranche 3a 9 billion Euro contract was welcomed across the

Partner Companies and confirms Eurofighter Typhoon as the best selling defence aircraft on the market with 559 units under production contract, including 15 for Austria and 72 for Saudi Arabia. This is a major achievement in the Eurofighter programme and serves to reaffirm the importance and the independence of the defence sector of European industry. The agreement, achieved in conjunction with NETMA and the four Nations involved in the programme, will provide the Air Forces with the best asset available to address their requirements for both air-to-air and air-to-ground roles. EUROJET Managing Director Hartmut J. Tenter and NETMA’s General Manager,

Lt.Gen. Antonino Altorio remarked that “the capabilities of Tranche 3 aircraft consolidate the already excellent performances of Tranche 1 and 2 aircraft and will enable the Air Forces to carry out primary air defence in NATO missions as well as maintaining air superiority in theatres of operations and, if necessary, providing support in the air-to-ground role.” With the production of Eurofighter Typhoon now confirmed until well into the next decade, the future of the programme is assured until 2015 and will maintain and develop the current technological capability in Europe, enhancing future export opportunities and giving the four partner Nations a significant return on their investments.

NEWS

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NEWS

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EUROFIGHTER IN PIAZZA DUOMO

EUROFIGHTER TYPHOON

ON DUTY OVER THE BALTIC

prototype of our famous Eurofighter Typhoon aircraft, the DA7 was put on display in the piazza del Duomo in Milan from the 5th until the 8th of November 2009. This unexpected yet impressive outdoor exhibition was a great attraction for people who walked by, tourists visiting the city and locals alike who stopped and stared. The contrast between the modern fighterjet and the atmosphere of the

EUROFIGHTER NEWS

IN SERVICE

ancient piazza del Duomo in Milan couldn’t have been any better. Due to the professional staff of the military airport in Cameri, the Eurofighter prototype was transported via ground to the Piazza del Duomo. The DA7 arrived in Cameri after a long series of flight trails. The test pilots of Alenia Aeronautica and the flight test department of the Italian Air Force accomplished 653 flights and a total of 475 hours. Among the test activities carried out by the Eurofighter prototype were the development of the navigation system, testing of “safe separation” of the outside loads, on the automatic pilot and on the automatic landing system.

GOOD START FOR AL-SALAM PROJECT

n 12th June 2009, the Roll-Out Ceremony for the first two Saudi Typhoons was held in Warton and was attended by a host of dignitaries from UK politics, the Royal Air Force, BAE Systems and the Royal Saudi Air Force (RSAF). Among them was Prince Khalid bin Sultan bin Abdullaziz, Assistant Minister of Defence and Aviation and Inspector General of Military Affairs and the Minister for the British Armed Forces, Bill Rammell. The ceremony included a fly past by one of the Salam Typhoons, an eye catching ceremony and speeches. Mr. Rammell pointed out that the RSAF will be provided with a world-class, multi-role aircraft which will provide the country with the defence capability it needs against today’s and future challenges. The Handover Ceremony took place 10 days before the first two aircrafts were transported from BAE Systems’ base in Warton, Lancashire to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. During the ceremony Prince Khalid bin Sultan bin Abdullaziz said that “the Project stresses the strong relationship of the two friendly countries”, and he pointed out that “48 of 72 Typhoons provided by the Al-Salam Project should arrive in a short time, and will be set in several locations of Saudi Arabia”.

With the first eight aircraft now delivered to the customer, the Salam project continues to make significant steps forward. The order of 72 Typhoon jets sees Eurofighter GmbH and its Partner Companies cooperating closely with Saudi Arabian Industry as part of the economic offset programme. This will mean final assembly of 48 aircraft in Kingdom and will be a huge boost to Saudi Arabian Aerospace capabilities. Saudi Arabia is the second country, outside of the core partner nations, that possesses the Eurofighter Typhoon aircraft following contract signature in 2006. As well as the unmatched strategic deterrence offered by the Typhoon fleet, the order will create work for thousands of Saudis and sustaining several thousand jobs in the UK and in Saudi Arabia. The aim of this industrial collaboration is to establish new aerospace and engineering jobs in the range of 10,000 posts. According to Prince Khalid bin Sultan bin Abdulaziz the priority in vacant job offers will be focused on the Saudi youth. AHC

All the disassembly operations and the following reassembly of the DA7 were accomplished thanks to the fundamental contribution of the personnel of the Campo Volo in Caselle, that prepared the aircraft with great experience and professionalism. MS

AIRSPACE

AUSTRIA: DELIVERIES

COMPLETE

urofighter delivered the 15th and final aircraft ordered by the Austrian Armed Forces on the 24th September 2009. The aircraft was rolled out in a ceremony at the EADS Defence & Security Manching assembly line, close to Munich, Germany. The contract for the supply of 15 Eurofighter aircraft, including weapons and equipment, was signed by Austria and Eurofighter GmbH in July 2003. The contracts also covered simulation equipment, personnel training and logistic support. This logistic support system helped the Austrian Air Force to commence operational air policing missions – the prime task the aircraft were ordered for - just 11 months after delivery of the first Eurofighter on 12th July 2007. Since the first Typhoon entered service, the aircraft have flown more than 1,100 flying hours with the Air Surveillance Wing’s home base in Zeltweg and begun key air policing tasks.

