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| European Common Radar System Mark 2(ECRS Mk2) |
BAE Systems and Leonardo have been awarded a contract to develop the Active Electronically Scan Array (AESA), the European Common Radar System Mark 2 (ECRS Mk2) radar, into a standard ready to be integrated into RAF Typhoons.
It will maintain more than 600 highly skilled jobs across the country, including more than 300 at the Leonardo site in Edinburgh, more than 100 electronic warfare specialists at the company's site in Luton, and 120 engineers at the BAE Systems site in Lancashire.
The ECRS2 is a multi-function array (MFA) that will provide the UK Typhoons with world-leading Electronic Warfare capabilities, in addition to traditional radar functions, including Broadband Electronic Attack.
This will equip RAF pilots with the ability to locate, identify and suppress enemy air defenses using high-powered jamming. They can strike targets while being out of range of threats - even when they are looking the other way - and operate within range of adversary air defenses, remaining fully protected.
This game-changing capability will replace the mechanical scanning radar currently equipped with the RAF Typhoons and will ensure Britain retains the freedom to deploy air power wherever and whenever it is needed.
It also allows Typhoon to connect with future data-driven weapons to combat rapidly evolving air defenses, ensuring that British Cyclones can continue to dominate the battle space for years to come.
"This capability will enable the Typhoon to take its place in the space of future combat for decades to come, mature key technologies for future combat air systems and ensure interoperability. Apart from securing highly skilled jobs, it will retain the key skills needed to safeguard Britain. at the forefront of the global Combat Air sector. We look forward to continuing to work with Eurofighter nations and our industry partners to ensure the Typhoon meets today's needs and responds to the challenges of tomorrow. "
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| Eurofighter Typhoon |
Mark Hamilton, Senior Vice President of Electronic Warfare, Leonardo, said:
“This contract is good news for Britain, which will get the most capable combat radar in the world, and good news for British engineering. Creating, developing and building state-of-the-art technology here in the UK allows us to understand and meet the specific requirements of our Armed Forces and to secure export orders around the world, boosting the UK economy as a whole. "
The new radar will be based on Active Electronically Scan Array (AESA) technology and will provide game-changing capabilities based on the revolutionary MFA.
It has a far more Transmit-Receive Element than any other radar, making the Mk2 the most capable AESA combat radar in the world, maintaining the same power and precision of traditional radars, but also allowing simultaneous operation of the wide band Electronic Warfare functions.
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| RAF Eurofighter Typhoon |
BAE Systems, the UK's prime contractor for the Typhoon, will integrate the new sensor to be developed by Leonardo, the British defense electronics champion.
The two companies are currently working as part of a four-country development program with consortium partners Eurofighter in Germany, Spain and Italy on the base version of the AESA radar. The ECRS Mk2 is a new approach designed to meet the future operational needs of the RAF and its export customers.
The UK commitment follows similar commitments from Germany and Spain to submit their own national requirements for the AESA radar.
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