Eurofighter
Eurofighter is an agile fighter aircraft that
will serve as the cornerstone of the RAF's fighting capability
from the early years of the next century. The 232 aircraft we
plan to acquire will replace the Tornado F3 and Jaguar in air
defence and offensive air support roles. Eurofighter is being
developed in a collaborative project with Germany, Italy and Spain.
Contracts for the production of the first tranche of 148 aircraft,
of which 55 are for the RAF, were signed in September 1998 and
the UK expects first deliveries in June 2002.
OPERATIONAL REQUIREMENT
1. The original European Staff Target for
the Eurofighterthen European Fighter Aircraft, EFAwas
signed in Rome on 11 October 1984, by France, Germany, Italy,
Spain and the UK. The nations' air forces agreed a requirement
for a new fighter aircraft to enter service in the 1990s. EFA
was to be agile and designed to fulfil air defence, including
air superiority and interception, and air to surface roles. France
attached equal importance to both roles; all other nations, while
wishing to retain good air-to-surface capability, recognised air-to-air
as the conditioning role. EFA was to be capable of intercepting,
fighting in air combat, and destroying a wide range of aerial
targets including cruise missiles, remotely piloted vehicles and
drones at a threat level expected in the mid 1990s and beyond,
as well as attacking enemy airfields and enemy surface forces.
EFA was to be able to operate in the electronic warfare environment
of a late 1990s European scenario by day and by night, in all
weathers for air defence and in poor visibility and low cloud-base
for its air-to-surface role. The numerical superiority of hostile
air forces was to be compensated for by EFA's superior quality
and operational flexibility. Low observability and survivability
were key design goals, as were reliability, maintainability and
testability.
2. Following a 1984-85 feasibility study,
the other four nations found it impossible to reconcile all their
requirements with those of France, which wanted a lighter aircraft
that would not provide the overall operational capability required
by the others. France accordingly withdrew from the programme
in August 1985. The key parameters agreed by the other nationsan
unstable, delta-winged aircraft, with canards, to have a "basic
mass empty" of 9.75 metric tonnes, a wing area of 50 square
metres and two engines each producing a static sea level thrust
of 90 kilonewtonswere incorporated in the European Staff
Requirement, ESR, and signed by the four Chiefs of Air Staffs
in December 1985.
3. The collapse of the Warsaw Pact and the
re-unification of Germany led to a reorientation of the programme.
The ESR needed to be updated to reflect the radically changed
political and military situation in Europe after 1989 and to address
the requirement for the year 2000 and beyond taking account of
EFA development work. Amendments were embodied in the European
Staff Requirement for Development. ESR-D, of a European Fighter
2000Eurofightersigned on 21 January 1994. The ESR-D
acknowledges that specific threats are no longer predictable in
detail, but stipulates that a future European fighter aircraft
must be capable of operating effectively in a variety of roles
and theatres.
TRADE-OFFS
4. ****
NUMBERS
5. The original requirement of the four
partner nations was for a total of 765 aircraft250 for
Germany, 165 for Italy, 100 for Spain and 250 for the UK. The
current requirement is for 620 aircraft180 for Germany,
121 for Italy, 87 for Spain and 232 for the UK. Germany, Italy
and Spain reduced their numbers during the reorientation. The
UK reduced its own requirement following studies that concluded
that the UK required 232 aircraft to meet its operational commitments.
The UK is now committed contractually to the Tranche 1 production
of 55 aircraft. Future production contracts would commit the UK
to 89 and 88 aircraft for Tranches 2 and 3 respectively.
STRATEGIC DEFENCE
REVIEW
6. The SDR confirmed our commitment to acquiring
232 Eurofighter aircraft. The acquisition of Eurofighter will
provide a step change in the RAF`s ability to achieve air superiority
and provide air defence. Its multi-role capability will also allow
it to fulfil the ground attack roles now performed by Jaguar.
MILITARY CAPABILITY
7. Eurofighter will bring a significant
increase in our air superiority cabability as it replaces the
Tornado F3. It will also provide a true, adverse weather, multi-role
capability. This will allow it to be employed in the full spectrum
of air operations from air policing to peace support through to
high intensity conflict.
EQUIPMENT TO
BE REPLACED
AND IN
-SERVICE DATE
8. The Eurofighter will replace the Tornado
F8 and Jaguar, the out of service dates for which are 2010 and
2008 respectively. The currently forecast in-service date for
Eurofighter, defined as the date of the delivery of the first
aircraft to the RAF, is June 2002. This represents a delay of
42 months against the original ISD of December 1998. The slippage
is attributable to procurement delays caused by reorientation
delays in signature of the Memoranda of Understanding for the
Production and Support phases, some 22 months slippage, and technical
difficulties resulting from the application of complex technologies
required to enable the equipment to meet the original Staff Requirement,
some 20 months slippage. The definition of the ISD for Eurofighter
relates to procurement factors and was agreed internationally
some years??
