PROGRAMME NEWS & FEATURES JUNE 2020 - Eurofighter Typhoon
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PROGRAMME NEWS & FEATURES
JUNE 2020
The Best Is Still To Come
Southern Defenders
Solid In Defence
EUROFIGHTER EVOLUTION
2020 · EUROFIGHTER WORLD 2020 · EUROFIGHTER WORLD 3
E U R O F I G H T E R PROGRAMME NEWS & FEATURES
JUNE 2020
CONTENTS
The Best Is Still To Come
PROGRAMME NEWS & FEATURES
Southern Defenders
Solid In Defence
JUNE 2020
EUROFIGHTER EVOLUTION
Cover: A pilot of the 4th Wing inside the
Eurofighter cabin during the last TLP 2020-1
course held in Albacete (Spain) in February.
During the training, the Typhoon pilots work
towards the mission commander
qualification.
Eurofighter World is published by
4 THE BEST IS STILL TO COME 24 PILOT VIEWPOINT
Eurofighter Jagdflugzeug GmbH Eurofighter GmbH CEO, Herman Claesen reveals the Test pilot Luke Gili-Ross takes us inside the cockpit during crucial flight
PR & Communications exciting future prospects for Eurofighter. evaluations and reveals how the best stay cool under pressure.
Am Söldnermoos 17, 85399 Hallbergmoos
Tel: +49 (0) 811-80 1587
communications@eurofighter.com
Editorial Team
Tony Garner 6 ALTERED STATES 32 ROUND-UP
Mark Ritson
Luca Accinni
Find out how Eurofighter will be constantly evolved to Covid Heroes and Display Pilot Dean Rogers.
tackle a world where threats are mutating and multiplying.
Contributors
Airbus Defence and Space
BAE Systems
LEONARDO 36 SOLID IN DEFENCE
Viva PR
10 NEWS ROUND-UP Leonardo’s Phil Liddiard explains what’s in store for the Eurofighter’s
Photography Kuwait aircraft first flight, Davos defenders. defensive capabilities in a world where threats rapidly evolve.
Eurofighter Jagdflugzeug GmbH
Eurofighter Partner Companies
UK MOD Crown
Antonio J Jiménez Santana 40 NEWS ROUND-UP
Giovanni Colla
14 PRIZE FIGHTS Award for TyTAN team, New ITAF squadron, Tetris.
As Finland and Switzerland weigh up their combat aircraft
Design & Production
images.art.design. Werbeagentur GmbH
options, our special report from expert insiders looks at
www.iad-design.de how Eurofighter is shaping up.
Printed by
ESTA Druck GmbH
www.esta-druck.de
18 SOUTHERN DEFENDERS
Our exclusive insight goes on location to look at the work
of the Italian Air Force 37° Stormo and the 18° Gruppo at
Eurofighter World on the Internet
www.eurofighter.com Trapani Air Base.
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If you would like to request additional copies of
Eurofighter World, please contact the
PR & Communications Department:
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JUNE 2020
4 2020 · EUROFIGHTER WORLD THE BEST IS STILL TO COME THE BEST IS STILL TO COME 2020 · EUROFIGHTER WORLD 5
5
OUR BEST YEARS
trust and commitment in the programme — system enhancements. These will improve
and both will be part of our future. the aircraft’s processing capability, increase
its agility to introduce new capability and
EVALUATING THE EXPORT enhance the operator interface using latest
ARE STILL AHEAD
MARKET technologies.
While discussions with existing customers All of this is being developed with the
on augmenting their respective fleets con- next generation air combat system in mind.
tinue, we have also successfully completed Not only will Eurofighter be a technology
flight evaluations in Finland and Switzerland. maturation platform for the future fighter, it
These trials confirmed Typhoon’s will also have to co-operate seamlessly with
strength from a capability point of view, a next generation air combat solution. We
and both of these potential customers have aim to deliver the best possible air combat
noted the comparatively small support foot- capability by harnessing the innovative tech-
print directly contributing to more affordable nologies that will protect our nations while
operating cost. strengthening Europe’s future prosperity.
Of course, whenever we take part in
these global competitions, we are in a THE MATURING E-SCAN PICTURE
highly competitive environment, but the We have already made significant advanc-
Eurofighter offering is strong — and by that es in the maturation of E-Scan. This will
I’m not purely thinking in terms of capability offer a step change in capability — with a
but also politically and importantly, credible class-leading wide field of regard offering
industrial offerings underpinning a strong significant benefits in both the air-to-air and
economic dimension. air-to-surface domains. The large power
Recognising the four-nation collabora- and aperture will provide pilots with much
tive nature of the Eurofighter programme; enhanced coverage compared to other
from day one, the Eurofighter programme solutions.
has built its solutions on the best balance We flew the first Kuwaiti production
between politics, sovereignty, budgets and aircraft equipped with the entry into service
operational capability. Eurofighter therefore standard of E-Scan and the newest P3Eb
is THE role model for European defence weapon system standard in December 2019
collaboration. and completed a further series of test flights
People try to compare us directly with in March this year.
other aircraft but that would be to ignore Our E-Scan development and test pro-
the fact that the Eurofighter programme is gramme is already intense, and throughout
so much more. It forges political, industrial 2020 there will be a number of technical
and operational relationships; our opera- maturity milestones to complete.
Eurofighter GmbH CEO, tors have more ownership of the asset and As well as forming the entry into service
our air forces are much more connect- level for Kuwait and subsequently Qatar Air
Herman Claesen, discusses ed. In short, there’s a whole Eurofighter Forces, the E-Scan programme will also be
eco-system that you are part of which has the foundation for the early embodiment of
how Europe’s future air power collaboration at its heart. These are the kind the solution on Typhoon for the German and
of things you simply don’t get if you buy Spanish Air Forces.
requirements and something ‘off the peg’.