From left to right: Bernd Wünsche, Ioannis Papachristofilou, Brigadier Knoll

Bernhard Gerwert, Chairman of the Eurofighter Supervisory Board and CEO of Military Air Systems within EADS Defence & Security, underlined the significance of this achievement at the ceremony: “Following delivery of this Eurofighter today, Austria now has at its disposal the contractually agreed number of high-performance interceptors required to secure its airspace. With the Eurofighter, Austria has fielded a fighter aircraft that will represent the best solution for Austrian air surveillance for many years to come thanks to its outstanding flight performance, sensor capabilities, and its ability to be integrated into data networks.”

or the first time the Eurofighter Typhoon was deployed in the Baltic states for a NATO Air Policing Mission. The German Air Force started the mission on the 1st September 2009 and were on duty until the end of 2009. The Baltic Air mission has been shared by 14 NATO nations since April 2004 in order to protect the airspace over the Baltic countries of Estonia, Lativia and Lithuania. In this important operation, Eurofighter Typhoons covered the first half of the mission, followed by German Air Force Tornados. The 74th Squadron of the German Air Force based in Neuburg an der Donau was stationed in Siauliai in northern Lithuania. The aircraft arrived at the Siauliai base on the 28th of August. Since the Eurofighter Typhoon detachment began in September 2009, approximately 100 people were employed in jobs on the mission. This operation request for Typhoons by NATO proves once again that the Eurofighter Typhoon is not only a modern advanced fighter jet, but it is also perfectly designed as a surveillance aircraft. The capability of the aircraft has been proven time and again. The Italian Air Force sent their Typhoon Squadron to secure the airspace over Albania, the recent Austrian Typhoons provided air policing support to a NATO defence meeting in Slovakia as well as the deployment of Royal Air Force Typhoons to the Falklands in September. During the two month long operation, the German Air Force Eurofighter pilots delivered two sharp Alpha scrambles and 34 tango scrambles. On the 15th September the first of the two alpha scrambles was successfully accomplished. Once airborne over the Siauliai base, the Eurofighter jets met a Russian Air Force Beriev A-50 aircraft. Due to the early warning and control platform, the German pilots photographed and

escorted the Beriev A-50 further back into international airspace before returning to Siauliai base. The crew of the Beriev A-50 were expecting this first ever contact with the Eurofighter Typhoon, therefore they had their own cameras and radar gear primed and ready. From behind, two Russian Sukhoi Su-27 appeared and were appropriately intercepted by Finnish Air Force fighter jets on “Quick Reaction Alert”. The actual deployment included up to five tango scrambles per week. In this daily scenario helicopters such as the Mil Mi-8 transport helicopter or the L-29 aircraft from the Lithuanian Air Force have been involved. Lieutenant Jan Gloystein of the German Airforce pointed out, that the deployment of the Eurofighter Typhoon at Siauliai air base was an important exercise, since the Siauliai air base was the biggest Soviet base outside of Russia. After the Baltic States gained their independence, the Russian Air Force withdrew everything that could be moved. When the NATO Baltic Air Policing Mission started the remnants were a 3,500m (11,400ft) long runway and several aircraft shelters built for Mikoyan MiG-21s. Today the NATO Quick Reaction Alert headquarters are minimal in size and the four

deployed Eurofighter Typhoons were kept in canvas hangars. The early winter and the cold and humid temperatures on the Lithuanian air base posed many new challenges. Lieutenant Gloystein remarked that the experience of operating Typhoons far from home was invaluable when it comes to managing logistics to maximise aircraft availability, particularly requests for and delivery of spare parts. Some spares could only be transported by military airlift, which was available in Siauliai Air base once a week. As for the personnel on the Siauliai air base a rotating system was applied, in order to enlarge the number of personnel gaining experience in the Baltic mission. Therefore the pilots were on a three-week rotation between the air bases in Neuburg an der Donau and Siauliai. Lieutenant Gloystein said the mission could have been accomplished with 90 people and in a combat situation the four Eurofighters could be realised with a minimum personnel of only 60 soldiers. This successful mission marks the beginning of many more European and International Eurofighter Typhoon operations. MS

A German Eurofighter Typhoon on duty securing the Baltic airspace over Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania

The temporary Luftwaffe Base in Siauliai, Northern Lithuania during NATO air policing

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PROGRAMME

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THE ECONOMIC IMPACT OF THE EUROFIGHTER PROGRAMME A TESTING THE FLEET:

AIR-TO-GROUND WEAPON TRIALS 2009 was a busy year for the Eurofighter Typhoon flight test team and its fleet of development aircraft who continue to trial and progress the future capability programme. In the second half of last year there were continuous and consistently successful development activities taking place across the partner nations, who work tirelessly throughout the year to ensure each aircraft achieves its targets and trials activities. Without these vital development aircraft, the Eurofighter programme would stagnate and would not be able to offer the cutting edge, evolving weapons system that it does today. This programme involves flight test teams from Alenia Aeronatutica’s Caselle site, BAE Systems in Warton, EADS CASA in Getafe and EADS D in Manching, all coordinated centrally from Eurofighter’s head office in Munich, Germany. A number of key flights took place with BAE Systems operated IPA 1 in the UK during September, continuing a series of trials started in June this year. These trials involved a number of drops of dummy Paveway IV bombs, performed over Aberporth and West Freugh test ranges. The main purpose of this exercise was to prove the safe separation of the weapons on the aircraft in a variety of conditions. Achievement of this qualification activity is a key step in the delivery of an enhanced capability for the

