Eurofi ghter: The 6 Consortium’s Outlook Eurofi ghter’s Head of Strategic Marketing, Raffael ‘Klax’ Klaschka provided the company’s outlook for the Typhoon programme.

Typhoon: UK Outlook 8 We spoke with Anthony Gregory and Andy Mallery-Blythe from BAE Systems to discuss the latest aspects of the UK Typhoon programme. MARK AYTON Spotlight on 12 Mark Ayton details two Typhoon programmes ongoing in Italy.

Typhoon Systems 14 AMRAAM, ASRAAM 16 Weapon Integration 20 Munitions 24 Electronic Warfare 26 Self Protection 28 EJ200 Engine 34 Terrain Avoidance 36 38 42 46 Infrared Search 48 E-Scan Radar 54 Helmet Display

Typhoon Trials 56Mark Ayton details the ongoing work of the RAF’s 41 Test and Evaluation Squadron which is tasked with Typhoon capability and tactics development.

Frontline Training for 62 12 Squadron is the latest Typhoon unit to stand-up at RAF Coningsby and has been tasked to provide frontline training to the Qatar Emiri Air Force.

Tempest: Programme Leaders 70 Mark Ayton spoke with leaders of the Tempest programme to gain a top-level explanation of the UK’s multi-billion future fi ghter.

In a series of features Mark Ayton details concepting work underway with the Tempest partner companies to develop systems for the nascent fi ghter.

Tempest: Concept and Assessment 78 BAE Systems: The Tempest aircraft. Tempest: Virtual Cockpit 86 BAE Systems: A virtual cockpit. Tempest: Sensors 90 Leonardo: Sensors. Tempest: Electronic Warfare 92 Leonardo: Electronic-warfare devices. Tempest: A Pilot’s Perspective 98 Leonardo: A pilot’s perspective of development.

Tempest: Engine 104 Rolls-Royce: An integrated power system.

Tempest: Weapons 110 MBDA: Precision-guided weapons.

WWW.KEY.AERO 5 EUROFIGHTER’S OUTLOOK

EUROFIGHTER: THE CONSORTIUM’S OUTLOOK

Mark Ayton spoke with Eurofighter’s head of strategic marketing, Raffael ‘Klax’ Klaschka for a company outlook on the Typhoon.

raced by potential orders from company’s campaign managers and marketeers operating environment and the array of threats the German Luftwaffe and Spain’s who, understandably, remain optimistic and faced by Typhoon will evolve to statuses that are Ejercito del Aire, in addition enthusiastic about the Typhoon and its latest undefinable in 2021. to current production runs for capabilities. G Qatar and , Typhoon’s According to Klax, the Typhoon aircraft is Threat Forecasting ledger looks a little healthier than about midway on its development path with an Eurofighter’s future threat forecast centres in recent times. Eurofighter GmbH remains out of service date in the 2060s for the latest jets around air threats comprising large numbers in the running for Finland’s HX fighter operating in Europe. of so-called fourth generation fighters, smaller replacement programme. A busy time for the That’s another 40 years during which the numbers of new generation stealth jets, and

6 WWW.KEY.AERO Tooled up to the system yet exists and will require signifi cant specifi cally Spear 3 and more guided bomb brink. An artistʼs investment of funding, time, and engineering units or GBU-designated munitions. impression of two capacity, but it’s important for driving capability During the Paris Airshow held at Le future Luftwaffe development to be used by the pilot. Looking to Bourget in June 2019, Eurofi ghter, Eurojet Eurofi ghters looking future requirements, retaining a pilot onboard and NETMA, signed study contracts together nasty. Eurofi ghter Typhoon is one of Eurofi ghter’s philosophies. worth €53.7m to support the long-term GmbH Despite increased processing power, new development of the Typhoon aircra .  ere displays, and an improved human machine were more than 50 separate candidate interface which all make the pilot’s life easier, technologies considered by the evolution ultimately the pilot pulls the trigger and needs review. to be responsible for their action. Each contract bound each party to look at Right now, simulation is another critical the long term evolution (LTE) of the Typhoon requirement for day-to-day training.  e aircra and the EJ200 engine. Contract periods Meteor is a good example. Such are its spanned 19 months for the aircra and nine engagement ranges that it is almost impossible to months for the engine elements. conduct full-up training with the Meteor in most  e contracts were designed to underpin European air space.  is is usually only available the future of Typhoon by identifying a suite during large exercises with the necessary air space of technology enhancements for the weapons allocated. Provision of a system that connects system and the engine. Enhancements designed air, land, sea, cyber, and space assets to create the to ensure the aircra remains operationally most realistic training environment is the answer. eff ective for decades to come. Areas of high Connectivity and interoperability are all technology explored included: about information security which is a key Mission System Architecture driver for Eurofi ghter: if Typhoon is unable Support the generation, transmission, and to connect into a theatre, it’s out of the fi ght. utilisation of ever-increasing levels of digital  at means standardised radios and data links data both onboard (via advanced multi-spectral working in harmony with other assets on sensors including a new electronically scanned radio communication and data links. It helps radar) and o oard (via high performance in training and with combined operations in tactical datalinks), while remaining resilient combat. to new and emerging threats, including cyber.  is will maintain Typhoon’s ability to operate in highly contested and congested future “The Typhoon aircraft operating environments. is about midway on its Praetorian Defensive Aids Sub System Potential future Defensive Aids Sub System development path with requirements until 2050, enabling Typhoon an out of service date to cope faster, more easily and more aff ordably with new requirements to counter threats as in the 2060s.” they arise in the future. Human-Machine Interface further out, as yet unseen sixth-generation Refreshed cockpit displays and controls to super jets. enable more demanding future missions, while  e forecast centres around ground threats Information superiority should be a given ensuring full interoperability with cooperating comprising so-called triple digit surface-to-air based on the number of high-performance assets in the air and over the land and sea. such as the Russian S-400 that are sensors onboard Typhoon. In reality, a Operational Flexibility abundantly capable of restricting freedom of Typhoon pilot only gains information Applying new adaptive power and cooling manoeuvre in an area of operations: the so- superiority if the sensor-acquired information techniques and facilitating the agile integration called contested environment. is analysed and presented to the pilot in an of advanced weapons, to enable carriage of But future operating environments will understandable way and as quickly as possible. more fl exible store confi gurations. Eurofi ghter also require Typhoon to engage in diff erent In the future, such mission data must be is seeking to increase the number of air-to-air domains from those of today.  is will require available within a few seconds, analysed and missiles carried to a double-digit number. A the aircra to be equipped with capabilities processed onboard Typhoon because of very sure way to provide greater combat mass and a such as satellite communications and stealthy powerful processing capacity. key aspect of Typhoon’s future evolution. data links to meet the demands of multi- But is Eurofi ghter sure, in terms of available Engine Performance domain warfare. Consider a future scenario in space on board and available power, that the Focus on four key areas: thrust growth, the which Typhoons engage with enemy fi ghters. current aircra will be able to host the required engine has around 15% potential for more Today, chances are that the Typhoon pilots hardware, processors and cooling systems? power output; new fuel tanks to additional would seek to shoot down the enemy jets. A Because of its physical size and its two range and persistence with increased parts life; future multi-domain scenario might require EJ200 engines, the Typhoon has plenty of survivability and control system enhancements. the Typhoons to attack an enemy ship sending growth potential. Klax reckons Eurofi ghter is Like any of us, even the best of Eurofi ghter’s information to the enemy fi ghters before in the process of rearranging everything under gurus cannot foresee the future, but they can shooting the jets down. Equipping Typhoon the skin of the Typhoon, including mission ensure its growth potential.  is will require for such a scenario impacts on weapon architecture, hardware consolidation and new the company’s decision makers to make wise development which in turn impacts on sensor processors. “We also need to ensure the EJ200 choices and use modular architecture to try and technology development, not least the radar. engine has the capacity to increase power futureproof the jet. Hopefully, they can achieve Like all technologies, sensor systems output in the future.” that such that in 20 years from now, when continue to increase in terms of data engineers have to make changes on the jet they acquisition and processing speed.  e better Long Term Evolution can do so with a minimum of alterations. the sensor the more data acquired, the greater According to Klax, right now the Typhoon is Eurofi ghter’s Long Term Evolution the capacity to store and analyse the data. a perfect fi t for its tasked roles and has proven programme is designed to do just that. What’s According to Klax, Eurofi ghter is looking into itself in recent years, especially on operations more, the company is using the LTE to new types of network and processors that can with the . Feedback from all tailor and adapt the Typhoon aircra to the cope with and analyse the amount of data, most operators helped shape the series of phased requirements of its nine existing customers, importantly making the analysed data available enhancements, now complete. In the short term but also those of potential customers such as to the pilot but also other assets. No such future, additional weapons will be integrated, Finland. Benediximus illis. ●

