In an effort to maintain the Eurofighter’s relevance to the air combat environment until the German-French FCAS and the Italy-Japan-UK GCAP/Tempest enter production, program partners have kept busy upgrading onboard systems for retrofit. The upgrades, which will come as part of the configuration for new-build aircraft for Germany, will first appear on existing aircraft in the UK and among the other partners.
Last year, the original Eurofighter partner nations laid plans to upgrade some of the Tranche 3 aircraft in their collective inventories and—in the case of Germany and Spain—procure a new, Tranche 4 batch of aircraft. The Royal Air Force (RAF) upgrades of its current aircraft call for an almost $3 billion replacement of the older-generation electronic systems with state-of-the-art hardware.
Germany’s part of the multi-nation program, Project Quadriga, calls for the Luftwaffe to procure 30 single-seat and eight two-seat versions of the Tranche 4 aircraft to replace 38 Tranche 1 aircraft set for retirement.
The Tranche 1 aircraft still operated by the original four partners—the UK, Germany, Spain, and Italy— are the subject of a proposal for the Ukrainian Air Force (PSU) requirement for a Western-design fighter aircraft. The first choice for the PSU had been the U.S.-made F-16, but for months no movement on supplying that model ensued.
The new-build Tranche 4 aircraft will come equipped with a new active electronic scanning array (AESA) radar set, called the E-Scan European common radar system (ECRS). The description of the additional changes in configuration specifies “future-proof” hardware and updated software to support the new-generation subsystems.
Plans call for the new-build models to support the Luftwaffe’s Eurofighter fleet into the 2060 decade. By that time, the aircraft would be flying missions in conjunction with the new-generation Franco-German-Spanish Future Combat Air System (FCAS) design. Between the two, Eurofighter production lines will remain active through 2030 and potentially beyond.
In the UK, 40 Tranche 3 aircraft in service—and possibly some of the 67 Tranche 2 aircraft as well—will receive an upgrade dubbed the Phased 4 Enhancement (P4E) timed for integration with the introduction of the ECRS. The modifications will feature a new mission management and cockpit interface, modernization of the GPS and navigation functions, and a new electronic counter-countermeasure system to neutralize advanced electronic warfare systems.
Industrial Planning
The BAE Systems facility at Warton, which manufactures Eurofighter models for the UK, points out the new system upgrades, plus the new production models for Germany and Spain and all of the testing and integration work performed for the ECRS AESA radar, will keep the line occupied for some time.
The plan for sustaining the production capacity for the program would dovetail the winding down of Eurofighter activity with the ramp-up of the Global Combat Air Program (GCAP)—a UK-Italy-Japan Tempest project to develop another next-generation model aircraft that would theoretically serve as an analog to the FCAS.
Next-gen programs unfortunately have a habit of both kicking off later and running for longer than originally planned. Although plans call for the GCAP to undergo low-rate initial production (LRIP) by 2035 (Italy is calling for delivery of export versions by 2040), if that date slips, the Warton plant could see a “gap” in its fighter production line.
Such an interruption would prove disruptive, but not fatal, to the company, and industry observers have pointed out to AIN that shutdowns on the Tornado line lasting three years preceded the Eurofighter project. However, Warton kept the facility ready for a re-start, which was not cost-free, but it prevented production capacity from atrophying.
Electronics Uber Alles
The new radar and other electronic systems involve joint efforts between the Eurofighter team members in the different countries. The ECRS and other systems supplied for the Luftwaffe aircraft will come from German defense electronics firm Hensoldt. It would build the radar and other systems for the 38 German Tranche 4 aircraft and the hardware for the Luftwaffe retrofit of its Tranche 2 and 3 models.
Hensoldt serves as one of the industry partners in the multinational EuroRadar consortium; the others are Leonardo in the UK and Italy, and Indra in Spain. The company’s role traces back to the design of the first-iteration AESA radar, originally designated the Captor-E, Radar 1+, and ECRS Mk0, and produced for the Eurofighter export models ordered by Kuwait and Qatar.
The company also participated in the development of the next variant ECRD Mk1 variant. This system began development in 2020 and features several upgrades over the Mk0, including a new digital multi-channel receiver and improved transmit-receive modules (TRM) that operate on an expanded bandwidth.
While producing the Mk1 models, the German firm will also be a supplier for the follow-on iteration—the Mk2 design under development for the RAF Eurofighters, for which Leonardo has taken the lead role. The companies expect demand for those ECRS models to increase as retrofit programs for additional older-model Eurofighters expand.
What is called the Step 2 iteration of the Mk1 design will involve a software upgrade that expands processor capacities, introduces mission management functions, and allows for the transmission of electronic warfare signals. While the new aircraft represent an important phase at the end of the Eurofighter’s production history, the electronics enhancements ensure its operation well into the second half of this century.