Customer, leading to a greater choice and combination of weapons on the aircraft. Chris Kleasener, then Fleet Manager of Test and Evaluation at Eurofighter GmbH commented “This is an important step to give greater air-to-surface clearance for the Customer. We are particularly pleased with the success of the trials so far and the performance of the weapon system”. The final steps in the trials progression are expected to be completed late 2009 /early 2010. In addition to the above, IPA1 and IPA5, another BAE Systems operated aircraft, have recently been involved in a series of ground and flight trials with two US tanker aircraft. These trials build on a number of other successful AAR campaigns with Italian and German Tankers, completed during 2008 and 2009. These were conducted with aircraft from across the consortium, IPA2 (IT) IPA4 (SP), IPA3 and IPA7 (GE), further demonstrating the integration of the partner companies. The objective of the overall activity being to prove the interoperability of Typhoon with a number of additional tankers, and ultimately provide additional AAR capability to the Nations. This is a vital addition when options can be limited in theatre. These have been particularly complex trials to arrange, involving a variety of foreign tankers, often with limited availability, contracted through government to government agreements. After completion of initial

ground testing, the trials progress to the flight testing stage, the Typhoon and Tanker aircraft meeting over test ranges to perform refuel and handling performance testing to ensure compatibility of the Typhoon in a number of different configurations. These final trials with the US Tankers were successfully concluded just prior to the Christmas break. To complete the picture for the second half of 2009, there have also been a number of other significant activities in the Typhoon Flight Test programme, all contributing to the successful development of the aircraft. • The Flight testing for Tranche 2 FOCmin was completed on IPA6 (UK) and IPA7 (GE), supporting the ongoing production and delivery of the T2 aircraft to the Customer. • IPA2 (IT) and IPA4 (SP) have begun the final phases of significant aircraft upgrades to support the ongoing development programme. These aircraft are expected to re-join the flying fleet early in 2010 Further updates on the 2010 trials will come in the next edition of the Eurofighter World magazine.

good fighter aircraft has to offer not only consistently high standards in flying performance, high combat effectiveness and affordability for the air forces that operate it, but it also has to be a keystone for technology development in the nations that design and produce it. This last point is ever more relevant today than it has been in the past and is fundamental to the establishment and development of national technological capabilities. The Eurofighter Typhoon is a one of the driving forces of the aerospace sector in Europe. The programme has been called the “lighthouse” for national technology development, proven by Eurofighter being the most ambitious collaborative programme in the industrial history of Europe. The results achieved have been from a consolidated aeronautical sector and allows the maintenance of an independent European hightech aircraft industry, specifically independence from the USA. The contribution to

contributor to the national economic wellbeing, employing some of the brightest minds in high-value manufacturing and engineering jobs. In Germany – where the aerospace industry is the main technology driver for the nation’s economy – the defence technology sector has a turnover of 5.8 Billion euro and a direct workforce of about 20,000 (21.8% of the total aerospace sector) with the Eurofighter, the NH-90 and the Tiger helicopters as the main programmes. In Spain, the Defence division of EADS has a turnover of 500 million Euros (2008) with the Eurofighter programme contributing 350 million Euros of that total. Significantly, 99% of the work is sourced from within the country and means that 40% of the 10,700 million Euros invested in the programme will return to the state as direct or indirect taxes. In Italy the programme provides a total of around 24,000 jobs a year spread evenly across the northern and southern regions. The programme employs an average of circa 7,200 highly qualified and professional staff a year directly with a further 4,800 people a year working on operations indirectly linked to the programme. The UK’s defence and security industry has an annual turnover of £35bn and is Europe’s most successful defence exporter overall, with £5bn in products and services Final assembly facility at BAE SYSTEMS, Warton

equipment standardisation amongst the partner nations and export customers as well as the development of a world leading competitive defence industrial capability has been invaluable to all customer nations. One of the best examples of the benefit the Typhoon programme generates is the 100,000 personnel employed directly and indirectly in the programme (25,000 in Germany; 24,000 in Italy; 22,000 in Spain and 40,000 in UK) across over 400 companies throughout Europe. Considering this fact, it is easy to say that the Eurofighter programme is a successful and a significant

Eurofighter Typhoon in final assembly at EADS Manching

sold overseas every year. Today the defence industry employs 305,000 people, more than 10 per cent of the total of the manufacturing sector, adding £12bn in value to the UK economy each year. Oxford Economics calculated that every £100m invested in defence yields a gross output of £227m. For every job created in the defence and security industry, 1.6 jobs are produced elsewhere in the economy. The Eurofighter programme is central to the aerospace, defence and security industry in the UK. The indirect benefits from the activities in the programme, such as the technology spin-offs for other sectors has opened the way to further investments and with tangible returns on these investments it is clear to see why Eurofighter Typhoon is the best multi-role fighter jet on the market.

