Ground-based testing of the new European Common Radar System (ECRS) Mk2 radar on a Eurofighter Typhoon test and evaluation aircraft has been completed, according to the Royal Air Force.
This development sets the stage for the upcoming flight trials.
The testing was carried out at BAE Systems’ flight testing facility in Warton, Lancashire, with support from Leonardo UK, which developed the radar at its Edinburgh and Luton sites.
The process included electromagnetic testing in an anechoic chamber.
Group Captain D’Aubyn, Typhoon Programme Director at the RAF, commented, “Embodiment of this prototype new radar into the test aircraft is a positive step on the continuous evolution of Typhoon’s control of the air capabilities, maintaining its sovereign Freedom of Action and preserving its technological advantage.”
The ECRS Mk2 radar, procured by the UK Ministry of Defence’s agency Defence Equipment and Support, is intended to support RAF operations in challenging environments. The radar aims to enhance pilots’ capabilities by providing high-powered jamming to suppress enemy air defences and engaging targets from a distance.
The ECRS Mk2 radar is a significant upgrade from the earlier Captor-M radar systems.
In a statement last year, DE&S said:
“ECRS Mk 2 radar will further transform the Eurofighter Typhoon’s control of the air, bringing a world-leading electronic warfare capability which will allow the aircraft to simultaneously detect, identify and track multiple targets in the air and on the ground.
It will support operations in the most challenging situations, equipping pilots with the ability to suppress enemy air defences using high-powered jamming and engage targets whilst beyond the reach of threats. This will cement Typhoon aircraft as the backbone of combat air capability defending UK at home and abroad for decades to come. The radar will now undergo integration work and ground-based testing in preparation for first flights on-board the Eurofighter Typhoon next year.”
Will anyone else use it?
The radar will be integrated into at least 40 aircraft, with potential for up to 160 aircraft depending on decisions by the UK and Germany.
United Kingdom
- 40 radars are on order for the modernisation of the Tranche 3 aircraft.
- Potential order for Tranche 2 aircraft could include up to 67 additional radars.
Germany
- The German Air Force is discussing a shift from the Mk1 variant to the Mk2 for the 15 (up to 30) Eurofighter ECR, which might involve new or existing aircraft.
- Discussions are also underway to shift from the Mk1 variant to the Mk2 for the Tranche 4 “Quadriga.”
Italy
- The Italian Air Force is considering ordering 24 radars for a potential Tranche 4.
That’s interesting I thought the Germans were intent on going their own way with upgrades.
Last thing Typhoon needs is a third AESA radar. Hopefully the German’s see sense. Looking forward to getting these into our aircraft. I really hope they put them into tranche 2 as well so we don’t end up with a fleet inside a fleet again.
Agreed, either they are needed and therefore should be on all or they arent and so why order.
I know money is too tight to mention but still. I’m hoping this government follows through on their promise to investage and follow up on covid fraud, there is billions of extra money for the treasury to be recovered
Yes, interesting. Haven’t the Germans also signed up for Brimstone? Another example of UK – Germany co-operation on defence following the strategic decision to get back into the Boxer program.
Germany have a pinched defence budget and are trying to do more.
Why would you waste that on developing another version (with all the attendant risks) of what already exists and works?
Quite. When they can afford it countries like to develop sovereign capabilities. Bit of austerity works wonders.
Maybe there is an issue with this version that they arent willing to accept, but the MOD doesn’t have the funds to fix.
It’s the fundamental issue with military expenditure, known weaknesses and issues are kept secret until a war happens and people die due to it and their is a public outcry causing a transparent investigation.
Who know if it’s the case here or not, or if being more honest would have any effect on procurement.
Mk 1 is essentially the export version of the radar. Mk2 has that all singing all dancing electronic attack modes, plus other classified capability.
There isn’t an issue.
Everyone in the know thinks it is an amazing bit of kit.
Who are these people?
It will only be a handful of people that might know how well it operates in a environment where jammed etc are being deployed. Certainly pilots etc won’t know until a war happens.
Those few people will be subject to heavy contractual clauses keeping them quiet.
