Eurofighter Typhoon (RAF)

Contains threads on Royal Air Force equipment of the past, present and future.
jonas
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Re: Eurofighter Typhoon (RAF)

Post by jonas »

Parliamentary written answers 10th July :-

Asked by Mr Kevan Jones
(North Durham)
Asked on: 01 July 2020
Ministry of Defence
European Fighter Aircraft: Radar
67563
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what progress has been made on fitting the AESA radar to the UK Typhoon fleet.
A
Answered by: Jeremy Quin
Answered on: 10 July 2020

The Ministry of Defence is committed to implementing an Active Electronically Scanned Array radar on our Typhoon fleet. The demonstration and manufacture phase for the UK's variant of the European Common Radar System is continuing at pace, and in June 2020 a contract was let with our European partners to develop a common integration solution across the Typhoon radar enterprise.

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Re: Eurofighter Typhoon (RAF)

Post by Ron5 »

jonas wrote:Parliamentary written answers 10th July :-

Asked by Mr Kevan Jones
(North Durham)
Asked on: 01 July 2020
Ministry of Defence
European Fighter Aircraft: Radar
67563
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what progress has been made on fitting the AESA radar to the UK Typhoon fleet.
A
Answered by: Jeremy Quin
Answered on: 10 July 2020

The Ministry of Defence is committed to implementing an Active Electronically Scanned Array radar on our Typhoon fleet. The demonstration and manufacture phase for the UK's variant of the European Common Radar System is continuing at pace, and in June 2020 a contract was let with our European partners to develop a common integration solution across the Typhoon radar enterprise.
Folks here have explained that the UK aims to get a different radar to the Germans, so how does that mesh with this answer of a common solution?

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Re: Eurofighter Typhoon (RAF)

Post by Timmymagic »

Ron5 wrote:Folks here have explained that the UK aims to get a different radar to the Germans, so how does that mesh with this answer of a common solution?
Did you miss this bit from the above?
jonas wrote:The demonstration and manufacture phase for the UK's variant
At a guess they're looking to not have to re-invent the wheel for each countries chosen radar, there will be some commonality across all of them.

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Re: Eurofighter Typhoon (RAF)

Post by RunningStrong »

Ron5 wrote:
jonas wrote:Parliamentary written answers 10th July :-

Asked by Mr Kevan Jones
(North Durham)
Asked on: 01 July 2020
Ministry of Defence
European Fighter Aircraft: Radar
67563
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what progress has been made on fitting the AESA radar to the UK Typhoon fleet.
A
Answered by: Jeremy Quin
Answered on: 10 July 2020

The Ministry of Defence is committed to implementing an Active Electronically Scanned Array radar on our Typhoon fleet. The demonstration and manufacture phase for the UK's variant of the European Common Radar System is continuing at pace, and in June 2020 a contract was let with our European partners to develop a common integration solution across the Typhoon radar enterprise.
Folks here have explained that the UK aims to get a different radar to the Germans, so how does that mesh with this answer of a common solution?
No doubt an agreed interface will be defined that all nations will specify that their radar solution must meet. Sounds simple, gets complicated if there are any gaps, assumptions or refinements after the initial agreement. Good luck to all involved.

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Re: Eurofighter Typhoon (RAF)

Post by Ron5 »

RunningStrong wrote:
Ron5 wrote:
jonas wrote:Parliamentary written answers 10th July :-

Asked by Mr Kevan Jones
(North Durham)
Asked on: 01 July 2020
Ministry of Defence
European Fighter Aircraft: Radar
67563
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what progress has been made on fitting the AESA radar to the UK Typhoon fleet.
A
Answered by: Jeremy Quin
Answered on: 10 July 2020

The Ministry of Defence is committed to implementing an Active Electronically Scanned Array radar on our Typhoon fleet. The demonstration and manufacture phase for the UK's variant of the European Common Radar System is continuing at pace, and in June 2020 a contract was let with our European partners to develop a common integration solution across the Typhoon radar enterprise.
Folks here have explained that the UK aims to get a different radar to the Germans, so how does that mesh with this answer of a common solution?
No doubt an agreed interface will be defined that all nations will specify that their radar solution must meet. Sounds simple, gets complicated if there are any gaps, assumptions or refinements after the initial agreement. Good luck to all involved.
Don't really understand how that works. If the different radars do different things (and will undoubtedly have different power & cooling requirements), how can the interfaces be common? But that's ok, as Timmy says I'm a bit thick :D