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LE BOURGET, PARIS

AIR SHOW FOCUS

EUROFIGHTER IS A

SHOW STOPPER

AIR SHOW FOCUS

The Full Scale Replica of the Eurofighter Typhoon and an EJ200 Engine in Paris

Since the last issue of this magazine in 2009 it has been ‘Air Show mania’ for Eurofighter as we attended a wide variety of events around the world. June saw the well attended 100th Paris Air Show followed by Air Power in Zeltweg, Austria. RIAT was the main event in July and in September we visited Ostrava in the Czech Republic for their ‘NATO Days’ Air Show. We also attended the 6th EXPOMIL military technology exhibition in Romania in November along with the Dubai Air Show. This is a brief summary of the events. The Paris Air Show held at Le Bourget Exhibition Centre, came in conjunction with news of the roll out ceremony that took place at BAE Systems’ Warton site to mark the readiness of the first two Saudi Eurofighter Typhoons for delivery in country. From their order of 72, eight have since been officially delivered when going to press. The air show continued in a positive manner for Eurofighter Typhoon who was represented by four aircraft – two were 1/1 scale static q The Romanian Chief of Air Staff, General Stanciu flies the Eurofighter Cockpit Demonstrator

models, one from EADS D and the other belonging to BAE Systems, and the other two were real aircraft from the Italian Air Force. The official Italian Air Force Eurofighter display pilot, Major Alessandro Scaburri flew the Typhoon in the daily air display between the gaps in the rain showers. There was a constant flow of guests who made a visit to the Eurofighter Typhoon Pavilion, ranging from a number of Chiefs of Air Staff to a not insignificant number of guests from the partner nations, politicians, potential customers, industry representa-

tives, international media and Air Force pilots and cadets. Pallum Ragu, Indian Minister of State for Defence returned to the pavilion following his visit at Aero India in February in order to meet Enzo Casolini, the then new CEO of Eurofighter GmbH.

The 2009 Italian Air Force Typhoon display pilot Major Alessandro Scaburri takes off with full reheat for his display flight The Eurofighter Typhoon pavilion used in Paris and Dubai air shows

ECD

O p The ”Trac girls” stop by to check out the pilots an the cockpit demonstrator in the Eurofighter pavilion

u The Italian Air Force Typhoon in the daily air display

IN DEMAND

Crowds line up in Paris for a chance to sit in the Eurofighter Typhoon

q General Lee from the South Korean Air Force

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nce again the Eurofighter Cockpit Demonstrator (ECD) was in high demand during this year’s air shows. The device, one of two owned by Eurofighter and BAE Systems, allows stand visitors to gain an appreciation of what life is like in the cockpit of the world's most capable swing-role fighter. Customer and industry pilots from Austria, Germany, Italy, Spain and the UK were on hand at the Paris and Dubai air shows among others to both demonstrate the capabilities and inform aspiring pilots and seasoned veterans alike on the best ways to handle Typhoon in realistic engagements. The device has been subject to some significant upgrades since its air show appearances last year with a new instructor station and new visual database.

"The beauty of this device is that it can be used at all levels" said Craig Penrice, former BAE Systems Test Pilot, "Whether it’s a two minute VIP visit by a senior politician or an hour spent with a current operational squadron pilot, the ECD can be used to get across the Typhoon's fantastic cockpit design and first class Human Machine Interface (HMI) as well as its superb handling and eye-watering performance". The ECD does not give away any classified or secret information and what is on show has been vetted and sanitised by NETMA to ensure our national security and Typhoon's capabilities are not compromised in any way.

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AIR SHOW FOCUS

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AIR SHOW FOCUS

ROYAL INTERNATIONAL AIR TATTOO

RIAT

ZELTWEG AUSTRIA

AIRPOWER

here were no rain clouds to put a damper on the Royal International Air Tattoo (RIAT) in 2009 and Eurofighter Typhoon took advantage of that fact, putting on an impressive display for the 160,000 spectators at the show held on the 18th and 19th of July. The show was cancelled in 2008 due to exciting weather conditions, however, the excitement this year was provided by the Eurofighter Typhoon who took to the skies to open the show at the Gala Dinner on the Friday evening. Flying along side a Battle of Britain Spitfire as the sun was setting over the base, both aircraft put on an impressive display designed to highlight the 60th Anniversary of the NATO organisation. The RAF Typhoon display pilot for the 2009 season was Squadron Leader Scott Loughran of 29 (R) Squadron based at RAF Coningsby, Lincoln. On Saturday, with the weather slightly less cooperative, the Eurofighter Typhoon lit up the dull grey skies with its glowing afterburners from the two

Air Chief Brigadier Katter from the Austrian Air Force talks to Enzo Casolini, CEO Eurofighter GmbH

irpower in Zeltweg always draws a huge crowd of enthusiasts and with a full scale replica aircraft, display area, Eurofighter movies and a give away area, it was no wonder so many people came by. The Eurofighter Typhoon was being displayed by three of

the six operational air forces - Austria, Germany and Italy. Over the two days of the air show, the Eurofighter Typhoon was watched by around 280 thousand visitors, a new record according to air show organisers. For the first time at Air Power, the Austrian Eurofighter flew, piloted by Major Werner Kriebitz and Major Michael Kirchner of 2. Staffel of Air Surveillance Wing of the Air-

