Major Eurofighter deal for BAE

BAE Systems in Lancashire is set to benefit from a major contract to carry out improvements to the Eurofighter Typhoon.

The programme involves work on the jet’s radar and flight control systems, and on the technology it uses to help it evade attack.

BAE’s 10,000 staff at Samlesbury and Warton in Lancashire will manufacture parts and carry out final assembly work.

The value of the contract was not disclosed but it will involve BAE staff until the end of 2015.

The deal was signed between the Eurofighter consortium’s partner companies and NETMA, an organisation representing the nations which fly Typhoon, on Wednesday at the Seoul International Aerospace and Defence Exhibition 2013 in Seoul, South Korea.

The four-nation Eurofighter is made up of Cassidian in Germany and Spain, Alenia Aermacchi/Finmeccanica in Italy and BAE Systems. It has seven customers – Germany, UK, Italy, Spain, Austria, Saudi Arabia and Oman – with 719 aircraft under contract and a further 571 on order.

Alberto Gutierrez, chief executive of Eurofighter, said: “The signature of this contract represents a significant milestone for what is known as the Phase 2 Enhancement programme for the Eurofighter Typhoon. It brings with it a whole raft of enhancements designed to ensure the capability package we offer our customers is the best on offer anywhere in the world.”