COLLABORATION AT OUR HEART
Typhoon’s future capability journey are EVOLVING CAPABILITY Effective collaboration has been our
Of course, deals for new aircraft represent bedrock and remains at the heart of what
converging. just one side of the equation — the other is we are. Already the most successful Euro-
capability. Here again we have a number of pean defence programme ever, Eurofighter
major enhancement programmes running. is the benchmark for collaboration across
E
urofighter is already the most success- software. In addition Eurofighter is already able to carry a very the continent.
ful European defence project ever. But both Germany and impressive array of air-to-air and air-to- Our core nations all believe firmly the
anyone who believes that Eurofighter Spain are expected to place a ground weapons. In addition to this we importance of a strong Europe in terms of
has reached its peak could not be more contract this year to implement the new will shortly be introducing our first E-scan defence and security and the Eurofighter
mistaken — the truth is the best years are E-scan radar in their fleet. variant into the Typhoon fleet. This will be Typhoon programme plays an important role
yet to come. These plans clearly demonstrate Ger- one of the most powerful and capable air in supporting this objective. All four nations
Right now, we have a number of exciting many’s ambitions to significantly advance tailed talks in combat radars available on the market have a strong commitment to NATO and see
opportunities. There are serious prospects, the Luftwaffe capability and their trust and due course on how this require- and will significantly enhance our weapon their defence and security relationships with
both in terms of more sales and future commitment to not only the Eurofighter ment can be satisfied. systems capability. European states, as critically important.
capability developments. programme, the aircraft and its capability, However, the need for more aircraft And in parallel, last year we announced Yes, the Eurofighter programme delivers
You only have to look to our core nations but also clearly supporting the European to be manufactured doesn’t stop here. a study of the Long-Term Evolution (LTE) of economic benefits to the core nations and
to understand that sales landscape. Defence industry. We also received a ‘Request for Quotation’ the aircraft to ensure it will continue to be industry, but it also forges political alliances
Germany is ready to replace its entire Germany is also looking to replace its from the Spanish government to provide part of the backbone of NATO air defenc- — alliances which create mutual benefits
fleet of Tranche 1 Eurofighters, in excess Tornado fleet. I firmly believe that Eurofight- an offer to commence replacement of their es to 2060 and beyond. The LTE study is and underpin the strength of Europe as a
of 30 aircraft under its Project Quadriga er is the country’s best choice. We will be F-18 fleet which are fast approaching the now taking shape, and we are entering into positive influencer globally, specifically on
programme. These will be replaced by new- continuing to support the German nation end of their life. conversations with our customers about security.
build latest standard Tranche 3 aircraft that with information to support their assess- Since the very beginning of Eurofighter, finalising a detailed programme of mission
will include the E-Scan radar and updated ments and we look forward to entering de- both Germany and Spain have shown great
6 2020 · EUROFIGHTER WORLD A LT E R E D S TAT E S A LT E R E D S TAT E S 2020 · EUROFIGHTER WORLD 7
An evolving Eurofighter makes sense for a number of
EVERYTHING reasons, says Typhoon pilot and Weapons Instructor
Daniel Krueger.
CHANGES
E
verything changes. Threats mutate Looking to the near horizon, the capa-
and multiply. Technology shifts and bility roadmap envisages the embodiment
data is exploding. The way wars are of E-Scan radar and the next enhance-
fought, and territory defended, is altering. ment, P4E. However, to ensure Eurofighter
And so, the question is, ‘Where does remains flying and is still relevant into the
Eurofighter Typhoon fit into this?’ 2060s, the evolution beyond P4E needs to
The answer is simple: Eurofighter is be mapped out. And that’s what’s taking
constantly evolving too. place now.
More specifically, ideas around a future
vision for Typhoon are taking shape and key Getting to grips with future needs
aspects that can be delivered have started From a logical standpoint we need to con-
to be identified. tinue the Eurofighter evolution journey but
Agreement on an evolved Eurofighter will no-one can anticipate exactly what might be
secure a number of things: the operational needed for the 2050s and beyond. Nobody
sovereignty for European nations, our core knows what the threat environment will look
engineering minds, and defence industrial like then.
base, along with all the economic benefits What we do know for certain today is
that brings. With every Euro spent in Eu- that Eurofighter offers huge growth poten-
rope, the investment stays in the European tial, in terms of connectivity and the ability
economy. to fully exploit current and future sensors.
In parallel, the evolution of Eurofighter Unlocking that potential is key to ensuring
will deliver the best possible technology that the aircraft stays as relevant in the
path towards future air domain security for decades ahead as it is today.
the region. And it represents a cost-effec- While the detail grows increasingly hazy
tive technology route towards FCAS capa- the further out you project, some of the
bility; while ensuring evolving 6th-generation core characteristics required to retain rele-
system compatibility. vance as threats evolve are already coming
clearly into view. These include battlefield
Where are we now? awareness, interoperability, connectivity,
Right now, Typhoon plays a key role in se- flexible firepower and cyber-resilience.
curing the defence of Europe, with more than If that shopping list represents a future
500 aircraft defending the skies over Europe, commander’s base requirements, the next
and realistic hopes for more sales, as several question is: what are the fundamental
European nations are looking at the potential enablers that will help transform it from a
of Typhoon for the defence of their countries wish list to a done deal?
and Europe. Even today From a pilot’s perspective, you’d say
Eurofighter is Europe’s largest and most suc- that in complex air-to-air and air-to-ground
cessful defence collaboration programme. scenarios, you will need 360-degree,
It supports more than 100,000 highly-skilled time-sensitive battlefield awareness. You’ll
jobs across 400 companies in Europe. need connectivity for tactical operations,
And, during combat operations like Op- decision-making and data/imagery sharing.
During combat eration Shader over Syria and Iraq, and air In addition, with so much reliance on data,
policing operations in the Baltics, Eurofight- you will need incredibly secure cyber-resil-
operations and air er has proved its operational strengths, with ience. And, at the end of the day, you will
policing operations in hugely positive feedback from operators. still need to be able to call on flexible and
Their opinion is clear and unambiguous, as scalable firepower.
the Baltics, Eurofighter Eurofighter has climbed up the capability Hence, in order to make Eurofighter fit
has proved its curve, through the addition of weapons like for the future, you have to look at certain
operational strengths, Paveway IV, Storm Shadow, Meteor, Brim- enablers — many of these are going to be
stone II, and other elements of a ‘Phased’ required in the future on all kinds of assets,
with hugely positive enhancement programme, the aircraft has not just Eurofighter.
feedback from evolved in the right direction.
operators.