WWW.KEY.AERO 7 BAE SYSTEMSʼ OUTLOOK

TYPHOON: BAE SYSTEMS’ OUTLOOK

Mark Ayton spoke with Anthony Gregory and Andy Mallery-Blythe from

ince the three-year, £425m Project UK’s fl edgling carrier strike capability. When the UK’s sovereign defence industry and Centurion concluded in late 2018, underway with F-35Bs on her deck, HMS military capability and a defi nition of RAF Typhoons have a bigger arsenal ueen Elizabeth looks a magnifi cent military Typhoon’s role in enabling the strategy. of weapons to call upon.  is latest sight. But remember, 60% of the air wing’s For BAE Systems that means ensuring S capability transformation is designed F-35Bs are US Marine Corps-owned metal. the Typhoon aircra remains operationally to increase Typhoon’s combat edge Consequently, RAF commanders wishing to relevant for the current and future until its out-of-service date in the 2040s. Once deploy fast jet combat capability must call upon battlespace environments. In the medium the realm of the Tornado GR4, the Typhoon the Typhoon to conduct any shooting required. term, Typhoon’s Phase 3 Enhancement FGR4 is now the backbone of the RAF Back in July 2018, the government of then (P3E) package, of which there are numerous maintaining ongoing regular taskings and those Prime Minister  eresa May launched a road subsets, is designed to maintain operational of a contingency fl avour. Of course, there is the map for the UK’s future fast jet force as part relevance. Royal Navy and RAF F-35B combo which is of its combat air strategy. A couple of notable  e ECRS Mark 2 E-scan radar set is the currently big on capability but small in force things fell out of that strategy: the launch of next major capability improvement for the size. A force focussed on the employment of the the Tempest programme designed to retain RAF’s Typhoon and will be embodied in

8 WWW.KEY.AERO On patrol over the Falkland Islands during a sortie from RAF Mount Pleasant Airfi eld. Royal Air Force/Sgt Rob Travis

om BAE Systems to discuss the latest aspects of the UK Typhoon programme.

the fi rst subset of the Phase 4 Enhancement Task-Based Management steering limitation, it can move from one (P4E) package.  e radar is expected to provide Discussing the diff erences between task-based location to another in an instant. full task-based management capability, which and mode-based management, Andy Mallery- “Control is about the amount of the radar’s seeks to automate the use of the aircra ’s Blythe, Typhoon operational requirements resource that is deployed. In terms of a torch, sensors and assimilation of information manager at BAE Systems, explained: “Mode how much light needs to be laid down in a with less pilot interaction. If achieved, the based management makes some sense for a particular corner of the room, for how long, automated process would enable the pilot to mechanically scanned radar because of the and how much resource needs to be laid down focus on decision making rather than using limitations of where the antenna can be steered elsewhere. Hence mode-based management is precious time to manually derive the required and how quickly. Steering a mechanically completely inappropriate to a multifunctional information through interaction with the scanned antenna can be likened to moving a array with the capabilities of the Mark 2. cockpit displays.  e tasked-based management torch beam around in a darkened room until It must be a task-based approach. One that philosophy is part of the future cockpit system you fi nd something. When the radar’s beam can allows the pilot to decide the amount of their in development for the Tempest programme, move at the speed of the computer’s processing radar’s resource to throw at an air-to-air search, dubbed Midas. power, as per an E-scan radar, you have no an air-to-surface search, synthetic aperture

WWW.KEY.AERO 9 BAE SYSTEMSʼ OUTLOOK

A creative image of a Typhoon FGR4 depicting the EJ200 engineʼs turbine blades while parked in a RUBB shelter at RAF Akrotiri. Royal Air Force/SAC Phil Dye

radar to generate imagery of a target area and larger display is necessary. Illustrating changes version of the ASRAAM air-to-air missile, an electronic attack. Resource allocation decisions from around the battlespace enables the pilot to upgrade of the Meteor air-to-air missile (likely can be made during mission planning but can judge the rates of change as they evolve.  at’s between 2025 and 2030) and an upgrade of the be rapidly adapted during the mission while the all made much easier with a large area display. Storm Shadow conventionally armed stand-off pilot oversees what’s going on without the need  e Mark 2 radar is expected to enter service missile.  e latter will be funded through the to make fi ne adjustments to the radar necessary on RAF Typhoons in 2027-2028. Future Cruise/Anti-Ship Weapon programme with a mode-based end scan.” of FCASW.  e RAF also plans to introduce Equipping Typhoon with the Mark 2 radar RAF Typhoon Requirements a new smart dispenser system as part of the will require a larger cockpit display. How  e Royal Air Force needs several capabilities P4E package. Typhoon’s current system carries large? Enough to show various physical entities from its next confi guration of Typhoon to 32 fl ares ejected from a dispenser installed captured from the battlespace but also details include the SPEAR 3 air-launched surface underneath the wings, the new device will carry about activity throughout the electromagnetic attack weapon, the electronic warfare- more expendables and a greater variety. spectrum. Activity throughout the spectrum confi gured SPEAR-EW, the Striker II helmet, In the near-term, the RAF must equip its will continue to increase during the service life a transition to the multi-national LTE Typhoons with the necessary devices to comply of the Mark 2 radar. More activity means more programme and upgrade programmes for with regulatory standards for operating within information, and more information deems a its weapons.  e latter includes the Block 6 civilian airspace by 2025. Although Typhoon is a military aircra it must operate in accordance with the same rules as a commercial airliner The RAFʼs 41 Test and Evaluation Squadron celebrated its 100th anniversary back or civilian aircra to include navigation and in 2016. To mark the milestone, the squadron painted Typhoon FGR4 ZK315 in an reduced vertical separation minima.  at’s anniversary colour scheme. Mark Ayton quite a complex undertaking for the supersonic Typhoon.