RunningStrong
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Re: Eurofighter Typhoon (RAF)

Post by RunningStrong »

Ron5 wrote:
RunningStrong wrote:
Ron5 wrote:
jonas wrote:Parliamentary written answers 10th July :-

Asked by Mr Kevan Jones
(North Durham)
Asked on: 01 July 2020
Ministry of Defence
European Fighter Aircraft: Radar
67563
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what progress has been made on fitting the AESA radar to the UK Typhoon fleet.
A
Answered by: Jeremy Quin
Answered on: 10 July 2020

The Ministry of Defence is committed to implementing an Active Electronically Scanned Array radar on our Typhoon fleet. The demonstration and manufacture phase for the UK's variant of the European Common Radar System is continuing at pace, and in June 2020 a contract was let with our European partners to develop a common integration solution across the Typhoon radar enterprise.
Folks here have explained that the UK aims to get a different radar to the Germans, so how does that mesh with this answer of a common solution?
No doubt an agreed interface will be defined that all nations will specify that their radar solution must meet. Sounds simple, gets complicated if there are any gaps, assumptions or refinements after the initial agreement. Good luck to all involved.
Don't really understand how that works. If the different radars do different things (and will undoubtedly have different power & cooling requirements), how can the interfaces be common? But that's ok, as Timmy says I'm a bit thick :D
They would have to have the same (or at least agreed maximum) values for power demand, wild heat, resonant frequencies, centre of gravity, mass...

Whether they do anything different I don't know, they could be Form, Fit and Function equivalents with just a different component supply chain.

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Re: Eurofighter Typhoon (RAF)

Post by bobp »

https://rusi.org/commentary/uk-funding- ... te-never-0

This article is six years old but explains a little bit about the workings of the radar. Not sure why its been taking so long now to put into production.

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Re: Eurofighter Typhoon (RAF)

Post by shark bait »

This also from RUSI does a little to explain the differences between the CAPTOR-E variants;
Other partner states are not yet signed up to such a comprehensive sensor-suite upgrade, although Italy has showed interest, particularly in the radar 2 version of CAPTOR-E. Spain and Germany are currently committed to the radar 1+ version of CAPTOR-E, which offers standard air-to-air AESA capability as well as limited air-to-ground search functions including high-definition SAR mapping. However, it does not imply the same level of commitment to develop the sensor-fusion, electronic warfare and communications potential of the CAPTOR-E architecture.
Elsewhere I've been told Radar 2 is being developed for 'stand-off electronic attack' capabilities, which when paired with the long range Meteor and Spear will help keep typhoon relevant despite its higher observability.
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Re: Eurofighter Typhoon (RAF)

Post by Ron5 »

More Pace Needed For Eurofighter Enhancements
Tony Osborne July 14, 2020

The Eurofighter’s recent renaissance and future evolution plans are a positive step for Europe’s ambitions to build future combat aircraft, but fast decision-making by the partner nations is needed, says the managing director of BAE Systems’ air business Chris Boardman.

The European fighter, jointly developed by Germany, Italy, Spain and the UK, is enjoying something of a renaissance—with orders from Kuwait and Qatar as well as the potential of top-up buys from Germany and Spain that could push production of the fighter out to the mid-2020s and later. But finalizing how the aircraft should evolve is still the subject of extensive debate.

“The bit we are trying to get to a conclusion is the Long-Term Evolution [LTE] of Typhoon,” Boardman tells Aviation Week.

“The four nations are having debates about the requirements,” he says. “They will not all be the same . . . but they need to be harmonized.”

Approvals need to be granted by all four partner nations before the LTE initiative, revealed at last year’s Paris Air Show, can move ahead. The LTE plan is essentially a midlife update for the fighter, one that will bring it into the Information Age and serve as a steppingstone toward the European Future Combat Air System and part of the UK’s Tempest initiative and Combat Air Strategy. In the UK, Boardman said there is a “near-term focus” on concluding commitments for Radar 2, a derivative of the Euroradar Captor-E active, electronically scanned array (AESA) radar planned for UK aircraft. Radar 2 will feature an electronic attack capability, but Boardman suggested that decision-making process was being impacted by the novel coronavirus pandemic. As a result, he is urging governments to make decisions more expeditiously. “From an industrial point of view, we need to be quicker on that issue,” Boardman said.