8 2020 · EUROFIGHTER WORLD A LT E R E D S TAT E S A LT E R E D S TAT E S 2020 · EUROFIGHTER WORLD 9
It means boosting the onboard process- FIREPOWER AND OPERATIONAL EXPLOITATION OF SENSOR The processing power and the sensors A Common Core with Inbuilt
ing capacity to a high level to be able to FLEXIBILITY TECHNOLOGY provide information which drive towards a Flexibility
cope with all the new technology and infor- Next up is firepower and operational flexi- Other key areas include faster sensor man- very increased battlefield awareness. You While there is an emerging common thread
mation that will be gathered by a range of bility. To fulfil a complex task with minimal agement, self-protection kit and increased need a way to display this. In short, to truly of national requirements, each national
more sophisticated sensors, both on board reaction time you have to be able to maxim- battlefield awareness. That means: the exploit new sensors you need a large area air force might also have its own specific
and elsewhere, like for example, from a ise and optimise what you have on the jet. introduction of multi-core processing, high display. needs. That’s normal and Eurofighter has
forward air controller. It also means having Eurofighter already has a very impressive speed data network, further exploitation proven to be flexible in the past, indeed its
the capability to elaborate on, present and set of weapons but in the future we are of our Defensive Aids Sub-System (DASS), Generations flexibility is one of its strengths.
share data. It means having an ability to also looking into electronic attack and other new cockpit technologies like a larger Eurofighter’s evolution is a continuous It’s therefore important that any en-
carry a wide variety of weapons and, often, mission roles. It will offer a much wider and display, and a new helmet display, Striker transition. The jet will be flying and relevant hancements that go onto the aircraft are
using them in the same mission. scalable spectrum of effect. 2, which is about to be integrated. We are until 2060 and beyond, playing a key role in as scalable as possible. Initially, nations
The way we use those kinetic effects What’s envisaged is a Eurofighter that’s also looking into the provision for app- the future battlespace alongside any future will agree a common baseline and they are
should be scalable. The pilot should be able as flexible as possible, one that can carry based programming of the jet. combat air system. currently making progress on this. Part of
to choose from the aircraft gun, up to a more and has fewer constraints in terms of The latter means restructuring the mis- Indeed, a number of technologies ideas the thinking behind the current evolution
2000lb bomb, and be able to release these its flight envelope. Ultimately, that envis- sion architecture in order to enable an app- and solutions currently being earmarked study is to identify the common develop-
different weapons in any way he needs. ages a future where you are able to hang based enhancement. This would potentially for these 6th Gen Combat Systems can be ment threads and examine how these can
whatever is needed for a particular mission open the door for national specialists to matured on Typhoon and then evolve into a be scaled.
What does this mean in terms of under each wing. programme the jet and give a nation a spe- future combat air system. For example, the There’s a high degree of interdependen-
capabilities An increase in the number of missiles cific requirement. large area cockpit display. Putting that onto cy here too. For example, the arrival of an
on the aircraft is also being looked at. This idea of flexibility is being addressed Eurofighter will allow the industry partners E-Scan will give the pilot more accurate
INFORMATION SUPERIORITY Consider this: a configuration with up to in the planning stage. All of the enhance- to gain experience about how to integrate it target data and hence you can better
Let’s start with the end in mind: informa- 16 air-to-air missiles and also 14 air- and take this knowledge onto a 6th-gener- employ your weapons. But to carry all the
tion superiority. That’s what any pilot or to-surface weapons. That’s ation fighter. weapon configurations you might want, you
any commander needs in order to hold an fully exploiting the Other examples include high-speed data would need an aerodynamic modification kit.
advantage over an adversary. capability of the networks and multi-core processing, both
What does that mean? Well, consider Eurofighter. key aspects where gaining experience, via
this, the air domain will once again become As a pilot I Eurofighter embodiment, will have important
a contested one and there will be increas- believe there will be a spin-offs for bringing those features to a
ingly complex operations, featuring a range future requirement for an aircraft future system.
of connected assets, meaning scenarios that just has its boxing gloves on. Yes,
become ever more dynamic. To operate it's nice to have a sensor monster, but you
effectively in this new world, you will need need one with a powerful jab too.
information at hand and be in a position to This flexibility would also increase a
use it first. A prerequisite of this is con- pilot’s fighting time in the battlespace
nectivity. You need to be able to ‘talk’ and available. To aid this development, ways of
share your information across multiple increasing fuel loads with new extended
domains of air, land, sea and space. range tanks, and more fuel stations, are
You have to have reach back capability, being looked at.
where you communicate with your deci- It would maximise Typhoon’s firepower FACTS AND FIGURES:
sion-makers and give them the information while still fully exploiting the potential of the
needed to make a tactically sound decision. aircraft, because what doesn’t change is
And fast. We are talking seconds. Eurofighter’s world-beating characteristics
Information superiority also means — its extreme high thrust-to-weight ratio, its
having better target fidelity. Quite simply, power and its agility. 623 aircraft ordered – Europe’s largest military collaborative programme
the more precise the data, the better the
weapon effect. And, to get to this point
In short, more weapons, and an ability
to carry a greater variety of weapons,
More than 525,000 flying hours achieved
requires data fusion — supplying the pilot means greater operational flexibility. That’s 97% mission availability during Unified Protector 2011 (Libya)
in any split second ALL the most relevant one of the reasons why pilots want to have
information. Easy to say — getting to that a Typhoon flying by their side. 99.4% mission availability during Baltic Air Policing 2015
state is quite a process. Then there are improvements that will
So, there’s a clear requirement for extend the lifetime of the aircraft both in ments are envisaged as scalable options, Current deployment over Baltics and Middle East
enhancing Eurofighter’s computing capacity
in order to fully exploit the new sensor
terms of flying hours and flying years. that the nations might elect to do it or just
go for part of this technical solution accord-
Over 300 yearly flying hours per jet
technology.
Coupled with that we are also looking
ing to their national requirements.
But it's clear that new sensor technol-
Eurofighter is the backbone of NATO Quick Reaction Alert over Europe
at a redesign of the cockpit — again this is ogy, like E-Scan radar, will have a high Combat-proven during operations over Libya, Syria and Iraq
in part being driven by a desire to unlock demand on the data network on the aircraft
the full potential of new sensors like E-Scan and need processing power to fully exploit More than 10,000 hours flown, over 800 precision-guided ammunition
radar. These are essential steps to ensuring
Eurofighter’s role as a force multiplier is
them. So a common baseline, including
the safety critical items, would have to be dropped in missions, during operation Shader by UK RAF
utilised to the max. agreed.
10 2020 · EUROFIGHTER WORLD NEWS ROUND-UP NEWS ROUND-UP 2020 · EUROFIGHTER WORLD 11
LEONARDO ISPA 6 TESTAIRCRAFT planned evidences were collected in order
to best contribute to the path towards final
COMPLETES THE E-SCAN RADAR clearance for the Kuwaiti customer.