Mission System Architecture  e UK’s baseline P3E(A) and P4E(A) packages represent signifi cant leaps in capability. But despite both, the Typhoon aircra ’s mission system architecture is now reaching a point in time when it needs upgrading with new multiple processors that support spiral development of so ware.  ese requirements form part of a programme dubbed LTE or long-term evolution, which will be designed to further maintain Typhoon’s

10 WWW.KEY.AERO Tooled-up for war. A Typhoon FGR4 takes off from RAF Akrotiri, Cyprus loaded with live Paveway IV precision-guided munitions, a Litening III targeting pod and Brimstone air-to-surface missiles. Royal Air Force/Cpl Lee Matthews

fi ghter. One example is the company’s Striker II “Typhoon’s current DASS performs electronic helmet-mounted display - a brand-new, digital, countermeasures so there is nothing new to Typhoon full-colour product that allows exploitation of about that capability. However, the potential to digital images and video, with spiral upgrade conduct electronic attack with the forthcoming Mark capability. In the future, BAE Systems is striving 2 radar is a new capability for the aircraft. Consider the for the helmet display to fully replace the head- difference in physical size between a small antenna in up display and looking into the feasibility of the wing tip pods of the DASS system and the Mark displaying all fl ight and mission information 2 radar’s enormous fuselage diameter sized antenna in the helmet without the need for a large with the required bandwidth, that can be used for area display in the cockpit. Gregory states it’s both electronic countermeasures and electronic attack a journey and similar consideration is being purposes. The additional power available to disrupt given to new back-end hardware, so ware, and adversary systems is game changing.” electronic warfare processes and techniques. He said: “With all such technologies and systems Fifth-Generation Interoperability fi tted, Typhoon will still look the same on the The author asked BAE Systems if its RAF customer outside but under the skin it will be completely has a requirement for greater interoperability between changed as will its tactical applications and Typhoon and its fifth-generation F-35? Foxy replied: operational eff ect. We’re evaluating concepts “Typhoon is already a contributor to the overall for manned-unmanned teaming between a loyal battlespace environment but also receives a lot of data. operational relevance through to the time when wingman UAV and Typhoon. What sort of Formats and the connections used to link with F-35 the Tempest fi ghters grace fl ight lines at RAF comms, interoperability and data will be needed aircraft are based on datalink protocols.” Coningsby. to share with the unmanned element in part but According to Mallery-Blythe, tactical Technologies underpinning a Typhoon interoperability via existing datalinks between confi guration operating in the late 2030s will Typhoon and F-35 is already good. “Enhancements bear similarity to some of the technologies “The RAF needs several to engineering details are in the pipeline for both destined for the Tempest fi ghter. From an platforms to put the icing on the cake, but nothing operational perspective, similarity might help capabilities from its that’s earth shatteringly new. Those will be part of the to streamline the transition from one type to next confi guration of P3E package and will be inserted during the next three the other. years.” Anthony Gregory, BAE Systems’ Typhoon Typhoon to include the business development director for Europe said: Transition to Tempest “Some capabilities integrated on Typhoon SPEAR 3 air-launched When the Typhoon first entered RAF service, in could de-risk some of the capabilities for surface attack weapon” radar performance terms, it lagged the Tornado F3 Tempest. We may be able to take advantage of (the aircraft it replaced), simply because insufficient capabilities inserted on Typhoon and vice versa time had passed for in-service operation of the into Tempest. Within that process, the radar M-Scan radar to evolve. Although the Typhoon’s technology, and the processing and storage of also with other manned systems in a multi- radar was more capable and more powerful, the the data captured by the radar are key. Although domain operational environment that includes pilot’s interaction wasn’t as advanced as the Tornado Typhoon and Tempest will not be equipped sea-, land-, and space-based systems?” F3 at the time. Typhoon quickly made up the deficit with exactly the same Mark 2 radar some of  e absence of full-up stealth characteristics and surpassed the Tornado F3 within a few years of the underpinning core technologies used, on the Typhoon aircraft, such as those used by the being in service, but it started with a 25-year lead in for example in manufacturing the transmit F-35 Lightning II, means the aircraft relies upon digital technology. If the Tempest fighter enters RAF service and receive modules, and the so ware and stealth, active jamming of airborne and surface-based as expected in 2035, it too will start with a 30-year lead hardware, will continue to evolve.” threat emitters of interest to enable survivability in an in technology over the current Typhoon design. With BAE Systems is evaluating a large area display area close enough to launch missiles or air-to-surface the Mark 2 radar entering service in 2028, a large area to further improve the man-machine interface, weapons at the desired target. display coming with a long-term evolution package try to assimilate the best picture, and maximise Andy explained: “It’s all about jamming, disruption in about 2030, and Striker II potentially earlier, these the output fed by some of the sensors, notably and changing the perception of the enemy in terms systems will be right up to date for Tempest’s expected the fi delity of real-time video fed by the Rafael of, for example, your location, your aircraft’s size, the service entry. As technologies are developed and Litening V targeting pod. number of aircraft in your flight, and your tracking deployed on Typhoon, it is expected the transfer of Other systems outside of the RAF’s core direction. Use of digital stealth and electronic warfare technologies between Typhoon and Tempest will Typhoon requirement are being considered as techniques is another way to get in close to provide be unlike any previous modern aircra transition bridging technologies to the future Tempest weapons effect. in the RAF. ●

WWW.KEY.AERO 11 SPOTLIGHTINTERNATIONAL: ITALY AND KUWAIT ON ITALY

Mark Ayton details two Typhoon programmes ongoing in Italy.