***
PROCUREMENT APPROACH
9. Early work in each participating country
by defence contractors working to their national governments was
co-ordinated under Memoranda of Understanding between the partner
nations. Full collaborative development was launched in 1988.
Collaborative Production Investment and Production, including
Initial Support was launched by the partner nations at the end
of 1997, following signature of further MoUs and contracts were
signed in January 1998. Contracts for production of the first
tranche of 148 aircraft, including 55 for the RAF, were signed
in September 1998.
10. Eurofighter development and production
are undertaken by two consortia, Eurofighter GmbH, and Eurojet
GmbH. Eurofighter comprises BAe from the UK. DASA from Germany.
Alenia from Italy and CASA from Spain, and is responsible for
developing and producing the airframe, avionics and the other
aircraft systems, and for the integration of the EJ200 engine.
The latter is being developed and produced by Eurojet GmbH, comprising
Rolls-Royce from the UK, MTU from Germany, Fiat from Italy and
ITP from Spain.
11. The purchasing arrangements are described
in further detail in the table at Annex
COLLABORATION
12. Government oversight of the programme
is exercised through the Board of Directors of the NATO Eurofighter
and Tornado Development. Production and Logistics Management Agency
(NETMA) which carries out day to day management of the international
contracts. The Agency has some 300 staff and an annual budget
of about 75 million DM. Funding for the Agency is shared in accordance
with the respective participation of each nation in the Eurofighter
and Tornado programmes. The UK contribution is about 35 per cent.
The UK national project office, which co-ordinates UK input to
the programme and provides national oversight, comprises some
111 staff including 53 logistics personnel. Its annual budget
is about £5 million.
13. Development work and costs are shared
on the basis of nations planned production off-takes, as declared
in 1987, giving the UK and Germany 33 per cent shares each, Italy
21 per cent and Spain 13 per cent. Production Investment and Production
work and cost share are based on aircraft off-take declared at
the start of these phases in 1997, giving the UK some 37.5 per
cent share, Germany 29 per cent, Italy 19.5 per cent and Spain
14 per cent.
14. Seven MoUs commit the four collaborative
partners to the various phases of the programme and its management.
EXPORT POTENTIAL
15. Eurofighter GmbH has identified several
potential early customers for Eurofighter in Europe, Greece and
Norway; the Middle East, the Pacific Rim, and South America. The
total airframe requirement is in the high hundreds. Longer term
customers are also now being identified. Competition can be expected
from Rafale, the Su 30 and 37, later models of the F-16 and F-15,
the F-22 and JSF.
INDUSTRIAL FACTORS
16. The Eurofighter project is fundamental
to maintaining an industrial capability within the UK for the
design and build of advanced military aircraft. As the only suitably
qualified UK firms to undertake the development and manufacture
of advanced fast jet aircraft and engines, British Aerospace and
Rolls Royce were the natural choice as the major UK partners.
Similar factors influenced the selection of contractors by our
collaborative partners.
SMART PROCUREMENT
17. The Eurofighter programme embraces several
Smart Procurement features. The UK has an integrated project team
with collocated operational requirements, procurement and logistics
staff. The design standard of delivered aircraft will follow an
incremental acquisition path, with the first aircraft being delivered
to an initial standardto allow early training with the
full standard delivered later to meet the declaration of operational
capability. The prices negotiated with industry have taken account
of efficiency improvements by industry: arrangements have been
agreed to share further efficiency benefits beyond those already
included in the price. Elements of the production contracts include
firm, non-revisable prices for the first five years and for subsequent
years, Variation of Price formulae based on Producer Output Indicies.
There is provision for a liquidated damages and the right of termination.
Much effort is being put into developing a partnership with industry
to support the aircraft in service.
ACQUISITION PHASES
18. There are four distinct phases within
the Eurofighter programme: pre-development, development, production
and support.
19. Pre-development comprised a number of
activities. Following early concept studies and various efforts
to establish a collaborative programme, two key demonstration
activities were completed by the UK before development: the Experimental
Aircraft Programme, an airframe programme primarily aimed at proving
thefeasibility of unstable flight control concepts, and the XG40
engine demonstrator programme at Rolls-Royce. The results of these
demonstrators and associated studies, and similar work by the
other nations, were harmonised in a definition, refinement and
risk reduction phase that ran from the end of 1985, when the
four nations signed the MoU covering this phase, to 1988.
20. The main development contracts were
signed in November 1988 and amended in November 1995.
21. The Eurofighter production contract
strategy is based on an "umbrella contract" that secures
maximum prices for all production investment and the total order
of 620 aircraft. Commitments against this contract are made as
a series of supplements against fixed prices within the overall
maximum price. The umbrella contract and the first supplement
covering production investment were signed in January 1998. The
second supplement, covering the production of the first tranche
of 148 aircraft, was signed in September 1998.