Notably, the E-Scan XCR#1 campaign
ENTRY INTO SERVICE FLIGHT
highly benefited from the ISPA 6’s permit to
fly granted by the Italian National Aviation
Authority and the other Partner Nations
TEST CAMPAIGN within just a few days from the receipt of
clearance documentation. This was the first
time in Eurofighter history in which permis-
sion has been granted so quickly demon-
O
n the 23rd of December 2019, the scanned (E-Scan) radar, which is being strating full commitment from the wider
first Instrumented Series Produc- designed and produced by the EuroRADAR Typhoon community on the Programme.
tion Aircraft (ISPA 6) equipped with consortium, led by Leonardo in Edinburgh, With the successful conclusion of the
the Kuwait Air Force configuration has UK. The aircraft is currently allocated to the E-Scan XCR#1 flights, ISPA 6 has also
successfully completed its first flight at the Eurofighter/NETMA Phase 3 Enhancements completed the broader P3Eb flight test
Flight Test Centre of the Leonardo Aircraft Package b (P3Eb) development programme campaign. Nevertheless, the aircraft will
Division in Turin-Caselle. to perform E-Scan Entry Into Service (EIS) continue flying in July and August in order
To accomplish this achievement, an flight tests and provide clearances for to perform final E-scan software certifica-
Italian Air Force Typhoon (IT 014) went Kuwait, which has ordered 28 Typhoon tion flights for Kuwaiti Initial EIS-standard
through a radical modification process in aircraft. aircraft as to support the initial deliveries
the Caselle Plant ultimately being named In March the aircraft completed the of Typhoon to Kuwait.
the Instrumented Series Production Aircraft “E-Scan XCR#1” flight test campaign, per- Production of Kuwaiti Typhoons com-
6 (ISPA 6). forming seven sorties between the 3rd and menced at Leonardo’s Turin-Caselle site in
ISPA 6 represents the latest technologi- the 27th March, also in partnership with May 2019. To this day, eight aircraft started
cal evolution of the Eurofighter Typhoon test two Italian Air Force Typhoons. their final assembly processes. KT001, the
fleet, having the most sophisticated weapon This challenging programme was com- first aircraft of the batch, is now undergoing
system on board. In fact, ISPA 6 is one of pleted on schedule, despite the difficulties electromagnetic compatibility (EMC) testing
the three Typhoon test aircraft currently posed by the global COVID-19 pandemic: and the other aircraft will follow soon.
equipped with the Captor-E electronically all flight test points were completed and all
AUSTRIAN TYPHOONS PROVIDE
DAVOS PROTECTION
THE FAMILY BUSINESS
O
n March 27th 1994, 5-year-old Jan “Flying has been in my blood almost
E
Kramer went ‘to work’ with his father from the day I started to walk,” says urofighter aircraft from Austria’s Bundesheer
Christian Kläsener, Eurofighter’s Luftwaffe pilot Captain Kramer. “Naturally, secured Austrian airspace during the World
Manager Flight Ops and Capabilities. It was with my father working for Eurofighter I was “There’s always been a unique con- Economic Forum in Davos last week. The Eurofighter
a special day in European aviation history inspired to get involved in the industry in nection with the Eurofighter programme Typhoon jets were on hand to secure the annual event in
and one that would change young Jan’s life some capacity from the very beginning. because my dad was so intimately involved. Switzerland, under the auspices of the newly-created Air
forever. The trip was to the Airbus factory I was only five when my dad took me to One time when I flew in one of the aircraft Force Command named Operation Dädalus.
in Manching where the pair witnessed the witness the maiden flight.” from Nörvenich for the 400-hour inspection,
first flight of the Eurofighter. Fast forward Jan’s decision to become a pilot came I texted him the day before and suggested
25 years and today Jan is a Captain in during fifth grade when he started looking meeting up there. That was a very special
the German Air Force, flying Eurofighter into getting into one of the squadrons. Over moment for us. It was a once-in-a-lifetime
Typhoon jets. time the dream turned into reality. chance to meet up and do business.”
THE BIG PICTURE Royal Air Force Typhoon pilots from RAF Coningsby in Lincolnshire continue their operational training whether it be for Quick Reaction Alert in the UK or the Falklands or deployed international operations such as SHADER in the Middle East. © UK MOD Crown Copyright 2020
14 2020 · EUROFIGHTER WORLD PRIZE FIGHTS PRIZE FIGHTS 2020 · EUROFIGHTER WORLD 15
Franz Posch, CEO, DS Schweiz Airbus, sovereign capability and need to be able to
and John Rossall, HX Campaign Director, act independently. Hence the importance of
BAE Systems, understand each other’s the sovereignty issue.
roles well. The two men respectively lead
the Swiss and Finnish campaigns on behalf ENDURING CAPABILITY
of the Eurofighter partners. Both nations want confidence that their
chosen platform will be flying and support-
SOVEREIGNTY AND MISSION DATA ed into the 2060s. Eurofighter is a phenom-
“Sovereignty is key to our offers in Finland enal platform, with a fantastic structure and
and Switzerland,” says John. “It’s an impor- very powerful engines. And it's got potential
tant but complex issue but one way to help for growth in those two areas. The military
understand it is thinking about it in terms capability is changing its sensors, its weap-
of a social media. A couple of years ago, ons. 2060 is important but both nations
people didn't understand that Facebook want to understand the Eurofighter capabil-
or Instagram could hold and use all their ity road map that will ensure its relevance
personal data unless they ticked a box. Nor throughout its years in service.
did they realise that these companies could John Rossall (left), HX Campaign Director, BAE
pass this data on to marketing companies Systems and Franz Posch, CEO, DS Schweiz STRONG EUROPEAN FOOTPRINT
or whomever. Today society is much more Airbus, This notion is becoming more and more im-
aware and eager to protect personal data. portant. From a Finnish perspective, Finland
“If you think about how important your It's sensors, it's data and your ability to is a very pro Europe nation. Part of being a
personal data is, then consider it in terms access the 1s and 0s and analyse them European solution means collaboration is in
of a nation’s military and security data then and use them. That’s really what you’re our core.
PARALLEL LINES
you can see how imperative the protection buying. All the hardware does is collects It’s a similar story in Switzerland. Says
and sovereign control of data is. The collab- that data — if you don't control that, if you Franz: “We are proud to point to Eurofighter
orative nature of the Eurofighter programme can’t defend yourself against the threat and as the European solution because we offer
and the core nations ensure new partners you can’t direct your complex weapons to common training, common exercises with
are equipped to collect and exploit their a target, then all you’re left with is a very the partner nations, while also allowing the
sovereign data. The ability to do this is expensive bit of kit that you might not even Swiss to retain the ability to operate their
unique to European offers, the speed, and be able to fly.” fleet independently.
programmability and therefore usefulness is “Sometimes Eurofighter is misunder-
unique to Eurofighter. SECURITY OF SUPPLY stood and viewed simply as a product.
