Eurofighter's Electronic Combat Version Development by Airbus Gets Green Light

The Eurofighter EK (Electronic Combat) program is on the horizon, marking a significant step following the recent endorsement by the German budget committee. Airbus is poised to outfit 15 German Eurofighters for electronic combat capabilities, incorporating a transmitter location system and self-protection technology from Saab, alongside the inclusion of "AARGM" anti-radar missiles sourced from American firm Northrop Grumman. The envisaged goal for the Eurofighter EK is to achieve NATO certification by 2030, heralding the replacement of the Tornado in the critical SEAD (Suppression of Enemy Air Defence) role.

"Electronic warfare and reconnaissance stand as pivotal requirements for NATO: ongoing conflicts and the prevailing security landscape underscore the indispensability of these capabilities," remarked Michael Schöllhorn, CEO of Airbus Defence and Space. "The decision by the German government to integrate electronic warfare as a crucial facet within the Eurofighter's capabilities is a substantial stride. EK will augment this vital capability within the already expansive operational spectrum of the Eurofighter, fortifying European sovereignty and autonomy."

With the resounding parliamentary approval from the Budget Committee, the Eurofighter has now been officially designated as the successor to the Tornado ECR (Electronic Combat/Reconnaissance). Airbus eagerly anticipates the formal order to incorporate the specified technical solutions into the Eurofighter. The forthcoming contract between Eurofighter GmbH, as the prime contractor, and NETMA (NATO Eurofighter and Tornado Management Agency) is slated for signing before year-end.

Leveraging Saab’s transmitter location system and the Anti-Radiation Guided Missile (AARGM) by Northrop Grumman, the Eurofighter EK is primed to identify, localize, and neutralize anti-aircraft radar systems. Furthermore, the Saab solution integrates jammers enhancing the Eurofighter's self-defense capabilities. Notably, the Eurofighter EK incorporates technologies developed by small and medium-sized enterprises alongside a start-up. Among these advancements is an AI solution enabling onboard radar data analysis for swift and precise self-protection measures.

At present, Airbus is collaborating closely with the BAAINBw procurement office, the German Air Force, and the Bundeswehr Aviation Office to craft a detailed schedule for implementing the selected EK solutions across the 15 Eurofighters.

Germany approves Super Hornet/Growler buy to replace Tornado fleet

The German government has approved the procurement of the Boeing F/A-18E/F Super Hornet and EA-18G Growler to partially satisfy its Tornado replacement requirement, national media has reported.
German Defence Minister Annegret Kramp-Karrenbauer has told the US government that Berlin has given clearance for the Luftwaffe to acquire 45 Super Hornet and Growler aircraft as part of its wider plans to replace 90 Panavia Tornado Interdiction and Strike (IDS)/Electronic Combat Reconnaissance (ECR) aircraft with 85 new platforms from 2025.
The 30 Super Hornet multirole and 15 Growler electronic attack (EA) jets would enable the Luftwaffe to fulfil its airborne nuclear strike and EA requirements within the required timeframe, Der Spiegel reported Kramp-Karrenbauer as saying in mid-April. The remaining 40 aircraft would comprise additional Eurofighters to add to the 143 already received (of these, 38 early Tranche 1 aircraft are set to be replaced by the same number of Tranche 3 aircraft
janes

Germany withdraws Tornados from Jordan, deploys radar system in Iraq

In its capacity as a member of the international coalition against Daesh, Germany will withdraw its Tornado reconnaissance aircraft in Jordan and instead install a radar system for air defense in western Iraq.
The jets have until recently been used against Daesh across Syria and Iraq; however, the German Council of Ministers has since adopted amendments that envision changes in the mandate of 700 soldiers serving within the framework of the international coalition.
The country's Tornado reconnaissance jets in Jordan are scheduled to be withdrawn at the end of the month. However, in order for the Tornado jets to retreat, another country must be able to take over reconnaissance flights, according to the plan adopted by the Council of Ministers.
dailysabah

