Typhoon to get AESA radar
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Typhoon to get AESA radar
Looks like a few significant enhancements for the Phoon is on the cards...
FARNBOROUGH: Eurofighter confirms enhancement programme
-RP
FARNBOROUGH: Eurofighter confirms enhancement programme
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Cart before the horse
The new radar is an incredible piece of kit. Been in the pipeline for some time, very good to see it finally confirmed.
There have been a number of 'developmental activities' but there is no radar to buy yet. Development of the radar will be done under the auspices of NETMA.
It remains to be seen how it good it will be, especially compared to existing systems such as AN/APG-77 or AN/APG-81, which could be bought 'off the shelf'.
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quelle surprise - the pointy whizzy things get money for upgrades to overcome some theoretical high tech foe while other areas of 'air power' limp along against low tech enemies. It'll all change when the first non-pointy gets to CAS I'll tell yee - if they are allowed that far 
Still, will no doubt help export sales to countries who can afford to run them (unlike us) - BWoS need to do something to boost sales now the old methods aren't allowed.
Still, will no doubt help export sales to countries who can afford to run them (unlike us) - BWoS need to do something to boost sales now the old methods aren't allowed.
Last edited by Geehovah; 10th Jul 2012 at 18:51.
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Seems a little harsh as it has been flown for quite some time on the test bed and was first flown on a Typhoon back in 2007.
What it can and cannot do is well known to the community.
Sun.
Last edited by Sun Who; 10th Jul 2012 at 19:57.
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Can these new goodies be retrofitted?
Or rather no and yes, if one is talking, respectively, about Tranche 1 and Tranche 2/3 aircraft. So I'm led to believe.
Last edited by Willard Whyte; 10th Jul 2012 at 22:04.
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As I understand it, Tranche 1 aircraft have a different forward bulkhead which precludes the fitting of the AESA radar, although I believe there has been a mod designed to allow fitment, standing by to be corrected...
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The black boxes may also be an issue but, I have definitely read somewhere that the bulkhead (strength?) was the main factor, I'm sure Jackonicko has mentioned it previously, may have been on another forum though...
As before, more than happy to be corrected...
-RP
As before, more than happy to be corrected...
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AESA best paired with TVC
Any possibility of this actually happening or are they trying to wiggle in the Spanish developped TVC?
Executive Calls for Typhoon Upgrade After Radar Announcement – DefenseNews.com - Breaking Defense News
Executive Calls for Typhoon Upgrade After Radar Announcement – DefenseNews.com - Breaking Defense News
Moves to add the active electronically scanned array (AESA) radar to the Eurofighter have prompted fresh calls from industry to upgrade the aircraft’s nozzles to add maneuverability.
The NATO Eurofighter and Tornado Management Agency issued a request for proposals for an AESA radar for the Eurofighter on the eve of the Farnborough International Airshow.
That in turn has prompted an official at a member company of the consortium that builds the Typhoon aircraft’s engine to suggest partners take a fresh look at introducing thrust vectoring nozzles at the rear of the aircraft.
The nozzles, which change position, can improve thrust and direct thrust, granting greater maneuverability to the aircraft.
The two upgrades are linked, said the official, Salvatore Miglietta, head of military programs at Italian propulsion firm Avio, which is part of the Eurojet consortium that builds the EJ2000 engine for the Eurofighter.
“Placing an [AESA] radar in the nose of the aircraft will add weight to the front of the aircraft,” he said. “The center of gravity of the aircraft moves forward and to counterbalance this you can either put dead weight further back, or a clever weight.”
The need for weight at the rear of the aircraft represents an opportunity to install tilting nozzles that produce vectored thrust, he added.
Eurojet has already developed a thrust vectoring nozzle (TVN) that it argues would add maneuverability to enhance the aircraft’s air-to-ground credentials, increasing thrust, decreasing fuel consumption, reducing take-off distance, reducing landing speed and improving roll rate.
“Thrust vectoring would allow the aircraft to get closer to targets and maneuver faster,” said Miglietta, who added that thrust vectoring helps prolong engine life.
The Eurojet consortium comprises Italy’s Avio, Germany’s MTU, Spain’s ITP and the UK’s Roll-Royce.
The NATO Eurofighter and Tornado Management Agency issued a request for proposals for an AESA radar for the Eurofighter on the eve of the Farnborough International Airshow.
That in turn has prompted an official at a member company of the consortium that builds the Typhoon aircraft’s engine to suggest partners take a fresh look at introducing thrust vectoring nozzles at the rear of the aircraft.
The nozzles, which change position, can improve thrust and direct thrust, granting greater maneuverability to the aircraft.
The two upgrades are linked, said the official, Salvatore Miglietta, head of military programs at Italian propulsion firm Avio, which is part of the Eurojet consortium that builds the EJ2000 engine for the Eurofighter.
“Placing an [AESA] radar in the nose of the aircraft will add weight to the front of the aircraft,” he said. “The center of gravity of the aircraft moves forward and to counterbalance this you can either put dead weight further back, or a clever weight.”
The need for weight at the rear of the aircraft represents an opportunity to install tilting nozzles that produce vectored thrust, he added.
Eurojet has already developed a thrust vectoring nozzle (TVN) that it argues would add maneuverability to enhance the aircraft’s air-to-ground credentials, increasing thrust, decreasing fuel consumption, reducing take-off distance, reducing landing speed and improving roll rate.
“Thrust vectoring would allow the aircraft to get closer to targets and maneuver faster,” said Miglietta, who added that thrust vectoring helps prolong engine life.
The Eurojet consortium comprises Italy’s Avio, Germany’s MTU, Spain’s ITP and the UK’s Roll-Royce.
Last edited by kbrockman; 11th Jul 2012 at 17:00.
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The proposed ESA radar for the UK is different to the one in the photographs. Very trick looking. Fitting this will require strengthening of the forward bulkhead due to the weight of the T/R cells that make up the front end of the radar. I`m not sure if the early jets can be modified to take it.
I remember seeing an EJ with a working vectoring nozzle on the Rolls Royce stand at Farnborough a few years ago. This was supposed to be fitted to the tranche 3 jets now in production.
I remember seeing an EJ with a working vectoring nozzle on the Rolls Royce stand at Farnborough a few years ago. This was supposed to be fitted to the tranche 3 jets now in production.
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Originally Posted by Sun Who
It remains to be seen how it good it will be, especially compared to existing systems such as AN/APG-77 or AN/APG-81, which could be bought 'off the shelf'.
Re: My earlier Post (No. 9) Flight International (and Call-me-Dave) seem to agree with me that triphoon needs a big injection to get the sales going...?
I'm reading a hard copy - so no link.
I'm reading a hard copy - so no link.