22. Integrated logistic support procedures
were embedded in the programme from the outset, to ensure that
adequate attention was given to support issues throughout the
development phase. Concurrently with the umbrella contract, the
first two support procurement contracts were let, following agreement
that industry would ensure that support is available when the
first aircraft is delivered. Further support contracts will enable
the delivery of the complete support capability.
23. A reliability maintenance panel meets
every three months to monitor progress against the reliability
plan. In-service demonstration is also part of the programme.
24. The current assessment of risks associated
with the timely completion of the programme highlights the integration
of the avionics within the overall weapon system and the achievement
of incremental increases to avionic functionality. Risk management
processes in industry and the MoD, and contractual incentives
for industry, aim to ensure that these risks do not impact adversely
on delivery.
MILESTONES AND
COSTS
25. The four nations signed the Full Development
MoU and consequent contracts in November 1988. MoUs for Production
Investment/Production and Support were signed in December 1997.
These followed by signature of the Production Investment/Production
and Support overarching contracts in January 1998 and the first
tranche of Production contracts in September 1998. The first aircraft
is scheduled to be delivered to the UK in mid-2002. Dates for
the two further production tranches have still to be determined.
26. Details of expenditure to 31 March 1998
and further expenditure in prospect are provided in the table
at Annex.
27. In the event of late delivery, the production
contracts with Eurofighter GmbH and Eurojet GmbH both include
provision for liquidated damages up to a maximum of 3 per cent
of individual weapon system value. All interim payments made prior
to delivery are subject to the achievement of technical milestones.
If a milestone is not achieved, payment is withheld.
IN -SERVICE
SUPPORT
28. Support for Eurofighter is being managed
collaboratively to reduce life cycle costs. MoUs and International
Framing Agreements aim to ensure that all elements of the project
are taken forward on an agreed international basis. Costs are
shared in proportion to the aircraft off-take of each nation.
This is the first major international project to apply integrated
logistic support, ILS, procedures, thus enabling all aspects of
logistic support to be optimised. Emphasis is being placed on
partnership with industry to define the most cost-effective solution.
29. The Eurofighter ILS team is maintaining
close liaison with all three RAF Commands throughout the planning
process to ensure that the end users contribute to the development
of support policy and have a clear understanding of the developing
support concepts. The ILS team is also ensuring that, where it
is cost effective, maximum use is made of existing support capability,
and also that, where possible, any new generic support equipment
being procured is compatible with Eurofighter.
30. The most obvious potential bottleneck
is the support infrastructure at the Main Operating Bases, MOBs.
As each MOB converts, there will be a short period where both
Tornado F3 and Eurofighter will be required to operate together
and, as each maintenance facility is converted, the Tornado F3
would potentially be left unsupported. This risk will be overcome
by ensuring that the MOBs provide mutual support during the conversion
phase. Another potential problem that has been identified is the
maintenance of minimum manning levels at the front line whilst
training the first tranche of Eurofighter tradesmen, and building
up the Operational Conversion Unit and the first squadrons. Such
potential difficulties are being addressed by a series of working
groups. All are currently considered to be manageable.
FRONT LINE,
STORAGE AND
RESERVES
31. The active RAF fleet of Eurofighter
will be 137 aircraft, covering the seven front-line squadrons,
the Operational Conversion Unit, OCU, and the Operational Evaluation
Unit. Each squadron will have one in-use reserve and the OCU will
have two in-use reserves, giving a total of nine. The remaining
aircraft allow for assumptions of attrition and overall use of
the aircraft over the 25-year life of the aircraft, with the last
aircraft being scheduled for delivery in 2014. The fleet once
in steady state will be managed around engineering requirements,
such as scheduled servicing and modification programmes.
INTEROPERABILITY
32. Interoperability is fundamental to Eurofighter
design. The Eurofighter programme has adhered to Standard NATO
Agreements and protocols to ensure Eurofighter's compatibility
with current and future systems, both operational and logistic.
DISPOSAL OF
EQUIPMENT TO
BE REPLACED
33. The aircraft being replaced will be
at the end of their productive lives and will probably be scrapped.
IN -SERVICE
LIFE
34. Eurofighter is planned to be in service
for 25 years.
DEVELOPMENT POTENTIAL
35. Unlike previous programmes, where major
enhancements were incorporated via a major in-service upgrade,
we shall, following Smart Procurement principles, establish a
programme for through-life evolution of the RAF Eurofighter fleet.
The aim is to acquire and incorporate emerging technology, on
an incremental basis, to maintain the capability of the weapon
system. Partnership between the MoD and industry will provide
the necessary expertise and focus to enable us to identify, prioritise
and pursue modifications to Eurofighter that balance operational
effectiveness, life cycle costs and obsolescence issues.
36. Adapting Eurofighter for operations
from aircraft carriers, or "marinising", is one of the
possible solutions being considered to meet the requirement for
the Future Carrier Borne Aircraft. Various Eurofighter derivatives
are also among the options being considered to meet the requirement
for Future Offensive Aircraft Systems.
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