What we are talking about is being able Both nations put a strong emphasis on The truth is that it's really Europe's biggest
to assess the data you're collecting and use security of supply and software. They both multinational defence programme. We have
it to defeat threats. Eurofighter will allow respect the fact that they have to have four core nations behind it, we've got three
Finland and Switzerland are both running competitions for new combat you access to your data and access to
your sensors so you can adapt them to the
of the biggest defence companies in Eu-
rope behind it. If you want to compete in F1
aircraft. The next 12 months will be crucial as decision day looms. While both threat. Essentially, it allows you to do things
you need to do to gain a military advantage.
you don't buy simply an F1 car, you need to
be part of a team.”
nations have very specific requirements, there are a number of similarities. If you don't have sovereign control of your
data, then you've got to seriously question
Both are looking to replace ageing fleets of F-18s, both nations are working your ability to sustain military credibility now
and in the future.
to broadly similar timeframes, both put a very strong “What we demonstrated clearly in
Finland was that Eurofighter was able
emphasis on running a fair contest, and both Finland and Switzerland to identify potential threats and then
the planner was able to reprogram the
represent an opportunity for mission data, provide it back to the air-
craft. This is how it knows how to deal with
future Eurofighter sales. threats. The unique thing about Eurofighter,
is that it can be turned around on a sortie
by sortie.”
John says this message around sover-
eignty and mission data is starting to land.
“Let’s face it, we’re talking about titanium,
carbon fibre, and two phenomenal engines.
But the crucial element is all the 1s and 0s.
TWO NATIONS, TWO CAMPAIGNS, BUT SEVERAL COMMON THEMES
16 2020 · EUROFIGHTER WORLD PRIZE FIGHTS PRIZE FIGHTS 2020 · EUROFIGHTER WORLD 17
SWITZERLAND of different weapon configurations, so they
could get a feel of what's possible in differ-
are part of the UK RAF’s requirements and
will be embodied prior to when deliveries
ent scenarios. are due to commence.”
WHAT IT WANTS A KEY ISSUE THE PROCESS SO FAR
Switzerland needs to replace its ageing Lifecycle costs are crucial, says Franz: “A “We submitted an RFQ response in 2019
fleet of F-5s and F-18s, which are planned support audit took place last year. Switzer- and a revised RFQ response on 31st Jan-
to be phased out between 2025 and 2030. land is particularly interested in the lifecycle uary 2020. We are continually developing
The contest started with a Request for costs of whatever they finally end up the solution that we'll finally offer with the
Proposal in 2018, which was focused on procuring and how you operate your aircraft Finnish customer and this process will go
the capabilities they were looking for from a over time. One of the reasons for this is that up until the end of May this year (some pro-
replacement. Switzerland will be the last nation flying F-18 gramme changes may result from Covid 19).
Switzerland is a neutral state, not a as it’s more or less at the end of its lifecy- Then they will produce their Best and Final
member of NATO, and its major task is air cle. As such they're having to invest heavily Offer documentation, which we will respond
policing, but in ‘intense situations’ they in order to keep their F-18 fleet operating. to,” says John.
want to be able to defend their airspace. They’ve found it's very expensive at the end Finland has carried out cold weather
Switzerland is asking for 36 aircraft in of the lifecycle if you're the only user left. flight evaluation trials where they operated
full condition, with everything included in Hence recent pronouncements stating that the Eurofighter at base for the week. But
their package. They also want to have a sin- Eurofighter will be flown beyond 2060 are there are other evaluations too, including
gle price for four additional aircraft and the very important for Switzerland, because simulator trials which will be used to verify
budget is 6 billion Swiss francs. Switzerland they don't want to be in the same situation some of the things we've offered in our
is asking for an offset commitment of 60% again.” proposal.
of the purchase price.
“The good thing is Switzerland has very WHAT’S NEXT? KEY ISSUES
clear requirements, a confirmed budget, a In January this year the Swiss team 1. Support: On the support side the UK has
clear and well-defined evaluation process.” received the RFP Part 2 which puts the demonstrated through TyTAN that it can
Interestingly they are asking for a solution focus on what it will actually deliver, and provide high availability at a low operating
that is very similar to the solution that Ger- this proposal has to be delivered by August cost, and an availability-style contract will
many is introducing. This Swiss Eurofighter 19th — it’s the Best and Final Offer (BAFO) be proposed at the sustainment phase. But
would be almost exactly the same. stage. Says Franz: “That’s it until Type we'll do that in partnership with the Finnish
Selection and this will be made in Quarter military and industry.
THE PROCESS SO FAR 1, 2021. However, the final details on fleet “We will transfer as much MRO (Mainte-
Last year the competition moved into a sizing, weapons and mission equipment will nance, Repair and Overhaul) capability as
key stage — the Flight Evaluation Phase. be taken after the Type Selection.” we possibly can to Finland, to be as close
Explains Franz: “The flight trials are a huge The final decision will be made on the to the operator as possible. That means the
effort and carry lasting significance. In minister's level of all seven ministers be- operators can deliver the maximum military
effect, all the things we had claimed in the cause it's a strategic decision. It's not only capability possible; provide the means to
proposal had to be demonstrated in the about the product. It's about a partnership, drive platform availability; therefore air-
flight evaluations. We mainly used UK Eu- their security relationships, and this is a planes are available for flying the missions.
rofighter jets, but supplemented those with very important factor in the process. By providing support as close the aircraft
a German Eurofighter because they had as possible we will also need to provide
different software configurations, and used CAN WE WIN? airworthiness and engineering support –
both. We needed both variants to really Our strong belief is that we have a very which we can and will do.”
show exactly what’s available.” stable solution.
2. Sovereignty: Eurofighter will provide
HOW HAS EUROFIGHTER FARED? Finland with sovereign control of their own
FINLAND
“We flew all the missions and performed all mission data. That’s a key USP in both
the tasks they gave us. We had a two-seat- these competitions.
er aircraft and they sat in the back in order
to get a direct view. They were also flying WHAT’S NEXT?
alongside us using their own F-18s to see WHAT IT WANTS A decision is due around April 2021.
close up what we are doing. After the flights Finland too is looking for replacements for
the pilots took part in extensive debriefings. its F-18 fleet and delivery timescales are CAN WE WIN?
The whole effort was carried out in a hugely similar, with deliveries required between Both nations want Yes. Eurofighter was designed to be a
professional way from both sides. There are 2025 and 2030. Finland’s primary require- confidence that their phenomenal air superiority fighter. The
very strict rules governing the process but ment is to defend its territory. Eurofighter Centurion Programme transferred air-to-
the result was that the customer was really is fast, it can fly high and carry an array chosen platform surface capabilities to Eurofighter that made
satisfied.” of advanced weaponry, and that’s exactly will be flying and it a world beating multi/swing-role fighter.
