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BAE SYSTEMS Delivers First Production Radar For Eurofighter

27 Feb 2001

Ref: 025/2001

BAE Systems has delivered the first production CAPTOR radar to the Eurofighter assembly plant at Warton in Lancashire. It is the first of 147 in the first tranche of production.

The delivery, on time and to specification, marks the successful completion of the development programme, led by BAE Systems’ Sensor Systems Division at Crewe Toll in Edinburgh, as prime contractor of the Euroradar consortium. Euroradar comprises partners from the four nations in the Eurofighter programme, BAE Systems in Edinburgh, EADS in Germany, FIAR in Italy and INDRA in Spain.

The CAPTOR radar is the primary sensor of the Eurofighter aircraft providing unmatched air-to-air capability. The radar also has an extensive air-to-ground capability, which matches the aircraft’s "swing role" mission capability.

Sensor Systems is currently populating its new 30m engineering facility at Crewe Toll, which has transformed the radar production area into one of the world's most modern and advanced.

CAPTOR project director, David Graham, said: "Today we have delivered a thoroughly mature product. CAPTOR has been extensively tested in the laboratory, in flight tests using our own aircraft flying from Edinburgh and in Eurofighter itself. Our unique test facilities allow us to analyse and understand the radar’s performance in the minutest detail. CAPTOR is performing beyond its specification and has been demonstrated to three potential export nations, in the air."

There is considerable export opportunity for Eurofighter. Norway, Singapore, The Netherlands and Korea are potential customers and Greece has recently agreed to purchase sixty aircraft with an option for thirty more. It is a unique situation that a foreign country has agreed to purchase a fighter aircraft before it is in service with the home nation.

Eurofighter Sensor Systems project director, Frank Yuill, added: "This on-time delivery greatly enhances the prospects for export, in particular, to Greece. With planned upgrades and future developments we have a programme that has a lifespan in excess of 30 years."