uwait’s decision to buy 28 Phase 3 Enhancement B (P3EB) standard. All to-air missile with full capability, the 2,000lb Typhoons in April 2016 was a much of them are being built at Caselle. GBU-31 JDAM, the Sniper targeting pod with needed boost for the Eurofi ghter full capability and an enhanced version of the consortium’s order book.  e Kuwait’s Typhoon P5 pod. Kcontract was awarded to Italy’s For such a large sum, the Kuwaitis will With a value of $8.7bn, you could be Leonardo Aircra Division based receive Typhoons equipped with the Captor-E forgiven for thinking that the Kuwaiti at Caselle in northern Italy. Leonardo was active electronically-scanned array radar, the Typhoons are the most expensive aircra making good progress with aircra production Lockheed Martin Sniper targeting pod, MBDA ever but the contract between the Ministry and systems fl ight test until the fi rst cases of Brimstone 2 air-to-surface missiles, MBDA of Defence of the State of Kuwait and the COVID-19 were identifi ed in Italy in late Storm Shadow conventionally armed stand-off Leonardo Aircra Division includes design and January 2020 and the Italian government missiles, and Cubic P5 air combat manoeuvring construction of Typhoon-specifi c infrastructure declared a state of emergency. Leonardo’s instrumentation pods. at Al-Salem Air Base, and an initial three years production facilities were directly aff ected. Kuwait’s contract set-out a two-phase of support services.  at does not mean supply Interruption caused delays to both production delivery schedule each with its own capability of stationery and cleaning services, but and inevitably the original delivery schedule standard: one referred to as ‘entry into service’ training devices to be used by the pilot between late 2020 and 2023. Today, the followed 24-months later by the second referred operational conversion unit to be set-up programme is back on a new track with the fi rst to as the enhanced standard. in Kuwait as part of the contract. Two Kuwaiti Typhoon expected to make fi rst fl ight  e entry standard includes the E-scan other Kuwait-specifi c organisations from Caselle in September. radar with an initial capability, integration of were also established.  e Joint When delivered, Kuwaiti Typhoons will be the AIM-120 AMRAAM air-to-air missile, International Program Offi ce in Rome the most advanced yet to enter service, largely an initial training capability for the MBDA and an Integrated Product Team at because the order was placed at a time when the Meteor air-to-air missile, 500lb, 1,000lb and Eurofi ghter GmbH facilities in . Both Eurofi ghter programme could off er advanced 2,000lb general purpose bombs, the Sniper organisations operate to manage the Kuwaiti sensors and weapons but also the injection of targeting pod with downlink capability, and the programme. signifi cant levels of Kuwaiti money to the tune air combat manoeuvring instrumentation pod. Leonardo held a formal launch ceremony of $8.7bn.  e deal covers 22 single-seat and  e enhanced standard will feature the for fi nal assembly of the fi rst batch of Kuwaiti six two-seat aircra confi gured to E-scan radar with full capability, the Meteor air- Typhoons on October 15, 2019. A fi rst cadre of seven Kuwaiti Air Force pilots successfully completed their fl ying training courses with the Aeronautica Militare () in July Typhoon MM7326/4-46 2019 including time with Grosseto-based 4° assigned to the Grosseto- based 4° Stormo loaded with Stormo, the Typhoon operational conversion 1,000lb GBU-16 Paveway unit.  e fi rst cadre of maintenance technicians II laser-guided bombs. started their Aeronautica Militare training in Aeronautica Militare October 2019. At the end of 2019, Leonardo’s Caselle-based fl ight test centre started fl ying its Typhoon instrumented production aircra MMX-614 (IPA 6) confi gured with P3EB so ware and a prototype E-Scan radar set at Caselle on December 23. On April 15, 2021, photos of three Typhoons were published on various Twitter pages.  e photos featured three Typhoon aircra parked in line on a fl ight line at Leonardo’s Caselle South facility adjacent the Torino Airport passenger terminal. Each aircra had a full- colour Kuwait fl ag and a two-tone Kuwait Air

12 WWW.KEY.AERO An artistʼs impression of a Kuwaiti Typhoon laden with enough weapons to taken on just about anything. Eurofi ghter GmbH

Force crest applied on the tail. combat aircra inventory. Today, the air-to- Following delays to the Kuwait Typhoon “When delivered, ground capability extends across the entire programme caused by the COVID pandemic, Kuwait Typhoons will Typhoon fl eet with Tranche 1 aircra mainly posting of three near-complete Typhoons equipped with Reccelite pods and Tranche 2 showed how Leonardo has continued be the most advanced and Tranche 3 aircra loaded with precision- production despite the most challenging times yet to enter service.” guided munitions and Litening III pods. Plans in Italy during 2020. are ongoing to migrate all capabilities on to Shortly a er the Caselle photo release, the the Tranche 2 and Tranche 3 fl eets.  e aim is Aeronautica Militare deployed four Typhoons to clear the Reccelite pod with P2E standard to Ali Al-Salem Air Base, Kuwait under Italy’s aircra by the end of this year. Targeting pod Operation Prima Parthica. Purely for military new.  e Aeronautica Militare has used the capability will be further improved with an reasons of course, timing of the deployment limited air-to-ground capability written into interim solution based on the Litening V pod. might be considered a slick marketing move the aircra ’s mission so ware to train for strike  e need to expand Typhoon’s current by the Aeronautica Militare in support of the missions as a secondary role since 2015.  is weapon inventory will be achieved by the Leonardo-led Kuwaiti Typhoon programme. was never promoted to the Italian public in integration of more types of munition on P3EC Not only is Al-Salem Kuwait’s future Typhoon large part because of criticism of the F-35A standard aircra . Weapons included are the base, but deployment to the Gulf state is also Lightning II. 500lb GBU-12 Paveway II laser-guided bomb, the fi rst undertaken by Italian Typhoons to Al- Since Aeronautica Militare F-35As exploited the 2,000lb GBU-31 JDAM, the 500lb GBU-38 Salem.  e four Typhoons are assigned to Task the jet’s air-to-air capability for domestic JDAM and the 500lb GBU-54 laser JDAM.  e Group Typhoon, a military unit that replaced QRA tasking and completion of two NATO- 1,000lb GBU-16 Paveway II laser-guided bomb the Tornado IDS-equipped Task Group Devil tasked QRA deployments to Iceland, the and the 1,000lb GBU-48 Enhanced Paveway II based at Ahmed Al Jaber Air Base. During their Italian opinion of the stealthy jet seems to GPS and laser-guided bomb have already been deployment to Kuwait the Italian Typhoons have changed.  at change has opened offi cial integrated on Typhoon by Eurofi ghter. will conduct daily reconnaissance sorties using discussion about the Typhoon’s air-to-ground Improving overall eff ectiveness of the Rafael Reccelite II pod. Operation Prima role and has led the Aeronautica Militare to the Typhoon’s weapon system and its Parthica is Italy’s contribution to Inherent start tasking Typhoon with air-to-ground interoperability through voice and datalink Resolve, the US-led operation against ISIS missions. systems to enhance information and data transfer forces in and Syria. According to the Aeronautica Militare press are the Aeronautica Militare’s ongoing objectives offi ce, its Typhoon air-to-ground programme for its Typhoon fl eet. Italian Shift has been implemented with the intent to However, because air-to-ground is a Despite Italy’s initial plan to not employ its exploit the platform’s inherent capabilities and complementary role, any capability insertion Typhoons in the air-to-ground role, of late the provide an additional set of complementary above those already planned, will be evaluated Aeronautica Militare has shi ed its Typhoons roles.  ese expand and enhance operational against emerging capability gaps across the entire tasking to that role.  at said, it’s nothing fl exibility throughout the Aeronautica Militare Aeronautica Militare combat aircra fl eet. ●