Boardman is encouraged, however, by Germany’s decision to adopt the Mk. 1 AESA radar for Tranche 2 and 3 models of the aircraft. But he notes that the radar programs have to be “carefully managed,” as there are now essentially three different radars in the Eurofighter program.

“I am happy that the German nation has made a commitment,” he says. “We hope it lays the groundwork for more Eurofighters into the Luftwaffe.”

It could also bolster export campaigns. BAE, which has a 33% share in the Eurofighter consortium, has been the most successful of the industrial partners in achieving export sales of the fighter—collaborating with the UK government to sell aircraft to Oman, Qatar and Saudi Arabia. The UK is also leading the campaign in Finland.

BAE remains hopeful of securing a follow-up Eurofighter order from Saudi Arabia. Riyadh signed a memorandum of intent in March 2018 to purchase an additional 48 Eurofighters to join its fleet of 72 aircraft. Nevertheless, licensing issues as a result of a German prohibition of arms sales to Saudi Arabia and the halting of new UK export licenses for defense equipment to the kingdom has challenged progress. The British government announced in July that it would restart arms exports to Riyadh.

“We are not in a sales mode with Saudi Arabia” Boardman says. “If you look at the Saudi air force and the decisions it has to make, it needs to replace its [Panavia] Tornadoes at an appropriate time.

“The aircraft is the centerpiece of the Royal Saudi Air Force,” he suggests. “It’s been utilized well and heavily, so let’s not try and sell it. Let it sell itself.”

While the future of the Eurofighter looks bright, less certain is the future of BAE’s highly successful Hawk jet trainer.

Although the type has been buoyed by orders from the Middle East in recent years, including a batch being assembled in Saudi Arabia, orders look set to dry up once nine aircraft for Qatar are completed.

“We put a lot of effort in trying to get continuity,” Boardman explains, noting recent efforts to sell new-build aircraft to Kuwait were unsuccessful.

“Restarting [production] lines is costly,” Boardman says. “There are lots of people in the world who are trying to sell the training aircraft—having invested heavily in them—so it is whether you can be competitive in that situation.” Boardman does not rule out the possibility that a sizable order could enable Hawk production to resume, but he says it would be a challenge to be competitive.

A future jet trainer is not ruled out: Some level of live flying will still be needed by future fast-jet pilots, despite advancements in synthetics.

“Will there be training aircraft needed in the world going forward?” Boardman asks rhetorically, noting that the U.S. Air Force is pursuing the development of the T-X platform, and the U.S. Navy is beginning to look at a replacement for the T-45 Goshawk, derived from BAE’s Hawk. “Certainly, yes, but what level and what volume? That is the fundamental question,” he adds.

Despite what Boardman describes as some “hiccups” in component production for the F-35 because of the COVID-19 crisis, the situation has now “stabilized,” and the company is working toward its 2020 operational plan.

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Re: Eurofighter Typhoon (RAF)

Post by jonas »

Parliamentary written answers 15th July :-

Asked by Mr Kevan Jones
(North Durham)
[N]
Asked on: 10 July 2020
Ministry of Defence
European Fighter Aircraft
72175
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what savings targets were set for the TyTAN support programme for Typhoon; what savings have been made to date; and how much of the savings have been reinvested into Typhoon capability upgrades.
A
Answered by: Jeremy Quin
Answered on: 15 July 2020

Awarded in 2016, the ten year £2.14 billion TyTAN support contract represents a savings target of 38% compared to previous support arrangements for UK Typhoon.

To date, over £500 million of savings have been realised and ringfenced for Typhoon capability upgrades over the next ten years.

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Re: Eurofighter Typhoon (RAF)

Post by Lord Jim »

How much is the Radar upgrade going to cost? Are we only upgrading the Tranche 3 aircraft or are we like the Germans upgrading our Tranche 2 as well? Whichever we do would shine a light on the longer term plans for the Typhoon.

