The radar modernization program for the Eurofighter jets of the Royal Air Force (RAF) is progressing well. Recently, during a parliamentary session, officials from the UK Ministry of Defence confirmed that the first combat aircraft equipped with the new AESA ECRS Mk2 radar is ready to begin test flights. This news follows a report from early August, when ground tests with the new sensor were completed at BAE Systems’ facilities, with support from Leonardo UK.
Through an investment of £2.35 billion, the UK Ministry of Defence initiated years ago the modernization process for part of the RAF’s Eurofighter fleet, centering this program on the development of a new AESA sensor for the Tranche 3 aircraft in service.
Designated as the European Common Radar System (ECRS) Mk2 and developed by Leonardo, this AESA sensor combines new capabilities for detecting, tracking, and following aerial targets, as well as incorporating electronic warfare and enhanced communication capabilities. The latter is a requirement from operators of the European fighter to be included in the new aircraft updates, either through the incorporation of a new radar, as in the British case, or through the addition of new specific pods for this function. Among the latest milestones of the program, the installation and integration of the new ECRS radar on the first selected aircraft was recorded earlier this year. Subsequently, in August, the first ground tests with the new AESA sensor were completed.
In this context, during a parliamentary session, the UK Ministry of Defence’s Secretary of State, Maria Eagle, was asked by MPs about the progress of the program. She stated: “The ECRS Mk2 program has achieved several positive milestones in the last four months, highlighting the approval of the critical design review (CDR) for the production radar system in June 2024 and the completion of ground tests of the prototype on a Typhoon test aircraft in July 2024. Teams from the Ministry of Defence and the industry are working to reach the main milestone of the first flight of the ECRS Mk2 in the coming weeks.”
While no specific date was provided, this statement from the official represents a significant step for the modernization program of the British Eurofighters, which includes the installation of the ECRS Mk2 on forty Tranche 3 aircraft. This consolidates the RAF fleet around this version (along with the Tranche 2), while the older aircraft (Tranche 1) will be retired and scrapped starting in 2025.
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