Defence Secretary John Healey has announced a £453 million investment to equip Royal Air Force Typhoon fighter jets with cutting-edge radar systems. The contract, confirmed during his visit to Leonardo UK's Edinburgh site on Thursday, is projected to secure up to 1,300 jobs across the UK amid growing pressure on NATO from Russian drone strikes and violations of allied airspace.
The deal will see BAE Systems and Parker Meggitt install 40 European Common Radar System (ECRS) Mk2 units on RAF Typhoons. The upgrade includes 38 new radar systems and modifications to two test systems, protecting the fleet until at least the 2040s.
Leonardo UK's Edinburgh site will secure 300 highly skilled jobs, with 120 positions in Lancashire and over 100 in Luton. The full Typhoon programme supports more than 20,000 workers across 330 UK companies.
Security and capability
Healey emphasized the strategic importance of the upgrade. «Our Typhoon fleet is the backbone of UK and NATO air defence, operated across Europe by the Royal Air Force and our allies to protect our skies and security,» he said.
«As the threats we face increase, and as Russian drones continue to strike Ukraine and violate NATO airspace, this cutting-edge radar capability will keep Britain secure at home and strong abroad for many years to come,» the Defence Secretary added.
Advanced radar technology
Mark Stead, senior vice-president of radar and advanced targeting at Leonardo UK, detailed the system's capabilities. «ECRS Mk2 isn't just an exceptional radar – it's equipped with advanced electronic surveillance and electronic attack capabilities which will make RAF's Typhoons more potent against their adversaries, adapting to new and unpredictable threats,» he explained.
The radar system can simultaneously detect, identify and track multiple targets in the air and on the ground. It provides high-powered jamming capability and enables engagement of targets beyond the reach of threats, ensuring operational advantage in contested environments.
Defence investment push
The contract forms part of over £650 million in defence investments announced this week. The government earlier awarded QinetiQ a separate £205 million contract for specialist Typhoon engineering support.
«In Edinburgh and across the UK, we're backing more than 20,000 skilled workers on the Typhoon programme who ensure our RAF remains ready to protect Britain,» Healey said. He noted the workforce would be sustained following the £8 billion fighter jet exports deal secured with Turkiye in October – described as the biggest such deal in a generation.
Scottish Secretary Douglas Alexander called the contract «the latest in an impressive line of defence dividend wins for Scotland». He said: «The UK Government is transforming our defence sector into an even more powerful engine for growth, because when we back our service personnel and Scottish industry, we keep ourselves and our allies secure whilst delivering skilled jobs and growth for communities and workers.»
Leonardo UK supports over 71 UK-based suppliers through the programme. Stead expressed hope that ECRS Mk2 would see wider adoption by other Typhoon export users given its advanced capabilities against current and future threats.
Note: This article was created with Artificial Intelligence (AI).
