RAF Typhoons are to be equipped with next generation radar thanks to a £317 million investment, Defence Minister Jeremy Quin today announced.
The RAF is also one step closer in bringing its ORCUS technology into force, which can jam radio signals from drones and has already been successfully deployed during drone sightings at airports.
It is vital that our Armed Forces are equipped with the latest technology to counter emerging threats from our adversaries. Today we announce the investment in the latest in radar technology for our fighter jets and pioneering new defence systems to counter threats from drones. This demonstrates our commitment to maintaining security in the air whilst supporting highly-skilled jobs across the UK, said British Defense Minister at the Defence Procurement, Research, Technology & Exportability (DPRTE) 2020 event.
Typhoon aircraft will be equipped with next-generation radar thanks to £317-million investment that will allow it to locate, identify and suppress enemy air defences using high-powered jamming.
The integration of the new European Common Radar System (ECRS) Mk2, which is based on Active Electronically Scanned Array (AESA) technology, will provide a capability edge in the increasingly contested battlespace.
Currently fitted with mechanically-scanning radar, the Typhoon is designed to be continuously upgraded to meet operational demand no matter the challenge or threat. The ECRS Mk2 will allow the aircraft to simultaneously detect, identify and track multiple targets in the air and on the ground in the most challenging environments.
Planned to be in service by 2021, the radar development programme will sustain hundreds of highly skilled jobs, including more than 300 at Leonardo’s Edinburgh site and 100 at their Luton site; 120 at BAE Systems’ site in Lancashire and 100 at their site in Dunfermline, Fife; and 50 at sub-contractor Meggitt in Stevenage.
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