Eurofighter Typhoon

[hornetfinn]

Finally! I hope there are no more delays as AESA is definitely the most needed development for EF Typhoon. CAESAR should've been developed into operational system 15 years ago and now they should be moving to GaN variant. But better now than never!

[Scorpion82]

CAESAR was just a demonstrator, maintaining back-end components from the Tranche 2 standard engine. ECRS MK2 is essentially an all new radar with a mixture of GaA and GaN modules. But yes it's late to the party. The ECRS MK0 in service on Kuwaiti and Qatari Typhoons still features a Captor-M backwards compatible processor and receiver, albeit these LRIs have received modifications.

[disconnectedradical]

ECRS Mk.2 really has almost nothing to do with the existing Captor, it's a radically improved capability that will give British and Italian Typhoons the best AESA radar built in Europe and competitive with even the latest offerings from anywhere in the world.

I would not be surprised if this radar is also used on GCAP to reduce development costs and risks.

[hornetfinn]

CAESAR was just a demonstrator, maintaining back-end components from the Tranche 2 standard engine. ECRS MK2 is essentially an all new radar with a mixture of GaA and GaN modules. But yes it's late to the party. The ECRS MK0 in service on Kuwaiti and Qatari Typhoons still features a Captor-M backwards compatible processor and receiver, albeit these LRIs have received modifications.

Yes that true and that's why I thought it would've been good if they had done the development from CAESAR to actual operational product (ECRS MK0). That's basically similar to how Rafale got RBE2-AESA variant a decade earlier and I think EF Typhoon should've gone that way too. Of course that's most likely money issue along with difference in mission set for these aircraft.

But I think MK2 is not mixture of GaAs and GaN modules but rather that it uses hybrid modules with GaN High-Power-Amplifier and SPDT Switch and GaAs otherwise (LNA and core chip). Or maybe I misunderstood what you meant...

[Scorpion82]

This will incorporate both gallium arsenide (GaAs) and gallium nitride (GaN) semi-conductors, blending the strengths of these two different technologies to cost-effectively provide a differentiating military capability.

https://aerospaceglobalnews.com/news/advanced-frankenradar-prototype-for-typhoon/

It's from this article.

One of the problems operationalising the CAESAR would have been software development. Unlike RBE2AA which is based on the electronic scanning RBE2, the software of Captor-M is tailored for the mechanicallly scanned array, which isn't suitable for the AESA.

[viperzerof-2]

This will incorporate both gallium arsenide (GaAs) and gallium nitride (GaN) semi-conductors, blending the strengths of these two different technologies to cost-effectively provide a differentiating military capability.

https://aerospaceglobalnews.com/news/advanced-frankenradar-prototype-for-typhoon/

It's from this article.

One of the problems operationalising the CAESAR would have been software development. Unlike RBE2AA which is based on the electronic scanning RBE2, the software of Captor-M is tailored for the mechanicallly scanned array, which isn't suitable for the AESA.

True but they certainly could have developed the operational software. APG-63(v)3 uses the APG-63(v)1 backend for example, apg-80 uses some of APG-68(v)9s back end. I just think they let the program lapse after 2009 for to long.

[hornetfinn]

This will incorporate both gallium arsenide (GaAs) and gallium nitride (GaN) semi-conductors, blending the strengths of these two different technologies to cost-effectively provide a differentiating military capability.

https://aerospaceglobalnews.com/news/advanced-frankenradar-prototype-for-typhoon/

It's from this article.

One of the problems operationalising the CAESAR would have been software development. Unlike RBE2AA which is based on the electronic scanning RBE2, the software of Captor-M is tailored for the mechanicallly scanned array, which isn't suitable for the AESA.

Ok, thank you for that. That quote means they used hybrid modules with GaN High-Power-Amplifier and likely the SPDT Switch and GaAs otherwise (mostly LNA and core chip). So they won't need to design all new GaN semiconductors but can use easier, cheaper and possibly already existing GaAs semiconductors in the modules. That saves costs and lowers techological risks while getting most important benefits of GaN in high-power part of the modules. All-GaN T/R modules would have significant advantages over this hybrid solution like power efficiency, operating bandwidth, size reduction, and reliability. But it's more costly and difficult to do.

[viperzerof-2]

SETP paper on the Eurofighter with vs without strakes

[pron]

According to Eurofighter Typhoon social media Fb and Instagram Italy has signed a contract for up to 24 Eurofighter Typhoon jets, following last week’s Spanish order for 25 aircraft. The new Typhoons will replace Italy’s Tranche 1 jets.

[Sparkplug]

According to Eurofighter Typhoon social media Fb and Instagram Italy has signed a contract for up to 24 Eurofighter Typhoon jets, following last week’s Spanish order for 25 aircraft. The new Typhoons will replace Italy’s Tranche 1 jets.