Latest edition of Air Forces Monthly suggesting current plan for only 24 RAF Tranche 3 jets to receive new radar?
As far as I’m aware it’s the 40 Tranche 3 jets that are getting them. But when you divide the total cost of development, trials, procurement, and integration, between the 40 jets it works out to something in the ballpark of £50 million per aircraft which is pretty insane. Obviously a lot of the work has derisked the radar tech for Tempest/GCAP which you can’t really put a price on but it’s still a lot of money for what is ultimately a relatively limited roll out.
£50 Million each ? Bloody hell and people reckon the F35 is expensive.🙁
Development costs spread over a very small number of production units. Europe’s age old problem
If we order a few more and the Germans and Italians order some as well then the cost per unit should come down. If not, then sack the MoD contract negotiators…
F35 is expensive, given the big numbers being procured, but it delivers a huge step forward in capability, or it will when LM get their weapons integration program sorted out.
Typhoon and F35 are arguably the two most important combat air programs in NATO at the moment.
Cheers CR
Oh absolutely on all counts.👌
Big numbers…… God help us then…. 11.000 aircraft took parts in overlord and that was acer the big battles… We make ourselves a joke..
“ If not, then sack the MoD contract negotiators…”
Nothing wrong with the contact the issue is the number ordered is tiny.
It is the same issue as SAMPSON.
The project had a ~£2Bn budget. The R&D costs increased therefore the £££ left to buy units decreased which pushed up the per unit costs.
If another 100 units are purchased the per unit costs go to £14m which looks more sensible?
Hi SB, Yeh, recent decisions around SAMPSON, reduced numbers procured and a hiatus in upgrades in the early years of its deployed life represent a missed opportunity IMO. The Government have failed to build on the considerable effort and investment of the 80’s and early 90’s that produced a couple of experimental radars could be considered stepping stones to SAMPSON. I know SAMPSON is getting some upgrades but I worry that there is note much in the pipeline… The technology could have been adapted and built on for so many different radar applications, perhaps being used for land based system,… Read more »
F35 is actually not very expensive at all for what it is.
I agree that £50m sounds an awful lot.
There is a fundamental rework of a lot of systems as well.
The unit costs are IRL 1/5 – 1/10th of that once R&D and certification are removed from the equation.
However, Radar2 + T2 upgrades also involve bringing T2 fully to T3 standards – always best to avoid a fleet within a fleet.
No surprise 🙄
I think they were originally going with the less sophisticated mk1, basically a port of the Captor M with the new front end.
I believe Radar 2 is effectively a brand new Radar.
Radar2 is a totally new system.
Totally different performance level.
I’m assuming Germany has 58 Eurofighters on order? give or take due to the initial order of Eurofighters of 38 in 2020, and 20 additional in June 2024.
I think we all need to know how good this radar is at detecting supersonic cricket balls?
Maybe a cricket ball going 3k mph at 200 miles?
That’s the real threat.
One would hope that the seeming new focus on making what we have more lethal will mean the tranche 2 typhoons get this as well….it’s one of those things that could make a difference within the 2027-2030 timeframe.
Whilst More countries are increasing the amount of Typhoon aircraft, we are reducing our air force by 30 , airframes, the insanity continues!!
I’m hoping that the defence review will reverse this to be honest…the mood music is strength as much as possible and not cut….keeping the tranche 1 aircraft is an easy immediate win at no cost…..I would suspect a lot of stuff due to be sunsetted will find a reprieve until a direct replacement is in place.
Let’s hope so, I’ve read that the trance 1 aircraft can be upgraded to tranche 3/4 level for relatively little money.
That isn’t really true.
There are very significant differences.
It can be done BAE said it could be done. Question is would a fixed price contract make sense – I suspect it would come in close to the price of a new one.
T1’s are virtually all grounded and non serviceable as far as I understand.
I think they have already started to strip them for spares, if not then they soon will be…
Cheers CR
I put on another post the other week about cuts, I think what the Tory party had in the pipe line to be cut ✂will still go ahead with this Labour government sadly but do pray I’ll be wrong 🙏
I don’t think most of the Typhoon T1s have been serviceable for years TBH.
