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Eurofighter escape system success

20 Feb 2002

BAE Systems has recently completed the final ejection test to qualify the Eurofighter Typhoon Two Seat Crew Escape System.

The successful test, carried out from a BAE Systems test rig at 600 knots, the highest airspeed in the aircraft's escape envelope, was performed at Langford Lodge, Martin-Baker Aircraft's test facility near Belfast.

The test replicates escape of the crew from the aircraft and involves jettison of the canopy and ejection of both seats in sequence. Completion of the test is a significant step in ensuring the maturity of the series production aircraft. The evidence provided by this test also contributes to the clearance required for the Customer to put the aircraft into Service with the operating Nations.

Geoff Howarth, Group Leader, Eurofighter Crew Escape, at BAE Systems said: 'The successful completion of the tests marks the end of nine months hard work and is a major achievement. The system has consistently performed as expected throughout testing and the crew escape system that underwent the final test is that implemented in the production aircraft.'

The completion of these tests also marks the successful achievement of the first of this year's Customer Monitored Milestones.
About Eurofighter Typhoon:

The Eurofighter Typhoon is the world's most advanced swing-role combat aircraft, developed by the leading aerospace companies, BAE Systems, EADS Deutschland, Alenia Aerospazio, and EADS Spain, of the four partner countries, the UK, Germany, Italy, and Spain. Eurofighter Typhoon features unrivalled technology, designed for the defence needs across the next forty years.

Agile, stealthy, twin-engined and designed to operate from hastily prepared bases and small runways and for worldwide operations. It is equipped with advanced multi-mode, pulse-Doppler Radar and an extensive range of sensors and electronic countermeasures.

The aircraft's ability to gain air superiority Beyond Visual Range (BVR) and in close combat, and at the same time deliver high sortie rates against naval and ground targets in all weathers with a variety of weapons, demands close attention to pilot workload. In Eurofighter the pilot flies through use of a computerised flight control system, which offers full carefree handling.

A strong emphasis has been placed on reducing cost of ownership in addition to outstanding performance and flight safety. Reliability, low cost of maintenance and a sophisticated on-board testing system ensure ease of day to day management and through life costs that make the Eurofighter Typhoon less expensive to run than the generation of aircraft it is designed to replace.

The Eurofighter partner nations will take delivery of 620 aircraft: 232 for the UK, 180 for Germany, 121 for Italy and 87 for Spain.

Marketing of Eurofighter Typhoon continues to draw strong interest around the world with active campaigns currently underway in South Korea, the Netherlands, Asia, Greece and Norway.