The Ministry of Defence has reaffirmed that the Eurofighter Typhoon will continue to underpin Britain’s combat air capabilities well into the 2040s, bridging the gap until the arrival of the Tempest next-generation fighter.
Conservative MP Graham Stuart asked what assessment had been made of the adequacy of the Typhoon Force in maintaining security until the Global Combat Air Programme becomes operational.
Defence Minister Luke Pollard said in his 8 September written response: “The Typhoon is a world-class combat aircraft and will continue to serve as the backbone of the UK’s Combat Air Force until at least the 2040s. To ensure it remains at the cutting edge of capability, the UK is planning significant investment in the Typhoon through-life equipment programme. This includes the delivery and integration of the advanced European Common Radar System Mark 2 (ECRS Mk2) radar, which will enhance the aircraft’s operational effectiveness.”
Pollard added that further details on Typhoon investment will be set out in the forthcoming Defence Investment Plan, due to be published later this year.
The ECRS Mk2, developed in the UK, is designed to significantly expand Typhoon’s air-to-air and air-to-ground capabilities. It brings electronic warfare features, improved tracking and targeting, and the ability to operate effectively in heavily contested electromagnetic environments.
The upgrade is considered central to ensuring the Typhoon fleet remains viable as a frontline combat system alongside future aircraft.
The Tempest, being developed through the trilateral Global Combat Air Programme with Italy and Japan, is expected to enter service from the mid-2030s. Until then, the MOD’s position is that Typhoon, with ongoing upgrades, will continue to secure the UK’s airspace and meet NATO commitments.
If Typhoon is the backbone of the RAF into the 2040,s then let’s buy more. Another 24-36 would suffice.
Absolutely makes sense, and that’s why we won’t do it. We’ll harp on about F35A’s and Tempest as a deflection mechanism to ensure we don’t spend the money, however pragmatically the spend may appear.
And upgrade more current Typhoons with the newer radar. Common sense anyone?
It’s just that we don’t have enough of them. For a start, instead of buying F35As, let’s get Typhoon certified and fitted to carry nukes.
Even the Germans didn’t want to pay for that headache and went with As, can’t see the U.K. funding it.
Stealth enables this capability, we gave it up years ago, It makes sense now.
Spot on, although 48 would be better. Sadly the money may not be there.
The UK is always really good at finally getting everything on to a platform and have it working perfectly just before it scraps them. They have been going on about ECRS Mk2 for 15 years and they still don’t really have a plan to get it on the aircraft.
It’s also worth noting that the Typhoon will probably remain the ultimate fourth generation aircraft ever designed and it’s likely to remain the best platform for air policing and a number of other roles that don’t require expensive stealth jets.
It’s probably never going to be possible to get stealth aircraft availability rates up to as high as the Typhoon can achieve. A mixed force of 4th and 5th Gen aircraft will always make sense.
You can argue all you want about the mix of Typhoon, F35A and F35B sqns but the simple truth is we do not have enough fast jets to defend UK airspace (including the Falklands & Cyprus, equip the carriers and make a meaningful contribution to NATO’s eastern flank. We need more aircraft and more sqns. I’d go for 8 Typhoon, 4 F35A & 4 F35B sqns but whatever the mix I reckon we need at least 15 front line sqns.
And the threat is? Why do we need 15 Squarons? Yes we have to chip into NATOs Eastern Flanks, but shouldn’t Central/Eastern European countries do more to do this? Why does Cyprus need dedicated Air Defence and what is the threat for needing that? As for the Falklands, 4 jets against 24 F-16’s seems pointless just for Pride and no economic gain.
Current events would suggest that more aircraft are in fact necessary.
“further details on Typhoon investment will be set out in the forthcoming Defence Investment Plan“
Let’s hope that’s for an order for more Typhoons and not just upgrades for the existing force.
They are spending £3.5bn upgrading the Typhoon fleet. That’s been open source knowledge for a long time
Yeah I know, I’m hoping the Defence Investment Plan details new spending as a result of the increase to 2.6% GDP.
So, would it be true to say, radar x-section aside, that with ECRS Mk2 Typhoon is the equal of F-35?
Not at all: they are very different platforms.