It's sad that Tranche 1 can't be upgraded for a reasonable price like the F-16 and the legacy Hornet MLU. Hope that they won't make the same mistake with Tempest and the French/German SCAF.

[viperzerof-2]

https://defensearchives.com/news/luftwa ... -upgrades/

Upgrades and confirmation AMK is funded at least for German jets.

[viperzerof-2]

2005 IEE presentation on Captor AESA

[hornetfinn]

2005 IEE presentation on Captor AESA

Excellent presentation. Too bad it has taken so long (about 2 whole decades) to get AESA operational in Typhoon as technology was definitely there a lot earlier. But that would've needed orders and thus money which didn't exist.

[hornetfinn]

Eurofighter news from Germany:

https://www.bmvg.de/de/aktuelles/beschaffung-eurofighter-der-tranche-5-fuer-luftwaffe-5998542

Autotranslated:

Procurement for the Air Force

Eurofighter Tranche 5
The Budget Committee of the German Bundestag approved the procurement of additional Eurofighters in Tranche 5, including engines and spare and replacement parts. The fighter jets will be equipped with a modern radar with electronic beam scanning, the so-called EScan radar. The contract is valued at a total of approximately €3.75 billion and is to be financed from the regular defense budget. Delivery of the aircraft to the Bundeswehr is planned for the period from 2031 to 2034. The Eurofighter is the mainstay of the German combat aircraft fleet. The procurement of Tranche 5 serves to upgrade the capabilities of the aging Tornado fighter jet in the area of ​​Electronic Combat and Reconnaissance (ECR).ECRElectronic Combat and Reconnaissance) into a sustainable platform with which Germany will be able to continue toNATONorth Atlantic Treaty Organization-will fulfill its obligations.

Contract for flight and tactical simulators
For the Eurofighter weapon system, modern flight and tactical simulators are used for pilot training and continuing education, as well as for obtaining pilot licenses. These simulators allow for weather-independent and realistic training, making them an essential and cost-effective training option. This contract will improve the simulation environment and simultaneously prepare it for training in the new capabilities of future developments of the Eurofighter weapon system. The budgetary authorities of the German Bundestag have therefore approved a contract for the further development of these flight and tactical simulators. This contract also ensures that the modern EScan radar can be replicated in the simulator for training and continuing education in the future. A total of approximately €412 million has been budgeted for this project, which will be financed from the Bundeswehr Special Fund and the defense budget.

Further qualification for electronic warfare
A contract for the further capability of the Eurofighter for electronic warfare was approved. This specifically concerns the suppression of ground-based air defense. The Eurofighter is to be optimized with the AREXIS self-protection system and corresponding air-to-ground guided missiles and further enabled for electronic warfare. This will enable Germany to meet the capability requirements of theNATONorth Atlantic Treaty OrganizationThe contract approved by the Budget Committee continues to provide for the procurement ofElectronic warfareElectronic warfareComponents for test facilities at the Eurofighter System Support Center are being proposed. The development of the project requires approximately €1.13 billion in funding. The procurement of the components is estimated at approximately €82 million. The project, scheduled to run until 2033, will be financed from the Bundeswehr Special Fund and the regular defense budget.

Armor-piercing ammunition
The Bundestag budget also approved a procurement contract for armor-piercing ammunition. This ammunition is fired by the onboard cannons of the Tornado and Eurofighter fighter jets, as well as by naval light guns. These are so-called frangible armor piercing (FAP) cartridges with a caliber of 27 x 145 millimeters, which are fired at a high rate. The ammunition is primarily used to engage ground targets. It is needed for training and maintaining the operational readiness of the crew. This procurement measure, scheduled to run until 2027, costs approximately 53 million euros. The project is financed from the Bundeswehr Special Fund.

This was for 20 Eurofighters IIRC.

[hornetfinn]

Jesus, what is this?

https://x.com/nexta_tv/status/1982861434091376673

More info here:

https://www.gov.uk/government/news/20000-uk-jobs-secured-as-turkiye-buys-20-typhoon-jets-in-biggest-fighter-jet-deal-in-a-generation

Press release

20,000 UK jobs secured as Türkiye buys 20 Typhoon jets in biggest fighter jet deal in a generation

Thousands of skilled UK jobs have been secured for years to come as the UK and Türkiye sign a deal worth up to £8 billion for 20 UK Typhoon fighter jets – the biggest fighter jet exports deal in a generation.

8 billion pounds for 20 Typhoons? That's more than half a billion US$ for a single Typhoon. Even with the most generous weapons package and service contract ever, that's insane number. Interestingly it seems that the aircraft will be built in Britain and not in Türkiye as I would've expected for such a price.