WWW.KEY.AERO 13 RAYTHEON AMRAAM AND MBDA ASRAAM MISSILESAIRTOAIR ROYAL AIR FORCE ROYAL

14 WWW.KEY.AERO aytheon AIM-120 tracking in all aspects (head-on, side-on and AMRAAM tail-on), to achieve fi rst shot, fi rst kill capability, One of the Typhoon’s primary to have a high average velocity to enable the air-to-air weapons is the Raytheon missile to fl y a long way and still be able to pull RAIM-120 AMRAAM (advanced high G manoeuvres and have a short launch medium range air-to-air) beyond time. e missile’s thermal batteries release visual range missile. energy very quickly so there is no protracted ough some consideration was given to dialogue between the pilot pushing the button equipping the Typhoon with a new missile and the launch. when it entered service, timescales mitigated Built with a 6.5-inch diameter fuselage, wider against this. Instead, it was decided that than other short-range missiles, the propulsion the aircra would enter service carrying system housed within the fuselage contains RAYTHEON AMRAAM and would gain a new missile later more fuel than other SRAAM missiles and in its career. burns very fast. Because there are no wings or Typhoon entered RAF service carrying the strakes to aerodynamically slow the missile AIM-120B version of AMRAAM. But this was down it retains speed throughout its envelope. e seeker detects the whole target scene, approaching the end of its service life, and in e ASRAAM has a low-drag design, with producing an image similar to a monochrome 2004 the MoD placed an £80m contract with four small tail fi ns that all defl ect independently TV picture. e wide fi eld of view allows the Raytheon Missile Systems for supply of the in the airfl ow across the missile and uses missile to be fi red at very high off -boresight latest AIM-120C5 version. li ing body aerodynamics to turn. Stability is angles, and the seeker has a lock-on capability, Compared to the AIM-120B, the AIM- maintained by a high-speed autopilot while the in either lock-before or lock-a er-launch modes 120C5 has smaller, cropped fi ns (it was IR-seeker provides tight and accurate guidance. of up to about 90° off -boresight. A Royal designed for internal carriage by the F-22 To further increase ASRAAM’s speed and Australian Air Force F/A-18 Hornet once Raptor), about 10% greater range, greater range, the missile is powered by a high-impulse, demonstrated an ASRAAM launch at a target immunity to countermeasures and a more beyond 90°. eff ective warhead. e AIM-120C5 entered “After launch, the High resolution gives long-range target RAF service in 2007. acquisition and excellent discrimination AMRAAM off ers longer reach and higher ASRAAM missile against sophisticated infrared countermeasures speed, active radar terminal guidance, an active including fl ares and other pyrotechnics, as well radar seeker, an inertial reference unit and a accelerates to speeds in as an ability to compensate for intermittent data link microcomputer system compared to excess of Mach 3” target obscuration in cloud. - the RAF’s previous beyond visual Sophisticated digital signal-processing and range (BVR) missile last used on the Tornado imaging algorithms allow ASRAAM to detect, F3. Together, these make the missile less identify and home in on particular areas of its dependent on support from the launch aircra . dual-burn, solid rocket motor, which gives high target aircra , including the engines, cockpit, or AMRAAM has a short-range ‘all active’ instantaneous acceleration off the rail and a wings, further enhancing the missile’s lethality. mode, which means it can be launched off high average velocity yet has a low signature. In a typical within visual range engagement, the rail as an active missile during which ASRAAM does not use thrust vector control. ASRAAM can be slaved to the target using the missile’s own radar detects the target Originated from a US-NATO memorandum any of the launch Typhoon’s onboard sensors, immediately a er launch and then guides the of agreement under which it was agreed that including radar, PIRATE, or the helmet. A er weapon to impact. is notional capability the United States would develop a new beyond launch, the missile accelerates to speeds in would be little used, as the missile would lock visual range air-to-air missile to replace the excess of Mach 3 while being guided to the on to, and engage the fi rst target it saw. AIM-7 Sparrow (the US project becoming target using its infrared seeker. e missile can In a more typical BVR engagement, the the AIM-120 AMRAAM), while Britain and pull up to 50g off the launch rail, the capability AMRAAM would be launched from a range Germany would develop a new short-range air- that enables it to engage high off boresight of about 30 miles and would then be guided to-air missile to replace the AIM-9 Sidewinder. targets. by its own inertial navigation system, receiving In a typical pan-European style of e high-explosive fragmentation warhead guidance updates from the launch aircra disagreement, the Anglo-German programme can be triggered by a laser proximity fuse or by via data link. Once within a certain range of rapidly broke down in the face of irreconcilable an impact fuse. the target, the AMRAAM would then begin diff erences in requirement. Germany stressed ASRAAM provides the capability to chase terminal guidance, using the active monopulse outright manoeuvring performance, whereas down the retreating adversary aircra because radar to detect the target and guide the missile the UK demanded greater range, as well as high of the additional propellant carried compared to impact. off boresight capabilities. Germany’s departure to peer group missiles, the AIM-9X and IRIS-T. AMRAAM uses a radar proximity from the project to pursue development of the It also provides a bigger no escape zone yielded fuse, which activates the high-explosive new IRIS-T missile forced the then British by an average velocity higher than all other fragmentation warhead at a pre-set distance Dynamics to look elsewhere for a SRAAMs gained from the more powerful from the target. new seeker. e company eventually settled on a motor and reduced drag. ASRAAM has not yet new sapphire-domed, focal plane array, imaging been fi red in anger. Mark Ayton ● MBDA ASRAAM infrared seeker which had been developed by e Advanced Short Range Air-to-Air Missile, American company Hughes. dubbed ASRAAM, is a highly manoeuvrable, In operation, an ASRAAM can be designated heat-seeking, fi re-and-forget missile designed by the aircra ’s radar, the helmet mounted sight to provide dominance during ‘within visual system, or any other sensor that can feed the range’ engagements. ASRAAM is the fastest missile with the target information. and therefore the most capable short range air-to-air missile (SRAAM) in the world and is used as the RAF Typhoon’s primary short range missile armament. ASRAAM was required to be capable of MBDA