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Re: Eurofighter Typhoon (RAF)

Post by SW1 »

https://www.ainonline.com/sponsored-con ... pabilities

Leonardo’s involvement in Typhoon has been central and extensive over decades, spanning from airframe to sensors and systems. As for a few examples, Leonardo leads a consortium that draws on the best of European engineering expertise to deliver radar, thermal technology, and digital capabilities. The EuroRADAR consortium brings together Leonardo, Hensoldt, and Indra to provide the Captor-E radar. The EuroDASS consortium sees Leonardo, Elettronica, Indra, and Hensoldt working in partnership to deliver the Praetorian DASS. Meanwhile, EuroFIRST, which provides the PIRATE IRST, is a consortium that includes Leonardo, Thales, and Tecnobit.

Kuwait is the latest country to join the elite club of Eurofighter Typhoon operators, having ordered a fleet of 28 aircraft, making the Kuwait Air Force one of the best-equipped internationally. Kuwait will be the first nation to receive Typhoon equipped with its new “Captor-E” E-scan radar system.

Due to Typhoon’s large radome and its increased cooling and electrical-power capacity, the platform can accommodate a radar array that is larger and more powerful than those on other combat aircraft and a repositioner, providing it with a game-changing wide field of regard. This enables the targeting of opponents at the longest-possible range and the widest angle, offering a significant combat edge.

Some aircraft rely on an airframe design to make it hard for radars to see. However, threats are continuously evolving, and an airframe is a difficult part of the aircraft to update. That is why Typhoon’s “Praetorian” defensive aids sub-system employs a range of electronic countermeasures that allow the aircraft to digitally hide its signature, or to generate radar noise to confuse enemy radar operators. These countermeasures, which together provide the platform with “digital stealth,” can be effectively adapted as threats change, keeping the Typhoon well protected into the future.

As well as radar, the Eurofighter Typhoon carries the PIRATE Infra-red Search and Track (IRST) system, which can target and track opposing aircraft via their heat signatures. The key benefit of this high-tech sensor is its passive nature, which means it does not emit energy—which is useful when the Typhoon needs to remain extra covert. Following years of software enhancements, the PIRATE IRST is one of the most reliable and accurate thermal sensors on any combat aircraft.

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Re: Eurofighter Typhoon (RAF)

Post by shark bait »

Just passing by, thought I would have a little go at spotting, ended up staying a couple of hours watching them leave for night flying! Not much of a spotter being only equipped with a phone. I'm sure the others got some real nice shots yesterday evening.

It's been years since I've been out that way, but I've never seen as much typhoon activity, I guess they're not just the airshow princess anymore!

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Re: Eurofighter Typhoon (RAF)

Post by shark bait »

Here's the tanker and the bad guys for the evening's training.

15 RAF Typhoon Vs 2 Cobham Falcon...... I know who my money's on!


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Re: Eurofighter Typhoon (RAF)

Post by Ron5 »

Lord Jim wrote:How much is the Radar upgrade going to cost? Are we only upgrading the Tranche 3 aircraft or are we like the Germans upgrading our Tranche 2 as well? Whichever we do would shine a light on the longer term plans for the Typhoon.
The intent seems to be to just upgrade the Tranche 3's with the super duper, better than everybody else's, radar. Is that 40 aircraft?

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Re: Eurofighter Typhoon (RAF)

Post by Ron5 »

@sharkbait Looks like you picked a lovely evening, envious!

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Re: Eurofighter Typhoon (RAF)

Post by SW1 »

https://www.ainonline.com/aviation-news ... onths-away

Flight trials began on July 8, 2016, using IPA5 and, from September 2016, IPA8—a German Tranche 3 Eurofighter. From December 23, 2019, the two aircraft were joined by the first Typhoon in Kuwait Air Force configuration—Instrumented Series Production Aircraft 6. Between March 3 and 27 ISPA6 conducted the so-called “E-scan XCR#1” flight test campaign using other Typhoons as radar targets. That completed E-scan entry-into-service flight tests and the overall P3Eb flight test campaign, readying the way for deliveries to Kuwait.

Flight testing confirmed the tactical advantage conferred by the radar’s repositioner, which gives a field of regard 50 percent wider than that provided by conventional fixed E-scan antenna systems. ISPA6 has continued flight testing to refine the radar’s ECCM (electronic counter-countermeasures) capabilities and to conduct final E-scan software release certification flights.