The Swiss evaluations highlighted anoth- what you need when you have a threat in Investment in Eurofighter, that will intro-
er Eurofighter strength: reliability. “We took your airspace.
supported into the duce new complex weapons, expand the
an Airbus A400M loaded with spare parts It has a budget of 10 billion euros and 2060s. Eurofighter is a flying envelope, enhance its sensors and
to Switzerland for the trial, but we didn’t wants full value for every cent spent. phenomenal platform, person-machine interfaces make Eurofighter
need a single screw, which showed them Says John: “Finland has identified a a very strong capability for Finland. Add
Eurofighter’s high reliability.” number of scenarios which they need to de- with a fantastic the military capability to the political and
In addition to the live flying, the Swiss feat. The configuration of Eurofighter we will structure and very industrial partnership in Europe and Euro-
team also carried out simulator trials in propose, will include capabilities that are fighter wins.
Germany and the UK, looking at a number not currently on the aircraft today, but they
powerful engines.
18 2020 · EUROFIGHTER WORLD SOUTHERN DEFENDERS SOUTHERN DEFENDERS 2020 · EUROFIGHTER WORLD 19
SOUTHERN A
s soon as you enter the 18° Gruppo’s Technical Service), in line with the “The crews and aircraft have responded
DEFENDERS
building you’re taken back in time. 18° Squadron Commander. The STR auton- well in all their operations. The deployment
The pictures on the walls trace the omously ensures all 1st and 2nd Technical in Kuwait, under the aegis of the Inherent
key milestones of a unit that was established Level maintenance tasks. The squadron Resolve/Prima Parthica operation confirmed,
in 1917. The history of the squadron is slight- is supported by the 936th GEA of the 36th at an international level, the ability of our
ly peculiar; periodically reborn when needs Wing of Gioia del Colle, for some 2nd level aircraft to be able to operate both in the
require and disappearing when they end. maintenance. This reduces technical time air-to-air and air-to-ground domains or more
and encourages efficient decision-making, precisely, in the role of reconnaissance. A
PROMINENCE OF TRAPANI which in turn guarantees greater efficien- clear example of this was the simultaneous
That said, the geo-strategic importance of cy and flight hours. In fact, the squadron redeployment of the Eurofighter in Kuwait
Trapani-Birgi Air Base in Sicily was highlight- produces about 2000 flight hours every year, and Romania, where it carried out the
ed by the 2011 Libyan crisis when the air with very high reliability. surveillance of Romanian airspace on behalf
The Italian Air Force’s Trapani Air Base is home to the 37° Stormo and base provided vital support for air opera-
tions. During the crisis many believed that THE MISSION
of NATO.”
the 18° Gruppo. It is one of the most important geo-strategic hubs in the end of operations in Libya would leave
the base facing an uncertain future. Howev-
The mission of the 18° Gruppo, as for the
other units equipped with the Eurofighter
Europe. With its Eurofighter Typhoon fleet, the air base plays a key role in er, the experience only served to underscore
the importance of Trapani Air Base and the
(4th Wing of Grosseto, 36th Wing of Gioia
del Colle and 51st Wing of Istrana), is the
safeguarding the Mediterranean region. We were granted exclusive decision was taken to re-equip the unit with
Eurofighters.
defence of the Italian airspace.
Their missions take place either under
access to the base. Following the delivery of the first aircraft
in October 2012, there was an intense
NATO command or under the aegis of the
national Government. Under NATO the
programme of training, involving pilots and squadron is committed to covering NATO’s
maintenance personnel. southern sector 24/7 for about a week a
Once Final Operational Capability was month, sharing this task with Gioia del Colle
achieved the squadron started its opera- (36th Wing), in the remaining three weeks
tional training activities. From 2013 operat- the squadron provides QRA.
ing procedures and capabilities were tested In recent years the Italian Air Force PILOTS TRAINED FOR EVERY
through a series of exercises and deploy- has enhanced Eurofighter’s air to ground MISSION
ments — both nationally and internationally. capabilities, investing significant resources in The majority of training missions are per-
The arrival of the Eurofighter also led to a terms of expertise, men, preparation in both formed by employing ‘dummy’ weapons in
change in the maintenance organisation. flight and ground personnel. segregated working areas, where air civilian
Maintenance is entrusted on a “The swing-role capability of the Euro- traffic is highly restricted. “Training at the
STR – Servizio Tecnico Rin- fighter is now a reality,” says Maj. firing range remains an integral and funda-
forzato (Reinforced Gianluigi ‘Cash C, Commander of mental part of a pilot's professional growth”
the 18 Gruppo. said Maj. Gianluigi “Cash” C.
“Over the years the process of becom-
ing an air-to-ground and, subsequently,
multi-role pilot has changed. Initially it was a
process of converting pilots already trained
under an air to air profile, integrating their
training path with air-to-ground training.”
“The swing-role capability
of the Eurofighter is now a
reality,” says Maj. Gianluigi
‘Cash C, Commander of
the 18 Gruppo.20 2020 · EUROFIGHTER WORLD SOUTHERN DEFENDERS SOUTHERN DEFENDERS 2020 · EUROFIGHTER WORLD 21
“New pilots undergo a swing-role rota- In terms of armaments the Italian Euro- ments of the 18° Gruppo continue to be
tion at the 20°Gruppo OCU – Operational fighter has the AMRAAM missile, and IRIS-T many and varied: exercises, air policing and
Conversion Unit, ensuring that when they IR-guided missile for air-to-air mission, with other activities.
go to their operational squadron they can the GBU-16 Paveway Laser Guided bomb "The required standard is maintained
immediately carry out any type of Euro- and GBU-48 Enhanced Paveway Dual Mode thanks to the efficiency, passion and dedica-
fighter mission,” explains Maj. Gianluigi (GPS and Laser guided) for air-to-ground. tion of the staff,” says Maj. Gianluigi “Cash” C.
“Cash” C. The Phase 2 Enhancement (P2E) package “Thanks to everyone’s constant com-
“The training process includes the use will bring a range of new, long-range capabil- mitment, we are able to ensure the smooth
of simulators which allow pilots to acquire ities. running of daily activities and the normal
confidence in the management of the on- “P2E is planned to be available from the training of the pilots. In addition, planning
board systems. The training uses a 'building end of 2020 and will certainly have impor- and scheduling remain the most important
blocks' approach, so once the necessary tant and structural improvements that will tools in the daily life of a fighter squadron:
confidence with different roles has been change the concept of using the Eurofighter,” planning ahead of schedule allows you to
acquired, these are joined to form the swing- explained Maj. Gianluigi “Cash” C. better organize the training of pilots ensuring
role pilot.” P2E will increase the air-to-ground their promptness and effectiveness.