Better in some respects such as EW but it is not primarily a stealthy platform as it cannot carry weapons internally.
As others have said Typhoon is peak 4+ Gen with this range of upgrades.
However, more of something are required as a backfill to create the mass that is required to deal with antics on several fronts at once.
I would say yes and no. For the RAF, the Typhoon has a better and more useful warfighting capability, due to the greater number of weapons from the RAF’s inventory it can carry, particularly for ground attack. For example Typhoon can carry Paveway, Brimstone and Storm Shadow. Technically it could also carry Spear-3, as it has successfully completed a guided firing trial. But would need to further trials to integrate the full mission system requirements. Whereas, our F35Bs can only carry Paveway for offensive missions. The MoD are looking to urgently purchase the GBU53 Stormbreaker stand-off glide bomb. Which has already been cleared on to the aircraft by the US. The Spear-3 F35 integration is delayed and waiting on the F35 getting the Block 4 update, which keeps slipping to the right. Alongside this Storm Shadow was supposed to be integrated on the F35, but was cancelled in favour of FCASW (TP15/RJ10 – Stratus). I’m not sure where that fits in the Block 4 weapons integration schedule. Typhoon is going to be (along with Rafale) the aircraft used as the test aircraft for TP15/RJ10 firing trials.
For air to air engagements, F35 with its APG-81 radar has a step change in performance and capabilities over Typhoon with the current Captor-M. When Typhoon gets ECRS Mk2 it should balance up the capabilities and performance between the two radars. The question is whether our F35s will get the newer APG-85, which may split the difference again. However, until our F35s get the Block 4 update, they are stuck with using US beyond visual range air to air missiles (BVRAAMs) such as the latest AMRAAM AIM120D. Whereas Typhoon uses Meteor Block 1, which has a significant range advantage over the AMRAAM. Even though the F35 will currently detect a threat earlier, it still has to get closer to fire the weapon. Whereas, Typhoon can stay that bit further away. Fairly certain that this scenario balances itself out between the Typhoon/Meteor and F35/AMRAAM to no clear advantage. When Typhoon gets ECRS2, we may also be seeing it equipped with the Block 2 version of Meteor. Which should give it a better advantage over the F35, so long as its not integrated with Meteor itself.
Both aircraft use the ASRAAM as its within visual range air to air missile (WVRAAM). Both aircraft can either use the radar to give target information to the missile, or rely on the missile’s own sensor. Additionally both pilots will be using a helmet mounted display, which allows the pilot to target aircraft just by looking at them. However, the F35 uses the electro-optical target system (EOTS), this is an IR based sensor network, that provides a full hemispherical view around the aircraft. Allowing the pilot to effectively look through the aircraft. Enabling the pilot to target aircraft behind and below the F35. Something which the Typhoon cannot do.
Performance wise, Typhoon is significantly faster than the F35. With the addition of underwing drop tanks, it has a much greater unrefuelled range. Though the F35 may be getting drop tanks. However, the Typhoon is the better aircraft for quick reaction alerts (QRA) duties. Overall, the Typhoon provides the better warfighting capability. Whereas, the F35 has the potential to be significantly better, when integrated with Meteor for BVRAAM engagements and other stand-off ground attack weapons, where it uses its stealth, low probability of intercept radar (LPI) and the EOTS, to gain an advantage over its adversary. These next step capabilities are entirely reliant on Lockheed Martin delivering the Block 4 update, which has missed its delivery date a number of times and is now looking to be delivered by early 2030. The other niggle for the F35B, is that in “stealth mode” it can only carry 4 BVRAAMs internally. Which means it can’t stay in a protracted fight for long. However, both aircraft have the potential of carrying 10 or more BVRAAMS in “beast mode” if required.
The other F35 pain, is a that it is very maintenance heavy compared to the Typhoon, which itself isn’t great. However, the F35 does have a lot less operational availability than the Typhoon. Which could affect how a campaign is fought.
A lot to unpack there, thanks. I think I’m in the bird in the hand is worth 2 in the bush school. ECRS Mk2 + range + Meteor + stand off weapons options + availability + prospect of sovereign air launched hypersonic with nuclear warhead beats F-35 Block 4 in 5 years time. Our carrier strike F-35Bs do need Stormbreaker asap. I think Europe needs RAF lots of Typhoons with Meteor and RJ10/TP15; Storm Shadow in the meantime.
