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Aviation History
2002
2002 - 1991.PDF
BEYOND BASICS Eurofighter will reach full operational capability with deliveries beginning in 2005r but enhancement planning is already under way STEWART PENNEY / WARTON & GETAFE Earlier this year, the four Eurofighter nations signed a mile stone agreement that provides the first funding for development of the multirole aircraft beyond the full operational capability (FOC) version due to begin deliveries in 2005. Plans call for Eurofighter to be delivered as an air-to-air and air-to-ground capable fighter at FOC. This will be followed by enhanced operational capability (EOC) packages - capability improvements to be introduced every two years, says an indus try source. EOCl is due in late 2006, while EOC2 should follow in late 2008. Later EOCs that fall within the Tranche 3 build programme could include major changes to the aircraft. The contract signed at Berlin by NETMA, the management agency repre senting the German, Italian, Spanish and UK governments, covers development of a new mission computer for the aircraft, while other elements of EOCl will be new radios and datalinks, which will boost interoperability, and the integration of additional air-to-ground weapons and targeting pods for precision guidance. More than one pod will be integrated, as the four air forces will almost certainly specify different equipment, reflecting the situation today, where each nation uses a different system. EOC2 will include integration of the MBDA Meteor beyond-visual-range air-to- air missile. Once EOCl and EOC2 are incorporated, Eurofighter will be able to self-target the laser-guided bombs that are due,to enter service on the aircraft in 2005, and fire long-range weaponry such as Meteor, MBDA's Storm Shadow cruise mis sile and the similar Taurus weapon IOC production Eurofighters are flying and deve lopment will continue through the aircraft's life Cover story produced by EADS's German LFK business. By signing the development contract, NETMA addressed questions being asked by potential export customers, some of which were, without evidence of funding already committed, unconvinced about development plans for the fighter beyond FOC. Some within the industry team developing the fighter were also asking if the highly developed Tranche 3 aircraft would be in existence around 2010, as planned, or if funding, and therefore development, would fizzle out during the middle years of this decade. Despite these concerns, Eurofighter sup pliers have been developing systems for EOCl and beyond for some time using pri vate funding. This, says the industry source, protects the EOC 1/2 timescales. The funding of upgrades is a major issue, with no partner wishing to help pay for another nation's wishlist: "[national capa bility] differences are now another trade off alongside engineering trade-offs. It's a question of balancing wishes against fund ing," says a Eurofighter insider. Sole funding Tranche 2 negotiations started around 18 months ago, with the four nations trying to reach a consensus so that development costs can be shared. However, if one cus tomer is determined to have a capability not required by the other three nations, there is provision for that country to fund solely the development work. "Next year, with the [Tranche 2] contract, there will be common ground [between the partner nations], with possible individual require ments," says a Eurofighter source. As a crucial element in reducing support costs and ensuring that each nation's fleet www.flightinternational.com FLIGHT INTERNATIONAL 9-15 JULY 2002 39
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