Spanish Air Force awards contract to TAURUS for aircraft KEPD 350 weapon system

The Spanish Ministry of Defence (MOD) and TAURUS Systems GmbH (TSG) signed a contract on 26th September in Madrid for an upgrade and maintenance of the operational capability of the TAURUS KEPD 350 Weapon System used by the Spanish Air Force.
The contract value is just below 30 million Euros.
The TAURUS KEPD 350 has been in the inventory of the Spanish Air Force for 10 years. It is today operated on the EF-18 fighter aircraft.
defence-blog

South Korea responds to North Korea Firing a Taurus Missile

Korea's military fired two ballistic missiles in a swift response to North Korea's latest missile test on Friday, the Yonhap news agency in Seoul reported.
The action is unusual and shows a toughening response to North Korea's provocations, despite South Korean President Moon Jae-in on Thursday ruling out the return of nuclear weapons to South Korea because of fears it would spark an arms race.

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South Korea begins receiving Taurus cruise missiles

South Korea has received its first lot of Taurus KEPD 350K cruise missiles during a ceremony at the headquarters of Taurus Systems in Schrobenhausen, Germany, it was announced on 14 October.
An undisclosed number of missiles were formally handed over to the Republic of Korea Air Force (RoKAF) during the event, which took place on the same day as the announcement. The RoKAF signed a contract for the Taurus KEPD 350K in November 2013, with reports putting the number at either 170 or 180 missiles.
The Taurus KEPD 350K is being integrated onto the RoKAF's Boeing F-15K Slam Eagle fleet. According to MBDA Deutschland (the lead company in the Taurus Systems consortium, which also includes Saab Dynamics), this work is now in its final stages.
The missile is an enhanced version of the Taurus KEPD 350 fielded by Germany and Spain on its Panavia Tornado, and Boeing EF-18 Hornet and Eurofighter Typhoon aircraft respectively. Sweden is looking at integrating it onto its Saab JAS 39 Gripens also.
janes

Airbus trials aerodynamic enhancements for Eurofighter Typhoon

Airbus has completed flight-testing of a package of aerodynamic upgrades to the Eurofighter Typhoon that are geared at enhancing the combat aircraft's agility and weapons-carrying ability.
The flight trials of the Aerodynamic Modification Kit (AMK) were part of the wider Eurofighter Enhanced Manoeuvrability (EFEM) programme.
The AMK comprises additional fuselage strakes and leading-edge root extensions that are designed to increase the maximum lift created by the wing by 25%.
Flight trials had yielded some better-than-expected results, with the angle-of-attack capability being 45% greater than that of the unmodified aircraft, and roll-rates up to 100% higher. The flight trials followed around five years of studies, with Eurofighter test pilots and operational pilots from Germany, Italy, and the United Kingdom conducting 36 sorties from Manching, Germany, on the Instrumented Production Aircraft (IPA) 7.
In terms of expanding the Typhoon's air-to-air and air-to-surface capabilities, Eurofighter has recently undertaken a series of separate weapon trials that include the MBDA Meteor beyond-visual-range (BVR) air-to-air missile (BVRAAM), the MBDA Storm Shadow/Taurus cruise missiles, the MBDA Brimstone low-collateral air-to-surface missile, and the Raytheon Paveway IV precision-guided bomb. Airbus has also revealed that it is looking to integrate a variety of anti-shipping missiles onto the aircraft to increases its maritime role. The goal is to have the full multirole Phase 3 Enhancements (P3E) package in place by 2018, to coincide with the retirement from UK service of the Panavia Tornado GR.4 strike aircraft.
The Euroradar Captor electronically scanned (E-Scan)/Captor active electronically scanned array (CAESAR) radar is currently in its Extended Assessment Phase (EAP), with an integration contract signed by Eurofighter and partner nations on 19 November 2014. The Captor-E/CAESAR is being provisioned for the Tranche 3 aircraft, and will be retrofittable to Tranche 2 platforms also. Once fielded, the new AESA radar should offer some electronic attack capability and simultaneous multimode operation, plus significantly expanded air-to-air capability (it will also have additional functions at the customer's request).
janes