Austrian Pilot entering his Eurofighter for a QRA demonstration at the Zeltweg Airpower 2009

An Austrian Eurofighter Typhoon at ”Last Chance” before take off

space Command. As mentioned on the Airpower website, one of the event highlights was “the first official appearance of the Austrian Eurofighter, including a live interception”. The Austrian pilots provided a real example for the crowds the duties of the Surveillance Squadron at Zeltweg in impressive form, demonstrating how to intercept an unknown aircraft straying into Austrian airspace. Two Quick Reaction Alert (QRA) Eurofighters were scrambled from their new purpose built hangars and within minutes the pair were airborne with full afterburners climbing steeply to intercept and force the unknown aircraft – on this occasion a C-130 Hercules - to land. The display received a huge amount of press attention, and who can blame them?

Full Scale Replica of the aircraft was popular with visitors at the air show

he main focus in November 2009 was undoubtedly Dubai Air Show, a biennial event now in its 11th year and the biggest air show in the Gulf region. Having already forged a strong and lasting relationship with the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, Dubai was an important show for Eurofighter, providing us with an opportunity to meet those from the aerospace and defence industry in the region. The event coincided

Chris Worning carrying out pre flight check with ground crew

with the delivery of the 200th aircraft which was celebrated in a ceremony in Manching, Germany the following week. Eurofighter Typhoon is the only aircraft that has delivered 200 in service aircraft. There was huge interest in the static Eurofighter outside the pavilion with visitors queuing in the sweltering heat to get a chance to sit inside the cockpit. Many questions were

DUBAI DUBAI AIR SHOW

EJ200 engines. Sqn Ldr Loughran flew an immaculate display keeping the crowds glued to the sky as he climbed, turned, looped and barrel rolled in front of us. Alongside the RAF aircraft was a German Air Force twin seat Eurofighter Typhoon from Fighter wing JG-74 Neuburg-Donau, the first time at the air show. In total, 269 aircraft took part from 33 air arms and 22 nations including the Avro Vulcan, one of the most iconic aircraft of the Cold War era. GL t RAF Squadron Leader Scott Loughram lights up the grey skies above RIAT 2009 q Eurofighter Typhoon in formation with a Battle of Britain Spitfire at the events opening ceremony

thrown at the Eurofighter team, who were pleased to welcome several military dignitaries who stated that our ejector seat was significantly more comfortable than the Rafale’s. The highlight of the event was an air-to-air videoing of the Eurofighter Typhoon flying over the coastline and desert of Dubai taken from an Alenia Aeronuatica C27-J Spartan. Piloting the Typhoon was RAF Squadron Leader Scott Loughran who flew the aircraft in the first three days of the show’s air display whilst on operations at the nearby Al Dhafra Air Base. 2010 will be even busier for the team and the aircraft, but this year was certainly ‘eventful’.

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AIRCREW TRAINING

IN SERVICE

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AIRCREW SYNTHETIC TRAINING AIDS (ASTA)

ASTA FLYING LEVEL

An ASTA engineer controls the flight simulator

urofighter Typhoon’s Aircrew Synthetic Training Aids (ASTA) has been operational since the acceptance of the first training devices in 2006 by the Spanish and German Air Forces. ASTA can be broken down into two parts - the Cockpit Trainers (CT) which enable the pilots to train their perceptual motor skills such as hand eye coordination and the Full Mission Simulators (FMS) which have a higher functionality, a 360° dome and motion cueing systems. The FMS allows the pilots to fully immerse themselves in training their mental skills including workload management, decision making and situational awareness. It is also possible for the pilots to train by flying close to flight limitations and beyond the normal aircraft limitations because the ASTA devices run real aircraft software. There are currently five Cockpit Trainers (CTs) and six Full Mission Simulators (FMSs) operating in six bases across the four partner countries, as well as a further Simulator in Austria. Already, almost 15,000 training hours have been performed by the Tranche 1 devices. Tranche 2 with its enhanced hardware; including a new and improved visual system, is currently undergoing acceptance. This new step covers a further six Cockpit Trainers and eight Full Mission Simulators, with four new bases receiving a training capability in the next 2 years. Although the deliveries are significant milestones, they only cover the ASTA hardware - development activities continue on the software. For ASTA to achieve its full

potential of pilot immersion and for 30% of all aircraft sorties to be trained on the simulators, the simulator must feel and look exactly like the aircraft. This is achieved by operating software that is 'concurrent' with the aircraft software standard along with a combination of the high fidelity synthetic environment and the aircraft re-hosted software. ASTA passed a customer attended engineering test at the Joint Integration Facility (JIF) in Manching, Germany in November 2009, allowing the software baseline SRP 4.3 to run concurrently on both aircraft and training devices for the first time. Achieving concurrency was challenging, as both sets of aircraft and ASTA software must be available within the same timeframe. The relevant source code is released to the EF partners for re-hosting into the simulator subsystems. The system is then internally tested before being delivering to the JIF for systems integration and maturity/stability tests. The ASTA software development process effectively involves all of ASTA’s four aircraft partners and its further four simulation partners. It makes the co-ordination task at the JIF challenging, as changes to the aircraft functionality impacts both the aircraft subsystems and the surrounding synthetic environment subsystems across multiple teams. This major achievement can be attributed to the effort from the network of