Of course, the pilot’s next scenario is capability enabling stand-off targeting of “The results we have been able to
unknown: this is one of the major challenges high value assets through the integration achieve so far are manifold: from the Air Po-
faced by NATO. So, Eurofighter pilots have of the Storm Shadow air-to-surface cruise licing in Iceland, to the hot sand of Kuwait,
to be current in any possible mission role, missile; while in the air to air domain the passing through Romania and the Baltic
giving the Italian Air Force an employable addition of the Meteor Beyond Visual Range States, not to mention the countless exer-
“tool” in the majority of foreseeable scenarios. air-to-air missile will augment the Beyond cises around Europe and the 2016 Red Flag
Visual Range capability, providing enhanced exercise in the United States. The multi-
MISSION READY capability against a variety of targets such as plicity and diversity of the commitments we
The Italian Air Force Eurofighters fleet agile fast jets, Unmanned Air Vehicles have managed to support over the years, as
includes Tranche 2 and Tranche 3A, both and cruise missiles. a squadron, as a wing and as a Eurofighter
upgraded to P1Eb configuration, while the Over the last eight years, the 18° Gruppo line, underline the importance and matu-
Tranche 1 F-2000s have been upgraded to has achieved important results, at the same rity that this aircraft and this Gruppo has
ITA Mod 4 configuration that allow the use of time the importance of an advanced base in achieved."
the RecceLite pod for ISR missions. the region has become clear. The commit-THE BIG PICTURE
Morón Air Base is home to the 11th Fighter Wing, the operational squadron which is a
multi-role air defence and attack squadron — meaning it’s capable of conducting both air
© Antonio J Jiménez Santana 2020
defence and strike missions, or both in the same mission.24 2020 · EUROFIGHTER WORLD PILOT VIEWPOINT PILOT VIEWPOINT 2020 · EUROFIGHTER WORLD 25
SWITZERLAND AND FINLAND: THE to be supremely confident the aircraft has
As a rule of thumb, in EXAM QUESTION the performance to get out of them if it's
evaluations we assume about not going well. Mountain terrain is extremely
A lot of flight evaluations are bespoke to unforgiving.
100 hours of preparation for the customer’s requirements. In the cases
every hour of flight time. of Switzerland and Finland, there are some Flight Evaluation: The Key Activities
stark differences and clear similarities. Ulti- For security reasons we can’t go into spe-
mately, both wanted to evaluate Eurofighter cific detail, but in large part both evaluations
in all of the roles they’ll need to use it, now, looked at the following:
and in the medium to long term. QRA: looking at time to access to the
In both Switzerland and Finland these aircraft; climb to height to intercept an air-
roles were tested over a two-week period craft; and intervening procedures — maybe
with up to eight missions. Effectively, we heading to a relief landing ground, finally a
carried out scenarios where we played the recovery.
part of the potential successor to demon- Warfighting: each evaluation included
strate Typhoon could deliver the capabilities some higher-end warfighting, in some cases
they need. multiple Eurofighters vs. a significant num-
They're both independent nations and bers of adversaries. This was an important
have requirements for activities such as demonstration. It showed Eurofighter as a
Quick Reaction Alert (QRA) to defend their force multiplier, but also these scenarios are
sovereign airspace from a threat. They also designed by the host nations to stretched
evaluated the aircraft’s air-to-air potential the candidate aircraft to their limits, which is
and air-to-surface strike capabilities. Both a good way to evaluate them.
nations understand the value of owning the Surface mission: other tests involved air-
data they collect, giving them the ability to to-surface scenarios, like simulated targeting
execute a mission however they may choose. profiles, the use of the sensors, such as
the Litening V targeting pod for recce and
The Missions non-traditional intelligence, surveillance, and
We were challenged to carry out combat reconnaissance actions.
identification tasks whilst building situational Training: both nations will assess how easy
awareness against large numbers of aircraft. Eurofighter is to learn to fly, examining the
They also wanted to see how our two Euro- basic handling qualities. Both Finland and
fighters communicated with each other and Switzerland are F-18 operators, and each
shared data, in order to achieve our targeting wanted to test how easy it might be to con-
tasks within the mission. vert to Eurofighter.
Interoperability: no military exists in isola-
Switzerland and Finland: Distinctly tion, and while both Switzerland and Finland
Different are independent nations, they want to inter-
The Finland exercise was planned as an operate with NATO partners or the nations
Arctic environmental cold weather evaluation that have active borders with them. They
in mid-January. These conditions are really also need the aircraft to operate effectively
ULTIMATE
testing for any aircraft, let alone Eurofighter. with their naval and/or land forces. So part
But they wanted to see how we operated in of the test looked at the interconnectivity and
an environment where very few aircraft work interoperability of the aircraft as a system.
regularly.
Trying to make really nuanced decisions VIEW FROM THE COCKPIT
FLIGHT TEST
about the weather was difficult. The question
was if it was fit enough to be able to demon- Pressure? What Pressure
strate the aircraft could handle the adverse There was pressure but not as you might
conditions, versus not fit for anybody to fly expect. The most important thing to me was
no matter what aircraft. We had to gain the safety —delivering the validation in a safe
trust of the host nation Test Pilots. They way.
understood the operating environment, we The next stress point was to provide the
knew all about the Eurofighter and we came data to the host countries’ pilots so they
The Pilot together in the planning phase to understand could write their reports. You had just one
When it comes to a flight evaluation, BAE the boundaries. shot. Flight tests are expensive, particularly if
Over recent months both Switzerland and Finland have been carrying Systems Test Pilot Luke Gili-Ross knows Switzerland had a different set of unique they significant numbers of aircraft airborne,
better than most what’s involved — because challenges — mountainous terrain, with very so it was really important we delivered.
out Flight Evaluation trials as they look to select a successor for their he flew the Eurofighter in both Switzerland steep approach gradients. They asked us to Another factor was time. For both Finland
and Finland. Not only that, he has first-hand look at tasks such as a really steep vertical and Switzerland time was tight and some
respective combat air fleets. Naturally, Eurofighter is in the mix in both experience of each of the rival aircraft too descent into relief landing grounds, because things, like weather, are outside your control.