Typhoon starts windtunnel tests with conformal fuel tanks

The Eurofighter Typhoon’s proposed conformal fuel tank (CFT) configuration has entered windtunnel testing in the UK.
BAE is currently assessing the aerodynamic characteristics of carrying two fuselage-mounted conformal fuel tanks on the Typhoon aircraft.
A new configuration item for the Tranche 3 production standard Typhoon, the conformal structures would free up under-wing pylons frequently used to carry external fuel tanks, but recently employed in testing to carry the MBDA Storm Shadow and Taurus Systems KEPD 350 cruise missiles. All Tranche 3 aircraft are being manufactured with the required structural and fuel system modifications to carry the CFTs.
The four-nation Eurofighter consortium exhibited a full-size model of the Typhoon with the conformal tanks fitted at the Dubai air show last November, with the adaptation having been on offer to the United Arab Emirates, which subsequently halted talks linked to a potential Typhoon acquisition.
flightglobal

Eurofighter Typhoon flies with Taurus 350 cruise missiles

On Jan. 15, Airbus Defence and Space started the testing campaign of the Eurofighter Typhoon multirole combat plane with Taurus air-launched stand-off precision missiles.
The first flight took place at the Manching Military, north of Munich, and involved Instrumented Production Aircraft 7 (IPA7).
Taurus KEPD 350 is a German/Swedish missile that is manufactured by Taurus Systems GmbH, a partnership between MBDA Germany and Saab Dynamics. The missile has a range of +500 kilometres (300 mi), a speed of Mach 0.8-0.9 and stealth features.
According to Airbus Defense and Space concurrent testing of the two similar missiles “optimises the Storm Shadow integration and facilitates the future airframe integration of Taurus.”
theaviationist

South Korea to decide on aerial refueling tankers in 2014

South Korea plans to move forward with the purchase of four aerial refueling tankers in 2014, which can greatly enhance the operational capabilities of its Air Force.
The Defense Acquisition Program Administration (DAPA) said in a report that it has carefully reviewed the need to procure the tanker aircraft and decided to move forward with the process.
DAPA will officially announce the bidding in January for project that aims to purchase four planes between 2017 and 2019. Boeing's KC-767 and Airbus Military's MRTTA330 are likely contenders.
With midair refueling, South Korean F-15Ks can keep station over places like Ieodo and Dokdo islets for around 80-90 minutes compared with the current 20-30 minutes.
South Korea has signed also a 500 billion won deal with Taurus Systems, a joint German-Spanish firm, to buy long-range, air-to-surface attack missile. The Taurus missile has a 500-kilometer-range and gives the user the ability to strike pin-point targets deep inside hostile territories without putting the attacking fight at risk.
yonhapnews

Eurofighter Aims for AESA Radar Contract by Mid-2014

Eurofighter is targeting the middle of 2014 to secure a deal with the fast jet’s European partner nations to develop an active electronically-scanned array (AESA) radar for the Typhoon.
The deal will involve the development of a production-standard AESA radar by the Selex ES-led Euroradar consortium.
A mid-year contract signing means it would be close to a two-year wait since the NATO Eurofighter and Tornado Management Agency (NETMA) , which manages the program on behalf of the British, German, Italian and Spanish governments, issued Euroradar a request for proposals to develop the AESA system.
The drawn-out effort to make a production-standard AESA radar available to the Typhoon partners and export customers has drawn criticism from many quarters .
The slow pace of capability improvement approvals on Typhoon is partly responsible for a determination by industry and partner government to change the construct of Eurofighter and possibly NETMA to make the approval process more agile as the emphasis of the program begins to move away from production of aircraft for the European partners toward meeting export customers’ requirements.
Typhoon has already been sold to Austria, Oman and Saudi Arabia; the aircraft is involved in export competitions in Bahrain, Qatar, the United Arab Emirates, Malaysia and Kuwait.
Development work on the Selex radar, known as Captor-E, has been continuing, partly funded by industry. Typhoon test aircraft IPA7 is almost ready to start shakeout flights following modifications to make it capable of testing an AESA radar.
The first flight is expected before the end of the year, after which the machine will be fitted out with a development standard radar in the first quarter of next year.
Typhoon’s strike weapons capabilities are on track to allow flight test campaigns with Storm Shadow and Taurus cruise missiles to get underway.
In the case of Storm Shadow, Alenia Aermacchi is expected to flight test the weapon at the Decimomannu air base in Sardinia imminently; a similar campaign on the Taurus is scheduled to get underway in December.
Eurofighter’s capability full integration clearance for Storm Shadow is planned for 2015.
The weapon is already used by the Saudis, British and Italians on Tornado strike aircraft.
Integration work on the MBDA Meteor beyond visual range air-to-air weapon is already going full tilt.
The latest standard of Typhoons, known as Tranche 3, now starting to come off the assembly lines in all four European partner nations, are being fitted for but not with conformal fuel tanks.
The first Tranche 3 aircraft, a Royal Air Force machine, is due to fly by the end of the year.
defensenews