WWW.KEY.AERO 15 TYPHOON WEAPON INTEGRATION

BAETYPHOON SYSTEMS WEAPON INTEGRATION

n the spring of 2011, RAF Typhoons were clearance process - not even a washer, let alone a of the specifi c system, from which a deployed to in 500lb precision-guided bomb. qualifi cation programme plan is drawn up.  is southern Italy to enforce a UN-mandated  e clearance process followed by BAE identifi es the types of test required: usually rig, no fl y zone over Libya in support of Systems is one that has been agreed with the equipment, and fl ight testing. Requirements for INATO’s Operation Unifi ed Protector. four partner companies and nations (Leonardo the latter are fed into the fl ight test plan. Part way into the air campaign, RAF pilots Aircra Division/Italy, BAE Systems/UK, Next in the process is qualifi cation testing employed the jet in an operational air-to- Defense and Space/Spain and Airbus in the active cockpit rig (ACR).  e results surface role for the very fi rst time. It was a good Defence and Space/Germany) and NETMA from which are then used by a team called the demonstration of Typhoon’s ability to conduct – the NATO Eurofi ghter and Tornado cockpit group to provide evidence to support bombing missions in a combat situation.  e Management Agency - the prime customer for a clearance.  is is a complex exercise that weapon employed throughout the campaign the Eurofi ghter. requires the team to gain an individual clearance was the 1,000lb Enhanced Paveway II laser-  e process starts with a design requirement for each subsystem on the aircra that will guided bomb, stablemate of the 1,000lb which is based on the individual requirements be aff ected by the trial.  ere are 42 diff erent unguided bomb – the only two air-to-surface subsystems on each development aircra and munitions in the RAF’s multi-role Typhoon “Typhoon’s armament each system is managed by a variety of teams arsenal at the time. across the four partner companies. Once that Following a fi ve-year period of weapon control system selects complex process is complete, the team produces integration trials, RAF Typhoons now have an a preliminary system qualifi cation statement arsenal of air-to-surface weapons for just about the bombs to be from which an airworthiness fl ight limitations every strike scenario, each of which has already released based on the document is drawn up.  is document lists been used in combat. all of the limitations imposed on the trial readiness state of each by any number of teams that manage the 42 Getting Clearance weapon” subsystems, and also defi nes the envelope to be No new system or weapon can be used on used by the test pilot. Typhoon unless it has gone through a stringent  e fl ight limitations document is entered

16 WWW.KEY.AERO Typhoon IPA 1 ZJ699 loaded with six Paveway IV test articles. All images BAE Systems into a certifi cate of design which is the All of the NETMA-owned development and production series Typhoons built for the certifi cate of airworthiness for the NETMA- aircra undertake trials with quad-national RAF including T3 (ZK303 c/n BT017) are owned development aircra to be used to indemnity whereby all four nations take assigned to the fl ight test team. All aircra are conduct the trial.  e certifi cate of design is responsibility for the insurance of the aircra . based at Warton. BT017 is fi tted with some reviewed by the chief engineers of each partner However, when the airworthiness document instrumentation and is used by RAF aircrew to company and also Eurofi ghter’s chief engineer is certifi ed to fl y in UK airspace, it does so preview and evaluate the latest so ware drops who sign off the trial. It then gets sent to under a national fl ight certifi cation agreement earlier than a traditional release to the RAF NETMA for distribution to its ualifi cation regulation issued by the UK Military Aviation for operational evaluation. When introduced, and Certifi cation Sub-Group with all the Authority. this was an important change to UK weapon supporting evidence for the trial. Discussions  e UK’s defence quality assurance authority system development. It allows RAF pilots to are then held with Typhoon customers about checks the build standard of the aircra against determine how the product will be used in front their requirements. the design requirement and issues a certifi cate line service and to infl uence the development of  e trial work required is then distributed to that allows the fl ight trial to go ahead. that product. the partner nation test authorities (QinetiQ/ UK, INTA/Spain, and WTD61/Germany) who Typhoon Flight Test Team Human-Machine Interface each form an independent assessment of the All Typhoon fl ight trials fl own by BAE Systems  e Raytheon Paveway IV precision-guided evidence and issue an endorsement sheet. are planned, conducted, and reported on by bomb reached frontline Typhoon squadrons Each test authority can request restriction the Typhoon Flight Test team based at Warton. only a er the P1E enhancement package limitations on the trial, but these can only be  e team remains busy with core programme was in place. Service introduction followed a imposed by NETMA’s ualifi cation Group trials and in support of UK activities in which considerable amount of work undertaken by comprising the four nation’s airworthiness it works closely with the RAF’s No.41 Test and BAE Systems. One of the fi rst teams to start authorities.  e ualifi cation Group agrees Evaluation Squadron, the Typhoon operational Paveway IV integration work was the cockpit collectively on which restrictions and limitations evaluation unit based at RAF Coningsby in group which undertook some of the avionics will be applied to the trial, and these are issued in Lincolnshire. integration.  is involved designing the the aircra ’s airworthiness document.  ree NETMA-owned development aircra symbology specifi c to Paveway IV displayed

