All Eurofighters radar to be upgraded to AESA

last SG · 2007-05-18T05:47:00+00:00

i agree f22 very ex. but maybe we can get say 4 in amt. consolidate these 4 as a surgical tactical strike force. getting a squardron’s worth is too expensive...

coolant SG

If the news comes earlier in time, today we may welcome Eurofighter Typhoon instead of F-15SG. Laughing

Eurofighter Typhoon Flies E-Scan Antenna

http://www.pressemeldinger.no/read.asp?recno=37531

Eurofighter Typhoon has demonstrated its potential for introduction of new capabilities with the first flight of a Eurofighter aircraft carrying an lectronically scanning radar antenna, using Development Aircraft Five (DA5) on 8 May flying from EADS Military Air Systems' Manching facility, Germany.

HALLBERGMOOS, Germany, May 10 /PRNewswire/ -- Eurofighter Typhoon has demonstrated its potential for introduction of new capabilities with the first flight of a Eurofighter aircraft carrying an electronically scanning radar antenna, using Development Aircraft Five (DA5) on 8 May flying from EADS Military Air Systems' Manching facility, Germany.

DA5 has recently been retired from the main Eurofighter Development programme, its primary work completed and future development activities now being focused on Instrumented Production Aircraft. During its earlier programmes DA5 had been the principle test aircraft for the CAPTOR radar currently in service in Typhoon, and was therefore ideally suited to trial the new antenna. The Euroradar consortium of EADS Defence Electronics (Germany), SELEX Sensors & Airborne Systems (United Kingdom), Galileo Avionica (Italy) and INDRA (Spain) had previously tested the antenna in ground rigs and flown it in a BAC 1-11 trials aircraft. This was the first opportunity which had arisen to allow the radar to be trialed in flight fitted into a Typhoon aircraft.

Eurofighter GmbH and the NATO Eurofighter Tornado Management Agency (NETMA) had agreed to use DA5 for this series of antenna test flights, using funding provided by the German Procurement Agency BWB through NETMA. Eurofighter GmbH managed the international clearance process and together with EADS Military Air Systems, resolved life extension issues on certain components in DA5. Support throughout the duration of the trials is being provided by EADS and Eurojet as well as Eurofighter GmbH and its partner companies.

The new antenna emphasises and demonstrates the policy of continuous capability enhancement in the Eurofighter programme, and production embodiment of this feature could be available for Tranche 3 or as a retrofit in Tranche 2 aircraft. While maintaining the excellent performance features of the CAPTOR radar, the new antenna provides a significant reduction in operating costs as well as certain performance enhancements, and can be readily fitted as a replacement for the current antenna with no significant aircraft modification.
The accumulated data from the trials programme of three flights will be assessed and evaluated on ground rigs of the Euroradar consortium, and will be an input to customer considerations on the future development and operation of their Eurofighter Typhoon fleets.
To date 119 Eurofighter Typhoon have been delivered. The nations' fleets have accumulated 18,870 flight hours by end April 2007, the industry test fleet is close to the 5,100 hours mark.

High Resolution images of the Eurofighter Typhoon can be downloaded from our web site. Hard Copy images are available on request.
www.eurofighter.com/medialibrary

CM06 SG

I had the impression we actually wanted the typhoon. But we wanted tranche3 -then- when only tranche 1 was available.

This is good news. Maybe we grab these to replace the F-5s Laughing
JSF to replace the F-16s. Mr. Green

coolant SG

If my memory serves well, I think then the Typhoon was the front runner for A-4 replacement but surprisingly being kicked because Europeans didnt promise anything on AESA then.

Correct me if I am wrong. Wink

tankfanatic SG

that mother were a superb AC even without the AESA… super cruise somemore… what the heck they were thinkin anyway?

Fingolfin_Noldor SG

I think that was the official line. However, the Europeans are notoriously fickle minded about a lot of things, and I think among them, was price. The procurement of the Eurofighter wavered back and forth and now is much less than what it originally intended to be initially.

Then finally of course, the AESA was not confirmed. I believe they would do it only if enough said yes or something. Pretty much the problem with multi-national projects. Europe is littered with canceled and half baked projects like these. The A400M is a very good example or a ridiculously unreliable project that I think has been delayed countless times.

I don't think the Govt wanted to deal with potential problems like these. In any case, I believe part of the package of the F-15SGs was access to precision ammunitions I think. Correct me if I am wrong. In any case, these precision ammunitions represent a quantum leap for our airforce capability; something we haven't had much before beyond some of the Israeli ammunitions.

coolant SG

AFAIK, AESA was a very important benchmark when RSAF selected its next Generation fighter. At very beginning of the 3 horse racing, the Typhoon performed best even everybody started to think the typhoon is the deal. However, things begun to change when Europeans ask SG to be the partner of the Typhoon AESA upgrading project. The government swiftly read this message as its just a smart way that Europeans ask SG to shoulder the cost of a multi-lateral AESA project that may or may not yield any results in a reasonable time frame.