South Korea Parliament advises review of Taurus, Global Hawk acquisition plan

The National Assembly has advised the government to re-examine its plan to buy European long-range air-to-ground missiles and high-altitude surveillance aircraft from the United States, citing too high price tags.
The procurement agency Defense Acquisition Program Administration has been pushing to import about 170 Taurus missiles made by the German-Swedish joint venture Taurus System after the U.S. refused to export its JASSM missiles for strategic reasons.
yonhapnews

South Korea to buy European Taurus missiles

South Korea will buy European bunker-busting missiles as the United States refused to sell the same kind of weapons to the country.
At a meeting presided over by Defence Minister , the Defence Acquisition Program Administration (DAPA) approved a plan to purchase air-to-ground missiles with a 500-kilometre range from the German-Swedish joint venture Taurus System.
The number of missiles and proposed budget have not been confirmed yet, but Yonhap news agency said South Korea planned to buy about 170 Taurus bunker busters.
google

El Ala 15 del Ejército del Aire entrena con el misil Taurus

El Ala 15 ha llevado a cabo la práctica de transporte, preparación, repostado y montaje del misil KEPD-350 Taurus durante la semana del 15 al 19 de abril, dentro del marco de los ejercicios de entrenamiento de los armeros de la unidad.
Para el ejercicio se dispuso, en la plataforma del Ala 15, de un misil operacional y de un misil de entrenamiento en tierra.
Se han realizado prácticas de transporte en el carro de carga, de repostado del misil mediante la estación adaptadora de repostaje FAS (Fueling Adapter Station) y de montaje en un F-18.

ejercitodelaire

South Korea to Buy Bunker-Buster TAURUS KEPD Missiles from Europe

South Korea will likely buy European long-range air-to-surface cruise missiles by 2014. Launched from the air above Daejeon, the Taurus KEPD 350s could hit an underground bunker in Pyongyang with precision.
A military officer said Wednesday price negotiations with Taurus Systems, a German-Swedish joint venture, will start soon since the missile has found favor with the brass here.
The Taurus would be the first strategic weapon Seoul has imported from Europe rather than the U.S.
chosun

Alemania recibe todos sus misiles Taurus/ Germany receives last Taurus cruise missile

Taurus Systems ha entregado el 600º misil de crucero Taurus KEPD 350 a Alemania, tras la reciente entrega de todos los misiles pedidos por España.
El misil ha sido integrado en los Panavia Tornado de ataque alemanes y en los EF-18 del Ejército del Aire español. Tiene un peso de 1.400kg y un alcance de hasta 500 km. Está diseñado para atacar objetivos fijos como búnkers e instalaciones de mando y control.
flightglobal
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MBDA Deutschland/Saab Dynamics joint venture Taurus Systems has delivered its 600th and last Taurus KEPD 350 cruise missile to Germany's BWB procurement agency. The milestone comes within months of the delivery in August of the company's last example for export user Spain.
Integrated with the German air force's Panavia Tornado interdictor strike fleet and Spain's Boeing EF-18s, the KEPD 350 is a 1,400kg (3,090lb)-class weapon with a range of more than 500km (270nm). Equipped with a Mephisto dual penetrator warhead, it is designed to attack fixed targets, such as bunkers and command and control facilities.
flightglobal

MISIL TAURUS

Desde el mes de mayo de 2009, España ha pasado a formar parte de otro selecto club en el campo de la Defensa: el de los países que disponen de misiles no nucleares aire-tierra de alcance medio. El ingreso en el club se produjo cuando dos cazas F-18 del Ejército del Aire lanzaron sendos misiles Taurus KEPD 350 en el polígono de tiro de Overberg, en Sudáfrica.
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(extraido de Atenea Seguridad y Defensa)