Final Eurofighter Typhoon for Italy
The Italian Air Force has officially taken delivery of its final Eurofighter Typhoon during a ceremony held at Leonardo’s plant in Caselle (Turin) in north-western Italy. The delivery completes an order for a fleet of 21 Typhoon aircraft to boost the country’s air defences. In 2009, a total of 112 aircraft were ordered under a Tranche 3A contract for Germany, Italy, Spain and the UK.
Germany orders 38 more Typhoons
Airbus has signed a contract to deliver 38 new Eurofighter Typhoons to the Luftwaffe, making Germany the largest operator of this fighter. The order, also known by its project name Quadriga, covers the delivery of 30 single-seater and 8 twin-seater Eurofighters. Three of these will be equipped with additional test equipment as Instrumented Test Aircraft for further development of the Eurofighter.
BAE awarded ECRS Mk.2 radar contract
Acontract to develop next generation radar for the RAF’s Eurofighter Typhoons has been awarded to BAE Systems and Leonardo. The contract is for development of the European
Common Radar System Mark 2 (ECRS Mk.2), to a standard ready to be integrated onto the fighter. This will involve work developing the sensors at Leonardo’s sites in Edinburgh and Luton, together with integration services at BAE Systems’ facility in Lancashire. The ECRS2 is a multi-functional array (MFA) that will give the RAF Typhoons much improved electronic warfare capability, in addition to traditional radar functions, including wide band electronic attack.
RFI issued for Japanese F-X
The concerned Japanese authority has issued an RFI for their F-X future fighter programme. Of the seven international companies initially expressing interest, only BAE Systems, Boeing and Lockheed Martin have formally responded, the latter also involving Northrop Grumman. The selected company will team with MHI (Mitsubishi Heavy Industries) whose conceptual design is as per image above. The F-X is to replace the Mitsubishi F-2 with the JASDF in the 2030s.
GE F110 engines for USAF’s F-15EX
GE Aviation has delivered its first F110-GE-129 engines for the USAF’s F-15EX advanced fighter. In June, the Air Force Life Cycle Management Center (AFLCM) had awarded GE Aviation
a Lot 1 contract to produce 19 F110-GE-129 engines, including installs and spares and modernised engine monitoring system computers for the F-15EX.
30th F-35A Lightning II for RAAF
The Royal Australian Air Force has recently received its 30th F-35A Lightning II from Lockheed Martin. Significant work is undertaken before Australia can formally accept each aircraft, with pre-acceptance testing involving multiple checks on the production line at Lockheed Martin’s facility in Texas, as well as several flight tests to ensure each F-35A meets the requirements of the RAAF.
BAEs IFF for F-22 Raptor
BAE Systems has received certification for its Identification Friendor-Foe (IFF) transponder for the F-22 fifth genertion fighter. The IFF transponder waveform integration is part of a US Navy contract to upgrade the Multifunctional Information Distribution System Joint Tactical Radio System (MIDS JTRS) terminal for the US Air Force.
BAE Systems EW for F-35 Lightning II
BAE Systems has been contracted by Lockheed Martin for the production of additional electronic warfare (EW) systems for Lots 15 and 16 long lead, sustainment spares and retro fit kits for the F-35 Lightning II, “providing advanced situational awareness and threat response capabilities that support critical missions in contested airspace”.
Boeing Australia’s ‘Loyal Wingman’
Boeing Australia has “powered up” the commercial turbofan engine on the first Loyal Wingman aircraft as part of ground testing and preparations for first flight. This milestone comes after completing the first unmanned Loyal Wingman aircraft for the Royal Australian Air Force earlier in 2020, a major step forward for this unmanned vehicle serving as the foundation for the global Boeing Airpower Teaming System, an artificial intelligence-powered aircraft developed for the global defence market.