Hi supportive, I think there is a fair few left…IX bomber squadron is equipped with T1 as are the Falklands flight…so I would imagine they have 12-16 serviceable…it does mean once they are gone they will need to equip both IX and the Falklands flight with tranche 2 and 3s…not sure how they will do that with only 106 jets that are already equipping 6 frontline squadrons, the OCU, 12 squadron and the test and evaluation squadron….the reality is when the tranche 1s go out of service the RAF will probably loss a squadron.
I think they have been quietly put through ‘reduce to produce’ so whilst Falklands have them I’m not 100% sure any other squadrons really have any working frames.
It is really crazy TBH as numbers of frames pilots and maintainers are critically low.
The result if 20 years of underfunding and salami slicing of perfectly effective kit for short term book balancing.
The obvious solution is the 15 tranche 2 aircraft that Spain has surplus to requirements.
I would buy them, retire the tranche1 machines and upgrade the whole fleet to an advanced common standard with radar 2.
And hopefully at bargain price. Wonder why Spain wouldn’t be considering upgrading them herself? Germany, Italy and Spain all ordering new batches of Typhoon too. The UK must be weighing up some options if there’s rumblings with Tempest. Hope it’s not all going to 🗑. The Tempest kind of looks like a twin engined F35A that been to the gym!
Actually that’s would be a very very very good idea.
Afternoon Jonathan. Well if we have to build some mass, look at the secondhand market as an interim measure.
I’m sure we could whistle up a few more Tranche 2 jets from our partners too.
Absolutely madness 😞
While it would be nice to have more of these radars, I think overall airframe numbers are more important, I’d rather have another 12-24 new Eurofighters, with the old version. I imagine one plane with the mk2 could lead a flight of aircraft with the older model and then share the data with the other aircraft and take the lead on EW.
USAF seem to be happy to run F18 Growlers for SEAD / EW within a larger fleet, so if the number of aircraft are our priority, why not. Assuming tranche 2 and 3 have a lot in common for sustainment.
would not UK use F35b on first night of attack to take out air defenses? is it because we are waiting for F35b block 4 upgrade and need capability now.
Exactly. Without Spear EW and without a standoff like Storm Shadow, how are they supposed to attack air defences?
When people trot out the line that we can’t increase spending immediately, we have to gear up for it, my very long laundry list response includes the acceleration of the upgrades to the current Typhoons and 24 new ones.
Hi Jon, I would agree with you but when I was in the MoD (as a techie) the Treasure would take back any unspent funds and then cut the next years budget inline with the under spend. It always led to s scramble to spend at the end of the financial year. If that system is still in place then a big lump sum increase in one year would simply end up going back to the Treasury, thanks to Treasure rules which are designed to stop you spending money by putting lots of hoops in your way. The system is… Read more »
The IDF make good use of the F-35s, without waiting for B4?
Israel has flown into Syria etc with Russian air defence and been successful. Wonder if Russia using their best versions with their allies.
Of s400
I’m not party to any of the data, but imagine that the capabilities of the current F35B on squadron strength are sufficient for the first SEAD missions that F117 did on the Gulf Wars, for example.
HARM AGM-88 have been supplied to UAF for use on Su-27 and so able to do basic SEAD missions. I’ve heard that the full capabilities of HARM require better integration so imagine that Typhoon can do that. According to WiKi there’s even a G variant that fits F-35.
Based on S-30,0 S-400 & Buk performance in Ukraine, they’re toast..
Ideally tranche 2 would get new radar but given fiscal problems……..
So maybe it is feasible ( useful) to run mixed groups of T2 &T3? With the T3’s with their better radars ‘spotting’ for the T2’s via data links or such? A system of systems seems the way to go these days.
Wonder if the Saudi’s would be interested in upgrading their Typhoon tranche 2/3 jets.
I’m still holding out hope that we’re going to piggy back on the T4 order, no idea where the money would come from but that’s besides the point.
Interesting to note that Italy is keen to order 24 more Typhoons, but is prepared to sacrifice the latest Radar spec for a much quicker delivery.