Diamond nine formation marks end for RAF Tornados

The UK Royal Air Force has drawn to a close 40 years of service by its Panavia Tornado strike aircraft, with a final formation flight involving nine GR4-model examples conducted from the service's Marham base in Norfolk on 28 February.
Now that operational activities with the Tornado GR4 have concluded, the last two units to have flown the type – 9 and 31 squadrons – will be formally disbanded in mid-March. These will subsequently be reformed, respectively equipped with the Eurofighter Typhoon and General Atomics Aeronautical Systems Protector RG1 remotely piloted air system.
The RAF says its Tornado force logged a combined 185,603h on deployed operations between 1990 and the end of January, when its final combat sorties were performed in support of the coalition campaign over Iraq and Syria. This commitment is now being fulfilled by the service's Typhoons, as its first Lockheed Martin F-35Bs work towards achieving full operational capability status.
Having entered UK service in 1979, the Tornado GR1 was first used in combat by the RAF during the first Gulf War, in 1991, when 60 of its aircraft were forward-deployed for missions flown from Bahrain and Saudi Arabia. The type was also used during operations in Afghanistan, Kosovo and Libya.
flightglobal

RAF receives first ‘Centurion’ Typhoons ahead of Tornado retirement

The UK Royal Air Force (RAF) has received back into service the first of its Eurofighter Typhoon combat aircraft to be provisioned for the Project Centurion weapons fit, BAE Systems told reporters on 5 July.
Speaking at the company’s Warton facility in northern England, a senior programme official said that the first Typhoons that have been modified to carry the MBDA Meteor beyond-visual range air-to-air missile (BVRAAM) and MBDA Storm Shadow cruise missile have been returned to their operational units, ahead of the capability being officially cleared for use by 2019.
“There are 26 aircraft now at the first phase of the Project Centurion standard, and the pilots will start training in a few weeks’ time,” Eurofighter Delivery Director Andy Flynn said, adding, “We now have to go through the approval process, which should be complete by the end of the year.”
The Project Centurion configuration is intended to combine the already-delivered Raytheon Paveway IV precision-guided bomb, and the Storm Shadow, Meteor, and Brimstone on the Typhoon FGR4 in time for the retirement from RAF service of the Panavia Tornado GR4 in early 2019. The first phase aircraft that are being delivered have been fitted with the Typhoon Phase 2 Enhancement (P2E) upgrade that comprises the Meteor and the Storm Shadow. Phase 2 of Project Centurion covers the Typhoon Phase 3 Enhancement (P3E) upgrade of the Brimstone, and with trials now continuing this final Project Centurion configuration should also be ready for fielding by the end of 2018 .
The RAF fields 51 Tranche 1, 67 Tranche 2 and about 10 of its planned 40 Tranche 3 Typhoons. The 24 Tranche 1 Typhoons that are to be retained will be used in an air defence role only and will not receive the Project Centurion upgrade.
Gareth Jennings-janes

Germany fears steeper Tornado costs after the UK ditches its planes

The planned phasing out of the United Kingdom’s last Tornado aircraft has German officials scrambling to deal with the increasing costs of a shrinking fleet.
Continuing aircraft reductions in the tri-national program, which also includes Italy, have led to “significant technical, logistical and financial risk” in maintaining the 1980s-era fighter-bombers, officials have told lawmakers in a confidential report seen by Defense News.
While the prospect of Britain’s exit from the aircraft program has been known since November 2016, there is “no sufficient and comprehensive planning in place” for sustaining the remaining German planes, the report warns.
German defense leaders decided in 2016 to extend the life of the Tornado through 2035, with an assessment planned this summer of implementation plans to that end. Berlin originally purchased 357 aircraft; 93 are still in the inventory today, 88 of which belong to the Luftwaffe, according to the defense ministry.
A handful of German Tornados packed with reconnaissance equipment are currently deployed in support of Operation Inherent Resolve, flying missions over Iraq and Syria.
The defense ministry’s March 2018 report leaves open the question of how, and if, the UK would retain some kind of role in the program. Last November, the document states, there was talk about introducing a new, fixed scheme for financial contributions, abandoning the practice of going by the number of airframes used in each nation.
The British plan to use the Eurofighter Typhoon and the F-35 to absorb missions flown by Tornados. In Germany, the Typhoon appears to be the defense ministry’s preference for a follow-on aircraft, though there are also voices advocating for the F-35. Officials have requested information on both planes from the manufacturers, plus data from the maker of the F-18 and the F-15.
defensenews