Usually, such European s very own multi-lateral military development project is time lagging and money cost, the Eurofighter itself is a good example. French faded out such multi-lateral project and developed its own Rafale. Likewise, Brits faded out of European multi-lateral DDG plan and developed its own type 45 DDG.

But its surprising to know Typhoons AESA coming out so fast.

spartan6 SG

I have e same thought as CM06

ktk SG

umm... i dont think SG have enuff airspace for u to supercruise ard...

beavan SG

would be a good capability to have.

duotiga83 SG

man...my all time fave fighter......now then got AESA Sad

cairocks SG

It is no secret that we fly and train out of our airspace esp over South China Sea. That should be big enuf. Furthermore, it is always an advantage to have the capability when you need it.

LazerLordz SG

The Eurofighter needs to mature before we might consider getting further tranches.

It's not out of the running in the future I'm sure. What the RSAF has gone for, is a bomb truck to replace the A-4, which is also a bomb truck.

Fingolfin_Noldor SG

If the F-35 proves too expensive or unavailable, we might have to turn to the Rafale or Eurofighter. As it is, I am not too optimistic about the F-35 which potentially might turn into a financial upward spiral if the fellows in Congress are getting too much cold feet over the costs. Not least that even the British are non-plussed about American reluctance to share the codes for the aircraft and Singapore in general wants to have those codes too.

coolant SG

If Yanks are not going to share necessary codes, then its a bad news for proper maintenance of an extremely sophisticate F-35. Which means the future RSAF F-35s have to fly back to America for routine maintenance like software upgrading ( Hey, stealth fighters do need regular software upgrading in order to keep stealthy). Re-paint the RAM coating etc, etc. Of course all the costs have to be born by end user

CM06 SG

Dont worry, the mexicans will get them and so the rest of us will too.

I'm hoping the Typhoon will take over the air-superiority role (replacing the F-5s) especially for CAP and escorts. Our F-16s are much more useful in Wild-Weasel and CAS roles.

From what i read, the F-35 will outperform planes like the F-16/18, both in range, payload and anti-air suppression. The F-15 payload vs F-35 was quite hard to compare apparently.

After the most recent F-5 crash in taiwan....maybe our RSAF will look into Typhoons. Not to mention, that will bring about another series of closer ties with the EU. We must also consider the fact Typhoon is still needing a quite of polishing before it can shine.

Any one have ideas if our current bombs, AAMs and other armanents are compatible with the Typhoon? This is a rather important thing to note as well.

Fingolfin_Noldor SG

Probably compatible with some jury-rigging and modifications. THere is a spread of warheads available from EADS's missile branch which are interesting to say the least. The Typhoon however, hasn't exactly reached operational deployment I think. Still testing stage.

The F-35 might have a smaller payload because of its internal bomb bay unlike the F-15 which carries everything outside. Of course, one could do external load on the F-35 but that kills the stealth.

coolant SG

F35 is never designed for dog fighting, theoretically, it can launch AIM-9X from externally pylon but heard the tail flame from such launch will burn the wing structure of F-35. So till now, neither the AIM-9X can be fired from F-35 internal bay, nor externally. F-22 using a complicate mechanism to fire AIM-9X, even though, F-22 can never fire AIM-9X to all the offbore sight angels provided by AIM-9X high offbore sight attacking ability,

Basically, F-35 has to settle the air combat in BVR by using its AIM-120s. In close in combat, it doesnt stand a chance to win over Euro-canards.
However, F-35 does feature some breath-taking avionics. If the next procurer is also fascinated by electronics more than other thing, I think he will probably pick F-35 instead of Typhoon again. Because in electronic terms, F-35 is way ahead of anything Europeans can come out.
Very Happy

soulwinner SG

Why sg is not buying euro?

CM06 SG

1) Funds are limited

2) Recent procurement of F-15s will already suck away most of the new stock of pilots.

3) We phased out a bomb truck.(A-4) So we buy a bigger bomb truck.

Coolant's right about Euro fighter being in testing stage.

The Typhoon even now is like an infant...still need some time to grow and develop character.

They had problems testing a new missile on a new plane (Meteor on Typhoon) So they switched it to the Gripen instead. Not sure if this is reverted back yet.

Until they can define the roles of the Typhoon, it's still a wait and see for most buyers. AFAIK, there's no variants to the Typhoon for AA/AS/WW roles yet. Give them a year more or two when they firm up everything, we can consider phasing out our F-5s.

justdoit77 SG

why not do this, threaten US if they don’t sell F-22 to singapore, then singapore will buy euro fighter instead. lol