PROGRAMME NEWS & FEATURES EUROFIGHTER MARCH 2016 A CHANGING WORLD COMBAT EDGE HOWARD’S WAY MASSA vs. BOWMAN WHEN SPLIT SECONDS COUNT 2 2016 • EUROFIGHTER WORLD EDITORIAL 2016 • EUROFIGHTER WORLD 3 CONTENTS EUROFIGHTER WORLD PROGRAMME NEWS & FEATURES MARCH 2016 05 Editorial Welcome message from Volker Paltzo, the new CEO of Eurofighter Jagdflugzeug GmbH. 30 Combat Edge Title: Reflections on speed and Sensor fusion is decision making. what gives the Eurofighter Two professionals speak out. 06 Better and Better Typhoon real Picture: BAE Systems/Williams F1 P2E enhancements ‘Combat Edge’. mean Eurofighter And that’s why pilots Typhoon just gets love it. Read more. better and better. Eurofighter World is published by Eurofighter Jagdflugzeug GmbH, 36 Exercise Trident Juncture PR & Communications Italian Air Force Typhoon squadrons proved their worth Am Söldnermoos 17, 85399 Hallbergmoos 08 Split Second Supremacy when they took to the skies as part of the largest NATO Tel: +49 (0) 811-80 1587 [email protected] Felipe Massa is one of the best-loved and most exercise since 2002. experienced 48 Material World Editorial Team Theodor Benien rac ers in F1. Here Originally designed as an aircraft with incredible Simon Shrouder we talk to the performance in the air-to-air domain, the Eurofighter Martina Schmidmeir F1 driver and to Typhoon is put together Contributers Typhoon’s Mark using advanced composite Airbus Defence and Space Bowman about life materials. Find out more. BAE Systems Finmeccanica - Aircraft Division in the fast lane. EUROJET Turbo GmbH Royal Air Force Tim Robinson Viva PR Photography Eurofighter Jagdflugzeug GmbH 18 38 Battlespace: A Changing World Eurofighter Partner Companies In this edition of Eurofighter WORLD we speak to Tim Geoffrey Lee, Planefocus Limited, UK Giovanni Colla Robinson, the Editor-in-Chief of Aerospace , the maga- 50 Round Up Dr. Stefan Petersen, Luftwaffe MBDA Precision Engineering zine of the Royal Aeronautical Practice Makes Perfect Design & Production We take a closer look at the Society. Here he gives his as - images.art.design. Werbeagentur GmbH work of missile specialists sessment of Eurofighter’s role Eurofighter and NETMA Sign Agreement to www.iad-design.de MBDA and their relationship in the new world order. Streamline Processes. Printed by with Eurofighter. ESTA Druck GmbH Game Over – In Less Than A Blink of an Eye… www.esta-druck.de 51 Social Media: Be part of our social media family. 22 Stage B Production Testing Eurofighter World on the Internet www.eurofighter.com Howard Kerr unfolds the story behind production IN OUR NEXT ISSUE... Follow us on: testing during the manufacture 44 Fighting Talk: Brigadier Javier Del Cid De Leon We report on the major Air Shows 2016 of a Eurofighter Typhoon. A Brigadier, who lives and breathes aircraft, shares Special report from Red Flag in Nellis, Nevada with us the messages he Latest updates on capability progress If you would like to request additional copies of 28 The Pilot’s Survival Suit gave to a London Fighter Eurofighter World, please contact the It breathes for him, it keeps Conference. PR & Communications Department at Eurofighter GmbH blood where it is needed, it even [email protected] squeezes his socks. The Euro- March 2016 fighter Pilot’s Survival Suit is like nothing else you have ever seen. 4 2016 • EUROFIGHTER WORLD EDITORIAL 2016 • EUROFIGHTER WORLD 5 WELCOME ’m delighted to be back at Eurofighter, especially in my new role as Chief IExecutive Officer (CEO) of a company I know and love. It’s a great time to re-join the organisation. This magazine is just one of the many ‘shop windows’ on our world, and I hope you enjoy reading it. In the Eurofighter Typhoon, we have a world-class combat aircraft, and I’m certain we can look to the future with confidence. Right now, there’s much happening on the L Programme. Work is going full steam ahead on contracts for Meteor and Storm Shadow integration, for the future E-Scan radar and on Phase 3 Enhancements. A This issue of Eurofighter WORLD should give you a real sense of how the aircraft is taking shape, as well as the I pride and expertise of the people who work closely with it. There are some fascinating articles, not least the feature R interview with the F1 driver, Felipe Massa. In it he looks at some of the parallels between F1 drivers and fast jet pilots. We’re very grateful to the Williams F1 Team for their help in making that story come to life. O We also speak to NETMA’s Brigadier Javier Del Cid De Leon, who led the first Spanish Air Force deployment of T Eurofighters on Baltic Air Patrol. He speaks about the crucial role the Eurofighter Typhoon plays in protecting I national interests. Another article I’d recommend is a feature on how Eurofighter’s sensors work together to give pilots what