UK Defense Ministry awards $1.1 billion contract for Typhoon jet radar upgrade

Europe, News July 7, 2023 , by IRIA No Comments

The British Ministry of Defense awarded a $1.1 billion (£870 million) contract to BAE Systems and Leonardo to modernize the radar systems of the Royal Air Force’s Typhoon combat aircraft fleet.

Under the latest contract announced on July 4, the Typhoon fighter jets would be equipped with one of the world’s most advanced radar systems, the European Common Radar System (ECRS) Mk2. The British Ministry of Defense announced that the contract would generate more than 600 engineering jobs in Edinburgh, Luton, and Lancashire.

The deal covers the design, development, demonstration, and testing of the new equipment in the initial stage. Further, the contract would also cover the production and integration of the new radar technology into the existing fleet of fighter jets.

The contract is the first major spending of the $3 billion investment plan that focuses on the upgradation of mission computers, jamming, and other technologies on the Royal Air Force (RAF) combat jets. The plan was unveiled by the British Ministry of Defense in mid-2022.

A statement released by the British Ministry of Defense said that a prototype of the state-of-the-art radar is currently undergoing specialist testing at the BAE Systems site in Warton, Lancashire. The initial flight testing for the new radar would be conducted in 2024, it added.

*^{UK BAE Systems European Common Radar System (ECRS) Mk2 radar on RAF jet. (Image Credit: BAE Systems)}*

Director General of Defense Equipment and Support Vice Admiral Rick Thompson commented on the latest deal saying that “this is the first of a number of contracts that will continue our journey to equip the RAF with the edge to protect our nation. Developing ECRS Mk2 not only provides cutting-edge capability but crucially, also ensures that advanced technical skills and expertise in delivering complex sensors are available to support the Future Combat Air System (FCAS) right here in the UK.”

Managing Director of Leonardo UK Mark Hamilton emphasized that “the ECRS Mk2 Radar program will deliver world-leading capabilities to the jets. He said that the radar has been “developed by our skilled engineers in both Edinburgh and Luton.”

He added that “We are extremely proud to be contributing in such a way to the safety and security of the United Kingdom as well as ensuring that the UK is equipped to play a central role in next-generation combat air programs. ECRS Mk2 will not only provide critical capability to Typhoon but will also develop and sustain critical skills relevant to the Global Combat Air Program.”

^{Royal Air Force Typhoon FGR4 fighter jet flying trials with ASRAAM, Meteor, Brimstone, and Paveway IV. (Image Credit: Jamie Hunter/RAF/UK MOD)}

After being equipped with the latest radar systems, the Typhoon jets would be able to operate alongside F-35B Lightning II fighter jets in various combat scenarios without the risk of detection. In addition, the radar’s extended range and passive operability will allow pilots to identify threats far from enemy air defenses.