WWW.KEY.AERO 17 TYPHOON WEAPON INTEGRATION on the cockpit screen and projected on the Brimstone air-to-surface missile and the Storm fl ights - a series of environmental data gathering HUD (head-up display). Shadow conventionally armed stand-off missile trials – involving all air-to-air and air-to-surface An initial design was loaded on the ACR with the P2E so ware. load confi gurations with up to six Paveway IVs (active cockpit rig) to determine if changes were took place. required. is includes a cockpit assessment Paveway IV Integration Each fl ight measured vibration data on undertaken with Typhoon pilots from all four BAE System’s weapons integration team bombs carried in diff erent load confi guration nations who make separate reviews of the started its work on Paveway IV by generating environments in respect of the fl ight envelope design. Comments are recorded and presented an ICD (interface control document) and and neighbouring stores, which can infl uence by BAE Systems to all four groups to gain an documentation to defi ne the interface between the bomb’s carriage environment. all-four nation agreement. If indecision prevails, the aircra and the weapon. Flutter qualifi cation and aerodynamic data the design decision is passed to NETMA who e team then started designing the sub- gathering designed to confi rm the aerodynamic decides on what will go ahead. at process for avionics and the LAR (launch acceptable eff ects of the bomb in all of the Typhoon’s load Paveway IV was fairly straightforward, because region) symbology which gives the pilot a cue confi gurations were also performed during it is a UK-only weapon. to release the store. this early phase of a Paveway IV’s development Once the fi nal decision is made, Next, pit drop trials. A series of 16 functional fl ying. documentation of the design begins, and tests of the operation of the lanyards and release Undertaken as part of the weapon’s partner companies who design and manufacture system in conjunction with the bomb designed qualifi cation process, the data gathered from the subsystems aff ected must adopt that design. to demonstrate a drop from a rig over a pit. fl ights was then given to Raytheon to qualify ere were a lot of changes required for ese involved an actual Paveway IV store with Paveway IV on Typhoon. Paveway IV because P1E was mainly for the air- a fuse installed and the Typhoon-unique hard When the test team fi rst loaded Paveway IV to-surface role and everything that was new and back (see Paveway IV p22-25). onto Typhoon the weapons integration team specifi c to each new weapon had to be designed BAE Systems also undertook rig trials of the produced a step-by-step procedure on how to into the displays. Most of that design work routings used for the lanyards (connecting to load a bomb, the connections required and the came from the LARs (launch acceptability the bomb’s electronic control group at various cryptos to load. Once the procedure was cleared regions) and associated menu commands. settings) and the connector installation - how it it formed the arming and loading schedule for Examples of commands are inputting target connects and disconnects. Paveway IV. constraints, releasing a weapon without a laser Once the rig trials were complete the fi rst designator pod, inputting codes to the weapon, Release Procedure or selecting diff erent attack profi les. Typhoon’s store release procedure is an Everything required for the air-to-surface “BAE Systems completed interesting one. e armament control system role is in the air-to-surface subsystem. However, (ACS) selects the bomb(s) to be released based specifi c keys are used for the Paveway IV, and all fl ight evaluation on the readiness state of each weapon. e pilot some automation is provided, for example can select the number of bombs required which formats automatically pop-up for the Litening trials for Paveway should release in sequence, but the ACS steps III laser designator pod when Paveway IV is IV including store over the sequence if any bomb(s) is/are not selected. ready for release. e P1E so ware gave a much more safe separation from Releases are cleared by the fl ight control robust human machine interface (HMI) in Typhoon” system for any credible sequence of bombs. comparison to the previous SRP 4.3 standard e ACS protects the handling qualities of and was the baseline for integration of the the aircra , including carefree handling, by

This mixed load of Paveway IV, Litening III targeting pod, two fuel tanks, an ASRAAM missile and an ARTIS pod refl ects the aircraftʼs swing-role capabilities.

18 WWW.KEY.AERO CLEARANCES REQUIRED FOR GTTV ROUND ● Performance (of the aircraft) - because of the additional weight of the store, and the change to the outside profi le caused by the antenna. ● Cockpit - because of carriage of a new store and to ensure the HMI functioned correctly. ● Tempest (secure communications) - to verify the telemetry would not link secure data. ● Electro-magnetic capability - because the signal transmitted by the telemetry system may affect other antennas or other systems on the aircraft. Calibration markings are applied to both the weapon ● Avionics - TBC and the pylon so the exact measurements of the ● Armament carriage information system separationʼs trajectory can be recorded. - to verify that the looms connect and interface properly to a new store. selecting a bomb release sequence. engineer signed off the documentation clearing ● Weapons - to verify all aspects of the Once all of the bombs have been released, the system, in this case the GTTV, for the trial. GTTV as provided by Raytheon and to the FCS switches control laws to provide a full Similar trials were fl own for subsequent subset verify that the new store communicates to air-to-air fl ight envelope. packages for P1E, P2E and P3E. the aircraft. At the end of the clearance process a ● Electrical power - to clear the GTTV’s UK Clearance weapons declaration of design and performance extra power consumption, which was Because Paveway IV is a UK-specifi c weapon, (a certifi cate of design for the aircra with more power than any previous store the clearance process followed by BAE Systems Paveway IV) was issued. But that certifi cate did carried on Typhoon. was a national process which involved less not give a release to service (RTS) declaration. ● Landing gear system - to check ground documentation and quicker turnarounds In the UK, an RTS is subsequently written by clearance of the new store on the aircraft. for clearances. For a nation-specifi c trial like QinetiQ which is under contract to the UK ● Flight control system - to verify the Paveway IV, NETMA loans its development Ministry of Defence. additional weight and external shape of aircra to that nation, takes it off the NETMA the GTTV store. contract and the nation (in this case the UK) Trial Complexities ● Flight in icing - to check there was no takes the indemnity.  ere were two main aspects of Paveway IV ice build-up on the GTTV’s antenna. A good example is that of an end-to-end trial that made the trial programme quite complex. ● Flutter basic - to clear the ARTIS pod using a subset of P1EA so ware with a Paveway  e weapon’s LAR (launch acceptable region) used to gather accurate GPS positioning IV GTTV (guided test telemetry round) for so ware is housed within the aircra avionics and data from a stores release. The ARTIS pod avionics integration with the Litening III laser- numerous load confi gurations had to be tested is based on the fuselage design of an designator pod. throughout the aircra ’s air-to-surface fl ight AIM-120 AMRAAM missile.  e GTTV started transmitting telemetry as envelope during the stores release and jettison trials. ● Flutter external - to verify that the soon as the aircra was airborne in this case to  e stores release and jettison test programme centre of gravity of the heavier GTTV a mobile ground station set-up at Aberporth by comprised 16 fl ights to clear release of single store will not shake the aircraft. Raytheon personnel who were able to view the and multiple weapons, selective jettison of a ● Non-common stores release and telemetry downlinked from the GTTV. single weapon in combination with other stores jettison - used models to prove the GTTV  e test pilot performed some dry attacks and emergency jettison of all stores. Each load would not hit the Litening III laser guided before the fi nal run to release the GTTV. confi guration creates a diff erent aerodynamic pod and could be jettisoned safely. Telemetry from the GTTV, range-based interference depending on the type of store (a fuel ● Loads - to ensure the aircraft’s integrity cameras and optical trackers provided real-time tank, another bomb or nothing) carried next to a for the release of the GTTV because it is position data and predictive information about Paveway IV. slightly heavier than a production series the trajectory before it hit the ground.  ere were no restrictions on the series of Paveway IV. Multi-purpose camera pods record at 400 fl ights because Paveway IV was cleared for release frames per second to capture each movement throughout the aircra ’s air-to-surface fl ight and the GTTV’s proximity to the aircra .  is envelope.  e weapon is not however cleared for helps to verify that the separation is safe and supersonic fl ight which remains outside of the air- meets the conditions set for the release in the to-surface fl ight envelope. fl ight test plan and in real-time. Avionic rounds were also fl own in the  e trial was fl own over the Aberporth range diff erent load confi gurations to verify the with Tranche 2 production-series Typhoon avionic interface between the aircra and ZK303 fi tted with multi-purpose camera pods. the weapon and provide correct transfer  e systems clearance statement for carriage alignment and GPS acquisition. Avionic safe and release of the GTTV from BT017 required separation fl ights also took place to ensure 15 subsystem clearances for the specifi c test full transfer alignment and GPS acquisition conditions involved. Two aspects of the store and validate the correct functionality of the requiring clearance are worthy of note: an aircra and the weapon. antenna used by the telemetry system and the BAE Systems completed all fl ight evaluation additional power required by the transmission trials for Paveway IV including avionics safe and recording equipment installed. separation and store safe separation from BAE Systems qualifi ed each of the 15 Typhoon.  e company used Typhoon ZK303 A Typhoon loaded with an ARTIS pod, a stack of subsystems using a process known as SEP for the avionics trials which included target air-to-air missiles, a Paveway IV test article and (suitably-qualifi ed and experienced person). transfer line and acquisition, controls, displays a Litening III targeting pod during Paveway IV Company engineers provided evidence for each and LARs that are designed to reduce the pilot’s clearance trials. subsystem to support the trial and the chief workload. Mark Ayton ●