Royal Air Force Tornados join Syria strikes, launching Storm Shadow missiles

Four Royal Air Force Tornados GR4s joined the strikes against Syria, launching Storm Shadow missiles at a base 15 miles west of Homs.
The Tornado is UK's primary ground attack jet and has been used to carry out numerous air strikes in Syria and Iraq in recent years.
Set to be retired from service next year after almost four decades on operations, the Tornado, with a maximum speed of Mach 1.3, has also seen action in Libya and Afghanistan.
The main Tornado squadrons are based at RAF Marham in Norfolk, which will become the new home of the cutting-edge of the F-35 Lightning stealth fighter jets.
There are currently six of the jets based at RAF Akrotiri, Cyprus, a location some 315 miles (510km) from Syria.
itv.com

Luftwaffe German Tornados unsuitable for NATO missions

The German armed forces may not be able to use the Tornado fighter jet for NATO missions, according to a defense ministry report seen by Reuters.
The report says that so far, it has not been possible to build an encryption device for secure data transfer into the jet, which entered service in the 1970s.
The communication devices of the Tornado also do not meet current standards, the report said, meaning there’s a risk that information could be intercepted.
“This could in the worst case mean that the demand for an encrypted communication system for the Tornado weapons system can’t be achieved. That means the Tornado weapons system may not take part in NATO missions,” the report states.
A spokesman for the German air force said its 10 Tornado jets registered for the NATO Response Force met current requirements, without providing further details.
Germany wants to start phasing out the Tornado jets in 2025 and the defense ministry has said that the Eurofighter Typhoon is the leading candidate.
reuters

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

Life of RAF Tornado squadron further extended to 2018

Further detail on the UK Ministry of Defence’s November Strategic Defence & Security Review (SDSR) has revealed the retirement of a Panavia Tornado GR4 squadron will be pushed back to 2018, from the previously announced 2017 date.
Last August, defence secretary Michael Fallon said a delayed retirement from 2016 until March 2017, of the Royal Air Force’s 12 Sqn, would allow the type to continue operating until the Eurofighter Typhoon was able to fully take over the ground-attack role in Iraq and Syria. However, the next retirement of a Tornado squadron has now been pushed back further, to 2018.
The Tornado is proving its worth against Islamic State militants in the Middle East and the demand for it is high; 12 Sqn was returned to service in January 2015 to join Operation Shader after originally disbanding in 2014 after the withdrawal from Afghanistan. Three squadrons are required to support the operation, with one deployed at any given time, one in a preparation role and another on stand down.
The recent SDSR also noted the UK will acquire the planned 138 Lockheed Martin F-35s over the life of the programme, and will “buy some of these aircraft more quickly than previously planned, creating an additional frontline squadron by 2023”, according to the factsheet.
flightglobal

Germany Begins Negotiations With Israel On Leasing Heron TP

The Bundeswehr has begun negotiations with the Israelis on leasing armed Heron TP medium-range long-endurance unmanned aerial systems (UAS) to bridge the gap until it acquires a European UAS by 2025, along with France, Italy and Spain.
Heron TP was chosen in favor of the US Predator/Guardian Eagle armed UAS because the latter will only be available in one and a half years, according to the Bundeswehr, and because the former better meets its technical requirements, such as different weapons suites and a backup landing system. However, the Bundeswehr is keeping its options open in case its requirements are not met and to keep the competition open.
The Bundeswehr aims to lease three to five systems, which will be based in Israel but will be assigned to Taktische Luftwaffengeschwader (Tactical Air Force Squadron) 51 in Jagel, northern Germany, the same unit which is providing Tornado Recce aircraft for Germany's mission to support the international coalition fighting the so-called Islamic State in Syria and Iraq. Training will be provided in Israel.
aviationweek

