The funding will support key components for manufacturing and integrating the radar, delivered by BAE Systems and Leonardo UK, ahead of a full production contract expected later in 2025. The investment follows successful flight and ground testing of a prototype radar, completed at BAE Systems’ Warton site in February.
Richard Hamilton, Managing Director – Europe & International at BAE Systems’ Air sector, said: “With modern conflict demonstrating the central importance of electronic warfare to combat operations, we are proud that the UK’s onshore combat air industry is the first in Europe to offer a radar with embedded electronic warfare capabilities through a multi-functional array, with development running several years ahead of other international efforts.”
Mark Hamilton, Managing Director Electronics UK, Leonardo, added: “The UK’s commitment to these long-lead packages in support of series production reflects the growing confidence in the progress being made by UK Industry in developing this state-of-the-art radar and growing maturity of the system design.”
Initial production radars are expected to be available from 2028, with efforts underway to integrate them into the Eurofighter programme as quickly as possible. Lyndon Hoyle, Head of the Typhoon Delivery Team at the Ministry of Defence’s DE&S, noted: “The race is now on to get them integrated as soon as possible through the four-nation Eurofighter programme and deliver the battle-winning capability into the hands of the war fighter.”
The radar is developed and manufactured by Leonardo in Edinburgh and Luton, and integrated by BAE Systems in Lancashire. This funding will sustain around 1,300 UK jobs, including 400 at Leonardo and over 300 at BAE Systems, primarily in Scotland and the North West of England.
Typhoon export sales are valued at more than double the UK’s £12 billion investment in the programme to date. In the North West alone, BAE Systems employs around 5,000 people directly on the Typhoon programme, which supports over 20,800 jobs across the UK economy.