Plans originally called for the “four-nation” version of Captor-E for the original partners to use the same hardware as the export standard Radar 1+, but with additional documentation and performance data to satisfy the four-nation requirements set down by NETMA. However, when Hensoldt recently announced that it had won a contract to develop and produce a new AESA radar for retrofit to the in-service German and Spanish Eurofighter fleets, it revealed that plans had changed.

The aircraft will initially be fitted with the same Mk0 radar as that supplied to Kuwait and Qatar, but the radars will subsequently be upgraded to Mk1 standards with a new digital multi-channel receiver and new transmitter/receiver modules (TRMs), which will be developed under the new €1.5 billion contract. Hensoldt will be the design authority for the new German Mk1 E-scan radar, while Airbus will carry equipment design responsibility. Leonardo will provide the necessary support to enable Hensoldt to assume its role and will continue to provide the processor for the new German radar, which will be assembled at Ulm in Germany, rather than at Leonardo’s Crewe Toll factory in Edinburgh.

Germany has previously indicated an interest in the so-called Radar 2 version of Captor-E under development for the UK Royal Air Force and whose features include an expanded and enhanced electronic attack capability, and which Leonardo is developing for service from around the mid-2020s.

Radar Two is expected to be an incrementally improved version of Captor-E, almost certainly with a different antenna. The new antenna will still incorporate a repositioner, but might not have embedded IFF, which could make it harder to use the array as a means of communicating with other aircraft. Radar 2 would have maximum commonality with Radar 1+ in its other hardware and operating interfaces.

Euroradar has said very little about Radar 2, or the EAP and Bright Adder demonstrator programs that preceded it, partly due to secrecy surrounding the British-led program and Hensoldt’s sensitivities (Ulm is developing the Mk1 radar) as well as to avoid denting sales of the current Radar 1+. Although Radar 2 remains some years away from service, it is, according to one program insider, “a real thing, happening very soon, and it’s going to be transformational for Typhoon.”

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Re: Eurofighter Typhoon (RAF)

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Eurofighter ready to deliver long-term enhancement ‘menu’ to operators

By Craig Hoyle23 July 2020

The Eurofighter industry consortium remains on course to deliver a broad-ranging “menu” of capability options to its core partner nations before year-end to inform their decisions on the type’s long-term evolution (LTE) path.

“We have done a lot of technical definition work with the customers, giving them a range of options,” Paul Smith, Typhoon operational requirements manager for Eurofighter partner company BAE Systems Air, tells FlightGlobal. These range from performing a technical refresh of the Typhoon’s current capabilities to a full update, replacing the type’s entire avionics and system architecture.

Eurofighter platform is set to receive fresh package of capability enhancements

Smith says industry expects programme partners Germany, Italy, Spain and the UK to instead opt for a middle option. “The gist is a very large-area display, with no HUD [head-up display], fully utilising the [BAE] Striker II helmet, and refreshing the communications and data storage and high-speed data networks, improving the ability to share and move data rapidly.”

Engine and flight-control system enhancements could seek to boost the fuel-efficiency of the type’s Eurojet EJ200 turbofans, in conjunction with the use of an aerodynamic modification kit.

Additionally, the use of one- or two-dimensional thrust-vectoring nozzles could deliver handling benefits while carrying asymmetric heavy stores and during high angle-of-attack flight, and also improve short-field take-off and landing while reducing wear for operators in hot environments. Typhoon export customers include Oman, Kuwait, Qatar and Saudi Arabia.

Other benefits of the LTE package will include increased flexibility in weapons release sequencing, as a result of flight-control software updates, and the ability to more rapidly integrate new stores. Planned future additions include the Anglo-French MBDA future cruise/anti-ship weapon and the same company’s Spear-EW electronic-attack missile, and what Smith refers to as other “novel effectors”.

Eurofighter was awarded a roughly 18-month study-phase contract for the LTE activity in mid-2018, and is due to deliver its proposals within the coming months.

“We are getting a better feel for what the nations want, and are looking for a decision gate by the end of the year to downselect the core capabilities that are going to be front and centre in LTE,” says Smith. Some aspects – such as any thrust-vectoring control enhancement – could be an option adopted by only one or two users, he notes.