suppliers and JIF personnel who worked shifts, to compile and test the software before issuing the engineering release. Simultaneously, ASTA is looking to the future, developing functionalities such as the Wide Area Network (WAN) which will provide Nations with more training capabilities, enabling networked missions, so pilots can train for sorties together, increasing the training of formation management and communication skills. The current ASTA IPT leader Wolfgang Beck, who is also the Vice President of EF Major Support Items summaries 'We are aware that there is still some work to be done to finish the development and improve our products, including targeting system maturity and stability levels. Nevertheless, in service ASTA devices are proving that they will be the world-class high fidelity training devices, for a world-class fighteraircraft called Typhoon.'

Eurofighter Typhoon pilot getting to grips with the ASTA simulator

WORLD-CLASS FACILITIES TO SUPPORT AVAILABILITY OF TYPHOON AIRCRAFT

ARE OPENED T

he opening of the Typhoon Support Centre and the Typhoon Maintenance Facility at RAF Coningsby, Lincolnshire, took place on 30th September 2009. This event marked the official start of the Typhoon Availability Service (TAS) for which BAE Systems will take a major role in ensuring the availability of the Typhoon fleet to meet its standing and operational commitments. BAE Systems Military Air Solutions was awarded the five year circa £450 million contract by the UK Ministry of Defence (UK MOD) in March this year for initial delivery and further development of the Typhoon Availability Service. The TAS solution will make Typhoon more affordable by reducing the future predicted support costs. Over the last six months, members of the BAE Systems team, along with their MOD DE&S and RAF counterparts, have put in place all the necessary elements of the TAS implementation to stand up the service. The TAS contract draws on best practice and lessons learnt on previous UK MOD and BAE Systems support arrangement contracts. It underpins the Company's work to deliver service excellence to the armed forces by providing the best services, equipment and support solutions to meet ongoing operational requirements. It is also further evidence of the progress BAE Systems is making to establish a successful through-life business. Speaking at the ceremony attended by senior MOD, RAF and BAE Systems personnel, Chris Boardman, BAE Systems Managing Director of Typhoon Mission Support &

International Programmes said: "I am extremely pleased to be here today to celebrate not only the opening of these worldclass facilities but also the standing up of the Service on the date we agreed with the Customer. This collectively demonstrates the maturity of the TAS solution and the quality of the partnering approach which

is the culmination of a considerable amount of work between the MOD, RAF and industry. Partnering arrangements are the most effective way forward for a programme such as Typhoon, and the TAS solution should make a considerable difference in ensuring that the RAF’s Typhoon fleet meets its operational commitments.”

Quentin Davis, MP Undersecretary of State and Minister for Defence Equipment and Support speaking at the opening of the facility

has been taken by the joint team. I am delighted that we continue to support the Royal Air Force military objectives and help the MOD to reduce the cost of supporting the Typhoon fleet.” The Head of Typhoon Team, Air Commodore Chris Bushell, said: “This contract

Currently over 270 BAE Systems’ employees work on the TAS contract across RAF Coningsby and the BAE Systems’ sites at Samlesbury and Warton in Lancashire. This will grow to 500 over the course of the five year contract.

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EXPORT

IN SERVICE

NOTHING COMES CLOSE:

EUROFIGHTER TYPHOON

IN FOCUS IN ROMANIA

he 6th EXPOMIL military technology exhibition took place in Bucharest, Romania last November and Eurofighter was there at the event. The show was dominated by two main topics: the hard financial and economic crisis that hit Romania (among many other Eastern European countries) and the fighter tender launched two years ago to replace the fleet of MiG-21’s now in service with the Romanian Air Force. The aircraft replacement topic is a highly political issue and given the economic pressures, the technical decision of the Air Force will not be the main driver for the final choice. In Romania, the end of the year also brought a political crisis and a presidential election. So, all the ingredients are in place for a new fighter purchase that could be the most expensive budget allocation in the country’s history following the end of the Communist era. The main topic in the Romanian media and between the politicians has been: How can a country like Romania afford to buy a new combat aircraft?

In the next few years the Romanian Air Force will be forced to ground its MiG-21 fleet which today is too old to represent a real deterrence for the country. The problem the nation faces, as with every other nation in the same position is who would make the decision to spend billions of Euros to buy a new combat aircraft during this hard economical situation when thousands

of people are losing their jobs? In this situation the politicians can make two choices: Do not spend taxpayers money or invest it wisely to help the economy to recover. Austria was the perfect example. They decided to select the Eurofighter Typhoon over the Saab Gripen which was a big surprise for most. Why did Austria decide to buy the Eurofighter? Because the Austrian government decided not to spend taxpayers money, but to invest it. The Eurofighter Typhoon offers the best value for money against any other competitors and it delivered a huge industrial return to the Austrian economy with an economic impact bigger than the contract value. If Romania were to chose the Eurofighter, the story would be the same. The Eurofighter programme will involve almost all of Romania’s aerospace and defence industry which will in turn benefit from access to advanced technological knowledge and capabilities. Eurofighter will also offer training to Romania pilots and engineers. Surely the choice is simple?