from his days in the RAF. Here Luke tells us some fast jets may struggle in those kinds That added pressure. When the weather
competitions. A key common element is the flight evaluation – some might what’s involved, what the purpose is, and of environments. However, we demonstrated went bad, we had to get creative. Some-
how much pressure a pilot is under during that successfully. times that meant adding to an evaluation
call it the ultimate flight test. the test. Again, that took a lot of planning because because we were conscious that we might
if you commit to those descents, you need miss the opportunity completely. 26 2020 · EUROFIGHTER WORLD PILOT VIEWPOINT PILOT VIEWPOINT 2020 · EUROFIGHTER WORLD 27
Ultimate Skills Test difficult job. But I went into it knowing the In Finland, they designated Test Pilots to 100 HOURS PREP FOR EVERY aircraft. The aspiration for both campaigns to experience the capability to the widest
That kind of high-end operational warfighting aircraft would sell itself just as long as I did fly all of the missions. That meant we could HOUR FLYING! was that the assessment was fair and possible audience.
is really unusual for us. It definitely requires my job and demonstrated it properly. pair up one of the test pilots from Finland consistent across all competitors. Going The standard of the two Eurofighter air-
pilots who are operationally competent and with one of the Test Pilots from BAE Systems As a rule of thumb, in evaluations we assume first puts extra pressure on us during the craft was slightly different too. This showed
aware. To get the most out of the aircraft, THE ASSESSORS for the whole week. about 100 hours of preparation for every planning, as you have a responsibility to en- the customers that, although they were only
you really need to be practised, rehearsed Working together meant we were able hour of flight time. But in reality, that was sure that the plan is deliverable by all, whilst a couple of months apart in development,
and familiar with the procedures you have to Both Switzerland and Finland have Class A to develop a close relationship as the week probably multiplied even more, given the suiting the host nation requirements. the capability was significantly different. They
perform. Test pilots, graduates from one of the four went on and build up a rapport when making amount of people and the complexity of the The preparation phase was as impor- were able to join the dots and see where
It is a challenge because the aircraft is main test pilot schools, either the Empire the more nuanced decisions on weather and missions. tant as the evaluation itself. If we plan the platform was going in terms of capability
only as good as the pilot flying it and the Test School in the UK or in the case of many data collection. Planning was the key. We spent a lot of perfectly, we may still have an unexpected growth, an idea further underpinned by the
pilots are only as good as the aircraft they’re of the Finnish pilots, the US Navy Test Pilot From the start, both host nation Test time trying to understand what good looks event, which could mean we don't perform proven delivery of Project Centurion in the
provided with. You work together. School. This means they think about evalua- Pilots were able to operate Eurofighter like. That was a really challenging set of and don't show the aircraft in its best light. UK.
You can’t showboat either. You need tion in the same way as we do — and that’s themselves, which demonstrated the fact discussions, which in the case of Finland However, if we don't plan effectively it's
to try and demonstrate the aircraft without important. In fact, in many cases we knew that the aircraft is intuitive and easy to learn took over a year. With Switzerland it was impossible to show the aircraft in its best HOW DID IT GO?
overcompensating for any aircraft deficien- one another professionally before starting to use. It also showed them that when I slightly different because Airbus was the light.
cies because you have somebody watching the evaluation. That helped us understand was demonstrating a capability that I wasn’t intermediary. Really well. Especially when you consid-
you. There's a balance to be struck. You the questions they were asking through the working that hard, because we were able to The planning started with scoping which Team and Equipment er there are so many things that can go
have to demonstrate the capabilities within evaluation process. We discussed things have a conversation at the same time. Over aircraft were available, whether they’re single Don’t underestimate the complexity. It took wrong over a long evaluation and across a
the scope of what a reasonable pilot is before we started, ensuring we actually a mission sortie, the Test Pilots were able to or twin seat, and how many blue force Euro- an awful lot of time to plan and deliver complicated set of missions, because there
expected to achieve. answered the correct question. understand the aircraft and get to know its fighter we could contribute to the scenarios. because both evaluations were seriously were huge amounts of variables: technical,
Impressing the Judges: Your priority is nuances. We then looked at the level of information complex. Both were full scenario rehearsals. personal, and environmental.
The Rivals safety and delivering what the assessors In Switzerland there were half a dozen we could provide. Where it was limited by a It was a huge team effort, with something For both campaigns we were able to
I'm in a very fortunate situation. I have oper- need. The easiest way to do it is by putting evaluating pilots. We had different pilots in classification release then it was largely han- like 30 to 40 people involved in the planning deliver all the flying that we had planned,
ating experience of the competitor aircraft in yourself in the shoes of the evaluating pilot the backseat for most sorties. Here, it was dled on a government to government basis, and delivery phase alone for each evaluation. within the timescales. We arrived on time,
the Swiss and the Finnish competitions. We and asking yourself, what you would need a different relationship where generally we which was the case in Finland, though that In both Switzerland and Finland, BAE departed on time, used little or no spares,
went into the evaluations knowing where we to be able to write your report if you were concentrated on delivering the data in as was slightly different in Switzerland. Systems provided two Eurofighters and two provided the data we’d promised, with very
stood. They're all good aircraft. They've all them? professional a way as possible, but they Planning is all about relationship building test pilots, myself and Chief Test Pilot Steve few losses. Both evaluations are something
got their unique strengths and weaknesses. I knew that I had two weeks of high were all still able to operate the aircraft effec- with the customer. What was really important Formoso (about 3,500 Eurofighter flying that we're really, really proud of. They both
The job was about us targeting our stress in terms of delivering the flying, tively in a short space of time. (to both Finland and Switzerland) was not hours between us). showed the aircraft, and the whole Eurofight-
strengths and being honest and talking to but they had to do that another five or six They were two very different approach- that we say we can do something. And not Unique among the competitors, we took er consortium, in a really positive light. The
the host nation about the aircraft. That way times with other competitors. Essentially, es, but both had their merits. Switzerland's even that we could demonstrate it. But for one single and one twin seat jet. While the whole team that contributed to the effort can
we were able to keep things on a profes- I was trying to make their job as easy as approach allowed them to get more pilots them to be able to validate through their own single seat Eurofighter is a mission-ready, be very proud.
sional level. We were very honest about possible. airborne to evaluate the platform, while in audit process that we had demonstrated it. operational-representative version, we felt
Eurofighter’s capabilities because it's a There were completely different ways of Finland the pilots were able to become more Obviously, it takes time to negotiate each it was also important to fly the host nation
great aircraft. If we’d had a less effective or working between Switzerland and Finland. intimately aware of the capabilities of the of the test points. With both Switzerland and pilots in our aircraft so they could validate
capable aircraft, it would have been a more aircraft. Finland we were first to demonstrate the in person. We felt that it was the best wayYou can also read