A solid piece of analysis Davey – nicely done.
In terms of radar capabilities. They will be very similar. But that all aspect stealth makes a very big difference in many ways. Not least survivability. BVR engagement capability. And first night of war capable.
I accept that these are valid advantages. And I would feel more secure if we had a couple of F-35A with longer legs and Stormbreaker.
What I detest about this Govt is the wholesale copying of the Cons with news releases. It is reprehensible that the previous Govt were loathed for their performance and this one copies them.
I’ll not vote for Farage the garage, nor Corbyn but, there is no honesty in our politics, who to vote for when the time comes?
It seems to me the best option is vote for a party that can break the status quo and hope something good falls out the other end. Flip the table and see where the pieces land as it were. It’s not a compelling choice but I prefer that to malaise, incompetence and managed decline
That way lies utter disaster. His many times in history does this have to happen before idiots realise it 🙄👎🏾
I’d argue the about the two parties following the same line in regards to defence
The last thing the MoD or RAF want is every government changing the plan, that’s what wastes a ton of money
So, would “We” commenters prefer, if it was a two way option –
A) all existing Typhoon to be fully upgraded to whatever will be with the new radars,
or
B) only upgrade the Batch 3 and order extra?
Regardless of the supposed 5% there will not be enough money for both.
I’d suggest another option – cancel the Upgrade Programme for the existing Typhoon Fleet, spend the money instead on New Builds, for however many the Upgrade costs can buy.
Typhoons our back bone very true , but any chance of orders for more NO chance 🙄
A modest expansion of the Typhoon fleet is a far better use of the defence budget than pouring more into the F35 money pit. It is reported that Switzerland may reduce its planned purchase of 36 because its hoped for fixed price contract may mow rise to $9b. Not only are F35 costs rising and availability rates stuck at @50% but there are doubts that the full block 4 software upgrade can be delivered. So our F35 Bs will continue to deploy only ASRAAM, AMRAAM and PAveway 4 gravity bomb for years. Simply not good enough. The only way for Britain to enhance both its air defence and air strike capabilities is Typhoon. Are all our political and military leaders so dim, they can’t see it?
Maybe we can sell older typhoons to Ireland so they can
actually defend their own skies
Or Ukraine who really could use them.
Abso blinking lutely
People tell me the RAF don’t want more Typhoons, they only want F-35A. This seems odd to me. If I was Chief of the Air Staff and someone offered me 24 new Tranche 4 Typhoons, I’d bite their hands off. Is this portrait of the senior RAF true or false?
Not with only 96 FGR4s it won’t be and if it is it won’t be a very substantial backbone. Unless there is a new typhoon buy the RAF will need to either water down the number of jets in the operational squadrons or reduce the number of squadrons.. simple as.
Interestingly when I did an FOI the RAF refused to say how many jets were in each squadron and how many were in the sustainment fleet..
Probably because there is not a fixed amount of aircraft per Sqn and the airframes are shared about between Sqns as and when required. That’s likely why they can’t give you a figure.
Interestingly they said they held the information about individual jet allocation to squadrons and to the sustainment fleet but would not give me this information on national security grounds.. but they have actually published this exact information ( tail numbers of each jet allocated to each squadron ) pre 2020s… essentially they were happy to give it when we had a healthy number of jets.
Believe me when I say that the reality is a totally different thing!!
In what way Tam ?
If they were serious the Govt would order an additional 2 Squadrons of Typhoon, enough F35A for 3 extra squadrons and hand the F35B to the RN
As a minimum another 9 P-8s and 2 more Wedgetail.
Add enough SAMPT-NG to protect Devonport, Portsmouth, Faslane and the RAF bases.
The claims we are on a war footing might be more believable if they did that as a minimum.
They will be a very small backone with very few vertebrae then…..won’t they. Need another 40/50
Another “Stating the obvious” message from the MoD.
Meanwhile, the forces shrink and the loss of the Typhoon T1s is ignored.