200 AIRCRAFT

IN SERVICE

he 200th Eurofighter Typhoon produced by the four partner companies of the European consortium, was delivered last October by EADS Deutschland to the German Luftwaffe during a ceremony held in Manching, close to Munich, Germany. This milestone makes the Eurofighter Typhoon the only new generation multi-role aircraft to reach the impressive figure of 200 examples in service. The ceremony was attended by Bernhard Gerwert, CEO of the Military Air Systems EADS business in Germany who were handing over the 200th aircraft, NETMA Managing Director Lieutenant General Antonino Altorio, Lieutenant General Peter Schelzig, Commanding Officer Air Force Command from the German Air Force and Enzo Casolini, CEO of Eurofighter GmbH. The Eurofighter Typhoons are now in service with 12 units in six air forces replacing 11 aircraft types, thus confirming

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200 Eurofighter Typhoon on display at EADS’ Manching site during the official handover ceremony to the customer

that the Eurofighter is not only the best performing multi-role aircraft available on the market but also the most effective and best value solution to meet the air defence requirements of air forces and nations worldwide. To date the fleet has flown over 70,000 flying hours in total with above average operational availability and unmatched operational performances. “This milestone is the best example of the success of this joint European programme” said Enzo Casolini, Eurofighter CEO. “The Eurofighter Typhoon is not only the world’s leading frontline combat aircraft but is also the biggest industrial collaboration in Europe. Confirming the plan agreed in the past by the four nations for the production of this aircraft means the Eurofighter can keep securing 100,000 jobs across 400 different companies and the huge benefits provided to the four nations’ economies for long terms”.

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ENGINE

With the UK having the highest flying rate of the partner nations and accounting for around 50 per cent of the flying hours accumulated by the four air forces, the support team’s aim is to maximise engine time on-wing. The proof of how effective they have been in their role was illustrated in 2009 when an EJ200 engine achieved the significant milestone of 1,000 flying hours on board an RAF Typhoon aircraft. Engine EN1030 was the first to be built to the Full Operational Capability standard at the Rolls-Royce Bristol facility and was delivered to the RAF in 2003 where it was installed into a Typhoon aircraft. It then flew in aircraft belonging to 3, 29 and 11

EUROJET PARTNER ROLLS-ROYCE DELIVERING INCREASED CAPABILITY IN EJ200 PRODUCTION AND SUPPORT The achievement of through-life cost reduction was a key element for the Partner Nations in the successful conclusion of the recent Tranche 3 Eurofighter Typhoon contract. As a partner in EUROJET, Rolls-Royce has made big progress in both the production and support of the UK’s fleet of EJ200 engines.

n January 2008, Rolls-Royce delivered the first EJ200 from it’s new £25 million assembly facility in Bristol, UK, after a seamless move of production facilities from its previous factory. Since then, over 50 EJ200 engines have rolled off a production line that has been purpose-built and designed by the operators themselves to ensure maximum efficiency in the assembly process. The Rolls-Royce facility in Bristol assembles all EJ200 engines for the Royal

Air Force’s Typhoon aircraft and is also producing the first batch of engines for the Royal Saudi Air Force. By relocating several logistics and production facilities under one roof, RollsRoyce has streamlined the production process for the EJ200, reducing assembly times by approximately 15 per cent. Module kits from EUROJET partners Avio, ITP and MTU, together with those from other RollsRoyce factories, arrive in a state-of-the-art

integrated logistics centre which has been designed to enable an improved flow of parts to both module and engine build lines. Engine build time is three weeks based on three build stations. Once complete, engines are tested prior to dispatch to the customer. Again, the co-location of the assembly and test teams within a single building has led to a more efficient process. And it’s not just in the production stage that improvements have been made that directly benefit the customer. Rolls-Royce recently signed a new £865 million innovative availability-based support contract with the Royal Air Force for its EJ200 engine fleet. This is centered at the Typhoon Propulsion Support Facility at RAF Coningsby, where a team of Rolls-Royce, RAF and contractor personnel provide all engine support for the RAF Typhoon operations in the field and carry out a range engine repairs inhouse. Full engine and module repair and overhaul is carried out at the Rolls-Royce Ansty facility. The joint Rolls-Royce and RAF teams also have the additional back-up of 24/7 access to the Rolls-Royce Operations Centre in Bristol which can provide expert engineering support to resolve any engine issues that arise, while seeking to minimise the impact on operations.

Left, right and far right: EJ200 engine during final assembly at the Rolls-Royce Bristol Facility

ENGINE

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Squadrons at RAF Coningsby. Throughout its life it was been removed for maintenance just once, when minor damage in the jet pipe was repaired by the Rolls-Royce led maintenance facility at RAF Coningsby. At this point it changed airframes and remained installed until 1200 flying hours had been accrued, whereupon it was removed for scheduled overhaul.

tive solution. Typhoon has now been operational in the air defence role for well over two years and a multi-role capability was integrated and declared combat ready by the RAF in July 2008. The signature of the Partnered Support Operational contract builds on this success and will underpin Typhoon's growing capability and utilisation."

