Eurofighter Typhoon could offer Poland NATO-proven Air Power and the benefits of being an industrial partner in an indigenous European programme.
This is being highlighted at the Radom Air Show 2015 (22 to 23 August) where Eurofighter Typhoon demonstrates a strong presence. With Eurofighter aircraft joining from the Italian and German Air Forces, Eurofighter and its partner companies chose the event to promote this combat aircraft as an ideal candidate for a potential fighter replacement programme in the Polish Air Force.
With more than 440 aircraft delivered so far and seven customers worldwide (Germany, Italy, Spain, the United Kingdom, Austria, Saudi Arabia and Oman), Eurofighter is established as a robust backbone of five European Air Forces. Thanks to its agility and manoeuvrability, the aircraft provides reliable air dominance against any potential threat. In addition to the operational capabilities of this most advanced swing-role combat aircraft, the Eurofighter Partner Companies are ready to consider key technology transfer and opportunities for bi-lateral or multi-lateral partnering. This would provide the opportunity for enhanced sovereignty through Polish industry participation.
Speaking at a Media Briefing at the Radom Air Show, Eurofighter Test Pilot Raffaele Beltrame said: “Our ongoing systems and weapons integration programmes are delivering a real ‘Paradigm Shift’ in our capabilities which we launched in our Phase 1 Enhancements programme.” The experienced Eurofighter pilot added: “Eurofighter is considered as the most modern combat aircraft available on the world market. With the ongoing enhancements of our Capability Roadmap, this truly multi-swing-role aircraft will be even more potent and capable.”
All the ongoing and future Capability Enhancements will move the Eurofighter forward to a real ‘Force Multiplier’. They are targeted to significantly increase both the air-to-air and air-to-ground capabilities of the Eurofighter. Recent examples are the integration of the Meteor air-to-air missile, the Brimstone air-to-ground missile, the Storm Shadow stand-off missile for deep strike missions and the introduction of the Captor-E AESA radar currently under development.
Raffaele Beltrame also highlighted the advantages of the Aerodynamic Modification Kit as part of a wider enhanced manoeuvrability programme. Summarizing the results, Beltrame said: “We saw angle of attack values around 45% greater than on the standard aircraft, and roll rates up to 100% higher, all leading to increased agility. The handling qualities appeared to be markedly improved, providing more manoeuvrability, agility and precision while performing tasks representative of in-service operations. And it is extremely interesting to consider the potential benefits in the air-to-surface configuration thanks to the increased variety and flexibility of stores that can be carried.”
At present, Eurofighter Typhoon is on active duty, for instance, in the three Baltic States Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania as part of NATO’s Baltic Air Patrol mission and in the Middle East. Eurofighters from Italy, Germany, Spain and the UK have all contributed to the security of the Baltics and in mid-2015 Eurofighters of the Royal Air Force and the Italian Air Force ensured the protection of these countries.
Eurofighter’s outstanding performance has been confirmed recently in a Whitehall Report published by the Royal United Services Institute (RUSI) based in London. The report of this independent think tank said: “The Eurofighter’s combination of high thrust-to-weight ratio, manoeuvrability at all speeds, 65,000-foot service ceiling, supercruise capability, powerful radar and large missile load ensures that it outclasses any currently operational fighter aircraft in the world with the exception of the US F-22 Raptor.”
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