German Tornados based in Turkey flew their first operational flight

Two Luftwaffe Tornados took off from Incirlik airbase, Turkey on Jan. 8 for Germany’s first operational flight over Syria.
bundeswehr

Two Luftwaffe Tornados Take Off For Turkey

Two Tornado Recce aircraft of Taktischer Luftwaffengeschwader (Tactical Air Force Squadron) 51 "Immelmann" took off from their base in Jagel Dec. 10 for Incirlik, Turkey, from where they will fly missions over Syria in support of the international coalition fighting the so-called Islamic State.
Also taking off from Jagel was a Luftwaffe A400M with 40 personnel from the squadron, while an Airbus A310 multi-role tanker transport departed from the military airport at Cologne-Wahn.
All four aircraft arrived in Incirlik late in the afternoon of Dec. 10.
Up to six Luftwaffe Tornado Recce aircraft are due to begin flying reconnaissance missions over Syria from Incirlik in January.
aviationweek

Syria conflict: Half of German Tornado jets 'not airworthy'

Only 29 of Germany's 66 Tornado jets are airworthy, a defence ministry report has revealed.
It comes two days before German MPs are expected to vote in favour of military action against Islamic State (IS) militants in Syria.
Defence Minister has stressed that only six of the operational Tornado jets would be needed for the proposed mission.
Germany decided to join the fight against IS after an appeal by French President Francois Hollande in the wake of the 13 November Paris attacks.
But the readiness of Germany's armed forces has long been the subject of criticism.
"The state of our flying systems remains unsatisfactory," the German army's chief of staff General Volker Wieker was quoted as saying on Wednesday.
The defence ministry report, obtained by German media, blamed the problem on the "lack of availability of various spare parts".
Six Tornado reconnaissance aircraft, a naval frigate and a 1,200-strong force will be sent to Syria under the proposals backed by the German cabinet on Tuesday.
The Bundestag is set to start debating the plans on Wednesday, with a vote expected on Friday.
bbc.com

UK considering retaining early model Typhoons to maintain fighter numbers

The United Kingdom is considering the option of retaining some or all of its early-model Eurofighter Typhoon combat aircraft as it looks to prevent fighter numbers falling to their lowest levels since the Royal Air Force (RAF) was formed in 1918.
Speaking in the House of Commons on 3 November, Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Defence, Philip Dunne, said that the Ministry of Defence (MoD) is currently reviewing its earlier decision to retire the 53 Tranche 1 Typhoons in 2018. While he said that this work is being done in anticipation of the upcoming Strategic Defence and Security Review (SDSR), he declined to be drawn on when a decision might be announced.
"The Ministry of Defence is reviewing the potential utility of all its current platforms, including its fleet of Tranche 1 Typhoon aircraft, as part of the ongoing Strategic Defence and Security Review. Where there is clear merit in extending the life of existing equipment in terms of both military utility and value-for-money, the opportunity to do so will be considered in the context of the wider review. It is therefore not appropriate to anticipate decisions on the Typhoon Tranche 1, or other capabilities, that have not yet been made," he said.
The minister's comments come on the back of a government disclosure in July that the UK's frontline fast-jet force is set to fall to its lowest numerical strength just ahead of the turn of the decade, with the almost simultaneous retirement of both the Panavia Tornado GR.4 and Tranche 1 Eurofighter Typhoon fleets in 2019.
The RAF currently fields 192 frontline combat aircraft, made up of 87 Tornados; 53 Tranche 1 Typhoons; and 52 Tranche 2 and Tranche 3A Typhoons (deliveries of which are ongoing). Although all 40 Tranche 3A Typhoons should be with the RAF by 2019 and deliveries of the Lockheed Martin F-35B Lightning II Joint Strike Fighter will have begun, under current plans the UK will have just 127 frontline combat jets in 2019 - the lowest number since the RAF was formed more than a century earlier.
janes