The UK MOD’s Typhoon Team Leader, Air Vice Marshal Chris Bushell, said: "The announcement of a 10-year engine availability service with Rolls-Royce is good news for us all; the service will maximise aircraft availability by using the most cost-effec-

Later this year the RAF is due to deploy the Typhoon aircraft to provide air defence services for the Falkland Islands. This will provide a further test for the Rolls-Royce support model but the team is confident that it can continue to provide cost-efficient power wherever, and whenever, it is required.

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EXPORT

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PARTNERS

PANAVIA CELEBRATE 40TH ANNIVERSARY A Royal Air Force Tornado displays 40th anniversary logo on its fin at the event

EUROFIGHTER TYPHOON IN THE GULF: FOR THE REGION’S THE BEST SOLUTION REQUIREMENTS

nzo Casolini, the Eurofighter CEO, was very clear at a media briefing held during this years Dubai Air Show: out of a total market of up to 800 aircraft over the next 20 years, the Typhoon has the potential to achieve 300 aicraft orders. Within this figure, between 50 and 100 could come from the Gulf Region. When we speak about combat aircraft, the future of the Arabic countries’s Air Forces is based on the multi-platform concept. A concept common to most of the World’s biggest and most powerful Air Forces: USA, Russia, China, India and the UK. The US multi-platform mix is the F-22 and JSF; Russia’s is the Su-27, its derivatives and the MiG-29; China’s is J-11 and J-10; the UK’s RAF have the Eurofighter Typhoon and the JSF. Saudi Arabia was the first arabic air force to enter into the arena of new generation combat aircraft when they received their first two Eurofighter Typhoons in June of 2009. Since that time, more aicraft have been delivered, they have flown a high number of hours in the aircraft and have been enjoying the performances and the capabilities of the new platform. The new aircraft are being introduced as they phase

Eurofighter Typhoon over the desert

out the Tornado F.3, currently in service. In the future the Saudi fleet will be based on the F-15, Eurofighter and Tornado GR.1 for the attack missions – the most powerful and effective mix in any Arabic and non Arabic countries in the Near and Middle East region. The Eurofighter Typhoon has an unmatched capability and performance compared to any other fighter in service in the area: F-15 and F-16 of any version, including the Block 60; MiG-29; Su-27; F-4 and F-14. The F-16 is in service with many world air forces but its capabilities are limited for today’s standard and modern day requirements. It can be upgraded, it is available in more modern and advanced versions – albeit significantly more costly – but are not superior to possible threats that could emerge in the Near and Middle East. The F-16 is no longer a real strategic deterrent against Russian built and even US built aircraft designed in the ‘60s.

All the countries have to fulfil a key role: defend their skies and their borders if they want to compete at an international level. To do so it needs military assets that are superior to every military asset in the region. The requirement for the Gulf Region’s is very demanding: what could happen in the next five years in terms of conflict and defence requirements? Who could confidently predict what the situation will be later this century? The Royal Saudi Air Force has one of the best equipped Air Forces in the world today, and has chosen Eurofighter Typhoons for the vital role of Air Defence, equiping itself with the best multirole platform available on the market. The Eurofighter Typhoon is the only aircraft offering a strong superiority against any air-to-air menace in the Gulf Region, today as well as in the future, and in the same mission can fulfil any ground support roles. Typhoon has 13 weapon hardpoints for airto-air and air-to-surface weapons, fuel tanks and targeting pods. This is one of the tools for superior fleet mission effectiveness of the Typhoon and allows its unique “swingrole” capability. The choice, in reality, is a simple one.

anavia, the European Tornado Aircraft consortium celebrated 40 successful years as a tri-nation programme in a ceremony held in Munich on the 15th September 2009. Panavia was established in 1969 alongside Turbo-Union, its sister aeroengine company and NETMA, formally NAMMA, the over arching NATO Management Agency. At the event were the three Chief of Air Staffs for the partner nations, Gen. Klaus Peter Stieglitz from the German Air Force, Air Chief Marshall Sir Stephen Dalton from the UK and Gen. Giuseppe Bernardis from Italy. Also present were key political and military figures from the Partner Nations and senior management from the Partner Companies.

The event is a major milestone in the history of European aviation and has led the way for Eurofighter GmbH and EUROJET Turbo GmbH consortiums. The importance of the programme to European Industry has been significant and highlights the important economical benefits of effective European collaboration. The Tornado aircraft has been in service on the frontline of the German, Italian and British Air Forces for almost 30 years, with near 1000 aircraft produced for not only the partner company air forces but for the German Navy and the Royal Saudi Air Force. Around 550 aircraft are still in service with the four Air Forces supporting NATO operations around the world. Capability upgrades, life extension packages and in service support activities have all contributed to sustaining the life of the Tornado which will still be operational for years to come.

A German Air Force Tornado prepares for take off at the ceremony in Lechfeld Air Base

Reinhold Faltlhauser former CEO from Panavia talks to the current Panavia CEO Antonino Malavenda

Guests take turns to experience the Tornado cockpit demonstrator