The U.K. defense ministry has announced a potential $2.79 billion investment to equip its fleet of Eurofighter Typhoon fighter jets with a new radar designed to provide pilots with situational awareness capability by enabling them to detect and track multiple ground and aerial targets.
BAE Systems will integrate the European Common Radar System Mk 2, which is being developed by Leonardo’s U.K. arm, the British government said Friday.
Andrea Thompson, managing director for Europe and International at BAE, said in a statement published Friday the Typhoon program supports more than 20,000 jobs across the U.K. and the investment recognizes the vital link between national economic prosperity and military advantage.
“It will create the next generation of engineers, manufacturers and aircraft technicians, ready to answer the challenges of tomorrow,” Thompson added.
The U.K. government said the investment will also fund the integration of new weapons, signal jamming technology, navigation system, mission computer and cockpit interface and other capabilities into the fighter aircraft toward the end of 2030 to help Typhoon pilots at the Royal Air Force counter emerging threats.
“These technological enhancements will maintain the cutting-edge capabilities of Eurofighter Typhoon and help underpin the development path towards the Future Combat Air System,” said Jeremy Quin, the U.K. government’s defense procurement minister.
The defense equipment and support within the U.K. defense ministry negotiated the investment, which will sustain over 1,300 jobs across the country, including those at sites operated by aerospace company Meggitt and semiconductor manufacturer II-VI (Nasdaq: IIVI)