UK to BEG Italy and Germany for spare parts for RAF bombers

BRITAIN may have to go cap in hand to Italy or Germany to secure spare parts for the RAF’s Tornado bombers.
The warning comes just days after Defence Secretary extended the RAF mission against the Islamic State in Iraq and Syria until 2017.
That decision, coupled with the last-minute reprieve of a Tornado squadron, has left military planners anxious to secure vital spare parts should their limited stocks run out.
NATO nations that operate Tornado aircraft already have a part-swap arrangement that allows countries to borrow from each other, though this has seldom, if ever, been used.
However, last night senior Whitehall sources confirmed that Air Chief Marshal has recently placed both Italy’s Aeronautica Militare and Germany’s Luftwaffe, which operate the same variants of GR4 Tornado as the UK, on standby.
Britain operates eight GR4 Tornados as part of the so-called Coalition of the Willing against Islamic State.
express

The RAF Will Have Only 127 Combat Jets by 2019, with the loss of Tornados and early Typhoons

The UK's frontline fast-jet force is set to fall to its lowest numerical strength just ahead of the turn of the decade, with the almost simultaneous retirement of both the Panavia Tornado GR.4 and early model Eurofighter Typhoon fleets, the government disclosed on 21 July.
Currently, the Royal Air Force (RAF) fields 53 Tranche 1 Typhoons and 87 Tornados which, when coupled with the Tranche 2 and 3A Typhoons now flying, brings its frontline combat inventory up to 192 aircraft. Although the loss of 140 aircraft by 2019 represents a 77% reduction in the current force strength on paper, it should be noted that this will be offset somewhat by the continued delivery of the Tranche 3 Typhoons, as well as the arrival of the first Lockheed Martin F-35B Lightning II Joint Strike Fighters.
Even so, while all 40 Tranche 3A Typhoons should be with the RAF by 2019, the United Kingdom is expected to have received only about 15 to 20 F-35Bs by this time (to be operated by both the RAF and Royal Navy). When the loss of the Tornados and Tranche 1 Typhoons is taken into account, the United Kingdom will be left with about 127 frontline combat jets at best when this happens (the lowest number that the RAF will have fielded since its creation in 1918).
janes

Tornado Brimstone incident halts UK operations against Islamic State

An inquiry has been launched after two MBDA Brimstone missiles 'fell' from a Royal Air Force (RAF) Panavia Tornado GR4 fighter as it landed at Akrotiri in Cyprus on 15 July, as it returned from anti-Islamic State operations over Iraq.
Part of the air base was evacuated as a precaution while teams retrieved the two detached missiles from the closed runway.
The Brimstone missiles became dislodged as the Tornado GR4 aircraft carrying them landed in poor weather conditions. It could have happened because of a high angle of attack..
Six RAF Tornado GR4 fighter bombers are based at RAF Akrotiri taking part in operations against Islamic State militants.
janes

RAF In Talks With Raytheon To Buy More Paveway IV

Continuing Royal Air Force precision strikes against Islamic State (IS) targets in Iraq has prompted Britain's Ministry of Defence to open negotiations with Raytheon UK to replenish stocks of the company's Paveway IV weapon.
With RAF missile and bomb strikes against IS reaching the 300 mark since the first attacks in late September 2014, the MoD said a new order to top up Paveway IV stocks is in the works.
Raytheon UK has also exported Paveway IV to the Royal Saudi Air Force where it is deployed on Tornado and Typhoon aircraft and being used against the Islamic State.
Eight RAF Tornado jets operating out of the British base at Akrotiri, Cyprus, carry the weapon along with the dual-mode Brimstone missile to provide strike capabilities against IS targets in Iraq. British Reaper remotely piloted vehicles operating from a base in the Middle East use Lockheed Martin Hellfire missiles against IS.
defensenews

UK To Send Two Sentinel to fight ISIS

UK's Defence Secretary announced that the UK will be sending two Sentinel aircraft to the Middle East to provide wide area surveillance over Iraq of ISIL activity and to track IED laying activity. These aircraft will join our Tornados and Reaper UAV which have conducted 194 strikes over Iraq as of 23 March and have continued to gather vital intelligence alongside Rivet Joint.
The UK continues to be the second largest contributor to the coalition airstrike campaign againts ISIS.
gov.uk