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IN VIEW Special report by Ged Henderson
NEW TYPHOON ORDERS GO DOWN A STORM
Two major contracts for Eurofighter Typhoon have been announced that will secure thousands of jobs at BAE Systems in Lancashire.
Italy and Spain have confirmed deals to buy up to 49 Typhoons. Spain will acquire an additional 25 jets, with Italy confirming the purchase of up to 24 of the combat aircraft.
A third of every aircraft is manufactured at BAE Systems’ production facility in Samlesbury, where components include the jet’s front fuselage, spine tank and tail section. And engineering and flight testing of the Typhoon takes place at BAE Systems’ Warton plant.
The pre-Christmas announcements, alongside forthcoming German orders, as well as the anticipated export opportunities, mean Eurofighter’s additional order book is set to grow to between 100-200 aircraft in the next decade.
Both contracts were announced by Eurofighter GmbH, the body which represents the three main companies behind the consortium: Airbus, BAE Systems and Leonardo.
In a statement BAE Systems said: “The contracts secure highly-skilled jobs in the North West with 6,000 people directly employed on the Typhoon programme at BAE Systems.
“A study by Oxford Economics shows the programme supports 9,280 jobs in the North West including many in the supply chain.”
Italy and Spain are two of the four nation members of the Eurofighter consortium along with the UK and Germany.
The 24 new Italian Eurofighter Typhoon jets will replace Italian Tranche 1 versions of the aircraft that are currently in service.
Spain’s agreement will see 25 new aircraft delivered to its air force between 2030 and 2035, securing industrial activity until at least 2035.
They will replace part of its legacy F-18 fleet and bring the total number of its Eurofighter aircraft to 115.
Giancarlo Mezzanatto, chief executive of Eurofighter, said: “Italy’s decision to purchase an additional 24 jets is, of course, fantastic news for our programme, further demonstrating the strength and importance that Eurofighter Typhoon brings to Europe.”
Commenting on the order by Spain, he said: “In addition to the operational security benefits of the Eurofighter, the new Spanish order will also bring significant economic benefits to our core nations and the economies of Europe.
“And, with a service life extending beyond 2060, Eurofighter’s advanced capabilities will ensure seamless integration into Europe’s future air combat systems.”
Richard Hamilton, managing director – Europe and international for BAE Systems’ Air Sector, said: “The announcement by Italy following Spain’s decision to purchase additional Typhoons reinforces the aircraft’s position as the backbone of European air defence.
“Every day we see the important role Typhoon plays as part of NATO in delivering air security in the skies over Europe and this investment only strengthens the international partnership which Typhoon underpins.
“We are proud of our long-term role on the programme, which continues to make a significant contribution to the UK economy, supporting more than 20,000 jobs across the nation and generating billions of pounds across the UK and Europe.
“Together with our Eurofighter partners, our people will work together to ensure Typhoon continues its enviable reputation for performance, reliability, availability and safety.”
The announcement came weeks after Lancashire defence workers came out fighting,
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