Embodiment of the LTE updates on in-service aircraft is expected to start in the 2026-2027 timeframe, Smith says. The partner companies are already exploring whether such modifications could be performed as Eurofighter nations conduct other scheduled work, such as integrating active electronically scanned array radars as part of broader enhancements to the type.

“What we’re trying to do is maximise the availability of the aircraft and rationalise any future return-to-works programme,” Smith says.

He adds that in addition to updating Typhoon’s capabilities, such enhancements are also “A means to prove a lot of the underpinning technologies” for the UK’s BAE-led Tempest future combat air system project, including areas such as the use of an open mission systems architecture.

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Re: Eurofighter Typhoon (RAF)

Post by Lord Jim »

It seems that Typhoon development is moving away from the RAF to a certain degree, but with luck we may see TEMPEST solutions added at a later date if we cannot afford to take advantage of what the Eurofighter consortium is going to come up with. To be honest I would be happy if the RAF just upgraded all Tranche 2 and 3 airframes with the Radar 2 version of the Captor-E and integrate SPEAR.

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Re: Eurofighter Typhoon (RAF)

Post by Jensy »

Lord Jim wrote:It seems that Typhoon development is moving away from the RAF to a certain degree, but with luck we may see TEMPEST solutions added at a later date if we cannot afford to take advantage of what the Eurofighter consortium is going to come up with. To be honest I would be happy if the RAF just upgraded all Tranche 2 and 3 airframes with the Radar 2 version of the Captor-E and integrate SPEAR.
The risk is that, now the Eurofighter consortium is divided amongst the two rival future fighter programmes, there will be a serious lack of collaborative efforts for introducing new capabilities. For example, any future engine upgrades will be difficult for Germany who will want MTU to have considerably more input in the FCAS power-plant than France/Safran is likely to accept, whilst at the same time not wishing to benefit Rolls-Royce and Avio in their own future products for Tempest.

It strikes me that the German decision to adopt a different approach towards radar upgrades is just the beginning. In many ways the Eurofighter is now more important to the Germans/Spanish than it is for the Italians and the UK, who benefit from F-35 partnership and hopefully our new Gripen building friends from the far-North, when moving forward with cutting-edge tech for Tempest.

For the Germans and Spanish, their scraps of Eurofighter work-share is all they have to bring to the FCAS table, meanwhile France/Dassault has fully developed and built Rafale, with little bits of work on stealth aircraft (like Neuron) to keep them up to date.

Of course the never-ending nonsense about buying F-35A for the RAF seems to be back in fashion, in which case you can expect the RAF's Typhoons to have only a limited A2G role moving forward.

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Re: Eurofighter Typhoon (RAF)

Post by SW1 »

You have what the sdsr20 has to decide based on the budget options available

Put your money where your mouth is and launch a full new aircraft development program

Or

Go for a full upgrade along the lines outlined

“ We have done a lot of technical definition work with the customers, giving them a range of options,” Paul Smith, Typhoon operational requirements manager for Eurofighter partner company BAE Systems Air, tells FlightGlobal. These range from performing a technical refresh of the Typhoon’s current capabilities to a full update, replacing the type’s entire avionics and system architecture.

Engine and flight-control system enhancements could seek to boost the fuel-efficiency of the type’s Eurojet EJ200 turbofans, in conjunction with the use of an aerodynamic modification kit.“

as well as put more funding into the loyal wingman air vehicle and potentially hypersonic/future standoff weapons systems.

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Re: Eurofighter Typhoon (RAF)

Post by Ron5 »

Jensy wrote:Of course the never-ending nonsense about buying F-35A for the RAF seems to be back in fashion, in which case you can expect the RAF's Typhoons to have only a limited A2G role moving forward.
As Timmy says, I'm not always the sharpest knife in the drawer, but isn't the problem all about replacing the Tornado as a long range air to ground system. I'm sure the role has a proper name, like interdiction or something more fancy: long range bomber.

The requirement didn't go away with the retirement of Tornado: bomb the bejasus out of the bad guys command & logistics centers which will be located well back from the front line and defended in depth.