we D like to call ‘Combat Edge’ during a mission. It highlights a whole host of intelligent design features that go into mak - ing the aircraft so special. Linking into that is a piece by E guest author and journalist Tim Robinson from the Royal Aeronautical Society, who talks about Eurofighter’s place in the ever-changing battle space. There’s also a look at the specialist equipment that goes into creating a Eurofighter pilot’s unique life support system — technology meets life-support clothing in ways few could imagine. Finally, this issue also offers you a chance to take a look at the work we do to bring advance capability to the air - craft with one of our key partners MBDA. It puts the ‘weapons’ into our Weapons System and gives insight into a fascinating world. I hope you enjoy the read as much as I did, and I’d welcome any feedback you may have. Yours Volker Paltzo CEO Eurofighter Jagdflugzeug GmbH Austrian Air Force Eurofighters air-air at Zeltweg 6 2016 • EUROFIGHTER WORLD EUROFIGHTER ENHANCEMENT EUROFIGHTER ENHANCEMENT 2016 • EUROFIGHTER WORLD 7 There are further OPAT tests planned this The first release of a Storm Shadow mis - at this stage provides us with invaluable feed - year. These tests will seek to determine any sile from Typhoon IPA2 took place in back that we can assess and directly feed - changes or improvements that would need to November 2015. back into the design process. This combined BETTER AND BETTER be implemented before the final version of the This continued the series of trials our testing approach is a fundamental part of how upgrade commences flight test and roll-out. Eurofighter Partner Company, Finmeccanica - we are improving the way we do business. It They are part of a combined testing approach, Aircaft Division, is leading to demonstrate the allows the customer to fly capability improve - allowing the customer to fly capability full integration of the Storm Shadow missile ments at an early stage and provide feedback improvements at an early stage and feed into with the Typhoon weapons system. Further to ensure the upgrades are exactly what the design process to ensure the upgrades integration work, including scheduled firing tri - they need.” Eurofighter Typhoon is the most advanced new generation swing-role combat aircraft are exactly what the end operator needs. als on Meteor and Storm Shadow, is ongoing. The Eurofighter Typhoon is subject to an P2Ea is a major stepping stone along the Finmeccanica - Aircaft Division, with sup - extensive continuous upgrade programme currently available on the world market. And the past 12 months have seen progress across path of the RAF’s Project CENTURION — the port from BAE Systems, missile designer and and the latest Phase 1 Enhancement (P1E) project to ensure a seamless transition be - producer MBDA, and specialist trials support package — delivering true simultaneous swing- a range of programmes for the aircraft — not least testing on Phase 2 Enhancements , a tween Typhoon and Tornado GR4's roles from QinetiQ, conducted trials at the role capability to Eurofighter — entered into when the latter goes out of service in 2019. Aberporth MoD firing range. Further work on service with the UK RAF last year. major stepping stone in the continuing capability journey of the aircraft. So what will it The full P2E upgrade for the RAF will in - both Storm Shadow and Meteor continues. Upgrades and integration of new weaponry, clude the integration of the MBDA Meteor Andy Flynn, Head of Capability Delivery as part of P2E, further enhances the aircraft’s bring to the mix and how is it shaping up? >> Beyond Visual Range Air-to-Air Missile. The Programmes for Combat Air at BAE Systems, potent multi-role and swing-role capabilities — next phase of enhancements, P3E, will bring said: “Working with the customer test teams adding new capability to strike day or night, in the MBDA Storm Shadow cruise missile and all-weather conditions. << he UK Royal Air Force Test and will work when fully in service. This feedback offensive and defensive counter-air, stand-off MBDA Brimstone 2 close air support weapon Evaluation Squadron has welcomed the is then assessed and helps directly influence attack and close air support. That's a lot of into service on the Typhoon in the UK. Tcapability upgrades to the Eurofighter the final design. skills for a frontline squadron to master. Typhoon combat jet after taking the latest en - Two tests were conducted using Typhoon Typhoon needs to deliver all of that capability hancements to the skies to test how they will IPA (Instrumented Production Aircraft) 6 – one a in a simple, reliable cockpit.” work when in service. typical air-to-air exercise and the other an air-to- 41(Reserve (R)) Sqn TES (Test and surface exercise targeting simulated targets.