Typhoon doesn't really do it no matter how much is hung under their wings. Lack of range and stealth. The more you hang, the slower, the less miles, and the more conspicuously they go.

F-35B would be great at the job but the range thing crops up again, even though it's heaps better than Typhoon. Maybe some stealthy tankers to go with them? MQ-25 fits the requirement, I wonder how much they would cost. I seem to remember they could double an F-35B's ROA.

Or will Tempest be the new Tornado? Seems big enough, with big internal bomb bays Or will Tempest just be the new 6th gen Spitfire like Typhoon is the 4th gen Spit? I'm sure Sweden and Italy would prefer a baby aircraft.

Or will it be this wingman thingie? which won't be cheap I guarantee, well unless it can't do much, in case it will just be a smarter Storm Shadow. It which case in might be a cheap aircraft but a frikkin expensive missile.

Anyone know any answers? Don't be shy if I'm totally off base. Won't be the first time.

This could have equally gone on the Tempest thread. I mentally flipped a coin.

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Re: Eurofighter Typhoon (RAF)

Post by Jensy »

Ron5 wrote: Or will it be this wingman thingie? which won't be cheap I guarantee, well unless it can't do much, in case it will just be a smarter Storm Shadow. It which case in might be a cheap aircraft but a frikkin expensive missile.
I'd say this is going to be the billion £/$ question.

Probably, slightly/very going off topic (but will try and link it back to Typhoon!)

The UK is heading towards a future fleet of two medium-weight, mult-role fighters with overlapping capabilities, so much so that they compete for international sales. As you pointed out, neither have decent enough range to be 'strategic' in the old sense.

Once upon a time there was Taranis, supposedly a first step towards an advanced, stealth programme for a 'strategic' bomber, that took over from the FOAS as the eventual Tornado replacement. We flirted with the French about a joint effort only to be dumped for the Germans, promising stability and Euros.

So with no big UCAV to build, or other long-range option anytime soon, the Loyal Wingman is potentially the RAF's next combat aircraft. The 3D model promises lots of capability for what looks like a:
frikkin expensive missile.
but your guess is as good as mine. Still, whatever project Mosquito actually is seeking to deliver is barely at a pre-concept stage.

All this uncertainty is down to our present and future economic situation, which is unfortunately linked to a breakdown in the global order. Regardless of what fantastic flying machines might be whizzing about in 2035, for now Typhoon and small numbers of F-35 (of any flavour) are all we've got.

If you're 'Team Typhoon' this should be a golden opportunity. We've got 140 odd of the things, some almost factory fresh. There are opportunities to sell abroad and for the existing partnership to:
SW1 wrote:Go for a full upgrade along the lines outlined

“These range from performing a technical refresh of the Typhoon’s current capabilities to a full update, replacing the type’s entire avionics and system architecture.

Engine and flight-control system enhancements could seek to boost the fuel-efficiency of the type’s Eurojet EJ200 turbofans, in conjunction with the use of an aerodynamic modification kit.“

as well as put more funding into the loyal wingman air vehicle and potentially hypersonic/future standoff weapons systems.
The problem (that has plagued the Eurofighter since the 80s) is the lack of coordinated or sustained investment from the main partner nations. Without it, you end up with duplication and wasted opportunities to upgrade other aspects of the aircraft.

There might be many flaws in the way F-35 was developed. However, the concept of mapping out future upgrades, across many national fleets and services, well in advance is a massive improvement on the way Typhoon has/is being managed.

SW1
Senior Member
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Joined: 27 Aug 2018, 19:12
United Kingdom

Re: Eurofighter Typhoon (RAF)

Post by SW1 »

https://www.janes.com/defence-news/news ... d-tornados

The event during the Luftwaffe’s Timber Express exercise over northern Germany and the North Sea, announced by the company on 30 July, saw national Eurofighter and Panavia Tornado aircraft demonstrate interconnectivity with an RC network using the Link 16 datalink.

“During the exercise, the Remote Carriers, which currently use the Compact Airborne Networking Data Link (CANDL), were successfully connected to Link 16, the operational tactical datalink of the armed forces. The Remote Carriers were not only visible to all tactical combat aircraft of the [German] Air Force, but could also receive and execute orders without the need for technical modifications to the aircraft,” Airbus said.


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