WWW.KEY.AERO 19 RAYTHEON PAVEWAY MUNITIONS

A seven-shot sequence of a Paveway IV detonating at its intended target using point impact mode. PAVEWAY

aytheon Enhanced In July 2006, the contract for Change illuminated by a suitable laser designator. Paveway II Proposal 193 was signed and this detailed the e bomb is only available in 1,000lb form, e Typhoon was always intended integration of the Litening III laser designation though diff erent versions have been produced to have an air-to-ground role and pod (LDP) and Paveway II/Enhanced Paveway by using inert concrete-fi lled warheads, and by R had been procured by the RAF to II laser-guided-bombs. part-fi lling bomb bodies. replace Jaguar fi ghter-bombers, and A Typhoon Combined Test Team e 1999 Kosovo confl ict demonstrated Tornado F3 and Phantom FGR2 interceptors, comprising RAF and BAE Systems personnel the limitations of laser-guided bombs in poor though the development of air-to-ground successfully completed the fi rst Paveway II drop weather, and when targets were obscured by capabilities was originally to have been le for on November 12, 2007. e capability was smoke and dust. Consequently, the Enhanced Tranche 2. declared on July 1, 2008. Paveway II (EPW II) was procured to allow But in 2005 the UK decided that it Paveway II fi rst entered RAF service during targets to be attacked accurately in all weathers. was unwilling to wait for the scheduled the 1970s. It consists of a standard 1,000lb e EPW II uses the same warhead and introduction of the Typhoon’s planned air-to- general purpose high explosive bomb with a tail unit as the standard Paveway II but ground capability. Instead, it decided to develop Paveway II computer control group fi tted to the features a modifi ed guidance section with a an austere precision air-to-ground capability, nose, with a laser seeker head and a tail unit that new GPS-Aided Inertial Navigation System, using self-designated laser-guided bombs, to incorporates pop-out steerable fi ns. dubbed GAINS. e weapon can be used as a allow the aircra to be deployed on operations e guidance system hones the bomb on conventional laser-guided bomb, but if cloud in the air-to-ground role. refl ected laser energy from a target that is being cover, smoke or other factors preclude the use

20 WWW.KEY.AERO of laser guidance, the EPW II can be used in a “Paveway IV was A Paveway IV weapon comprises various fully autonomous mode, being guided to the components which are listed from front to target’s co-ordinates using the on-board GPS designed as a combat tail.  e front component is a laser detector and inertial navigation unit. colloquially called the birdie head which allows air control weapon” the seeker to remain fi xed upon the target Paveway IV regardless of weapon manoeuvre or angle of Precision-Guided Bomb attack. Names given to air-to-surface munitions do not requirements. The next components aft of the detector come any bigger than Paveway. A term used for  e RAF’s lead platform for Paveway IV was are the cowling that fits over the GAINS laser-guided bombs fi rst used in combat by the the Harrier GR9, when it entered front line which is part of the enhanced computer US during the Vietnam War. service in Afghanistan during November 2008. control group (ECCG) and the control But the limitations of guiding a bomb  e Tornado GR4 followed in 2009 and the actuation system (CAS), a gas-powered, with a laser become apparent when the target Typhoon FGR4 in late 2014. Some 12-months pneumatically driven system that gets is obscured by cloud and sometimes dust. later, RAF Typhoon FGR4s were deployed charged immediately after release from the  ose limitations have been overcome by to RAF Akrotiri, Cyprus from where they aircraft. The system comprises two pairs of installing a GPS-Aided Inertial Navigation launched airstrikes against IS targets in Syria canards that steer the weapon through either System, dubbed GAINS, on Paveway weapons as part of the UK’s .  is was full deflection or trail to accurately determine the position of the the combat debut of the Paveway IV-Typhoon commands from the guidance system, often weapon throughout its fl ight to its intended FGR4 combo. referred to as bang-bang control. Because the target and hence provide an all-weather, day- CAS uses a minimum number of parts, the night guidance capability.  e GPS feed allows Components weapon’s guidance is very reliable. corrections to be made to remove any dri out Using a Paveway IV unique universal hardback Aft of the ECCG is the warhead, the main of the IMU. allowed the weapon to be loaded on Harrier part of the weapon, which forms its primary Raytheon’s 1,000lb Enhanced Paveway GR9 and Tornado GR4, both now retired structure. Developed specifically for Paveway entered RAF service in 2001 and was the fi rst from service, the Typhoon FGR4 and the then IV, the warhead has two main features: the bomb to be employed in combat by Typhoon nascent F-35B Lightning. capability to penetrate hardened targets FGR4s over Libya during in Sway brace pads on the hardback provided a like bunkers and its insensitivity to fire and 2011. full interface with all four types of aircra listed. bullets. In the event that the bomb ignites In 2003, the UK Ministry of Defence Each Paveway IV is delivered with bale lugs in an accident situation it will burn out to issued a systems requirement document for and MACE lugs.  is allowed the weapon to neither detonate or to propel itself thanks to a bottoms-up weapon under a project called be built and confi gured for carriage by Harrier its insensitive munitions features. Precision Guided Bomb. Raytheon won that GR9 and Tornado GR4. Today, Paveway IV is Positioned immediately behind the competition with its 500lb-class Paveway IV: a similarly confi gured for carriage by Typhoon warhead is the fuse made by Thales Missile munition developed specifi cally for the MoD’s FGR4 and F-35B Lightning. Electronics in Basingstoke.

This image shows the Paveway IVʼs tail planes at their fully extended position. Raytheon UK

This image shows the Paveway IVʼs birdie cage seeker, canards, hardback, lugs, and tail planes. Raytheon UK

WWW.KEY.AERO 21 RAYTHEON PAVEWAY MUNITIONS

Electronic Fuse which are selectable by the pilot while airborne. the target at a specifi ed impact angle and on e fuse was designed for penetrating hardened For example, if the pilot is called to a target area a particular impact heading. But the launch targets, which is why it contains no mechanical and the forward air controller calls for a strike aircra has to be in a given position in the sky, moving parts. Consider the physics of a small using high order burst, he or she selects the so Paveway IV automatically generates cuing fi ring pin and how it would become a big mass mode and targets the weapon. information for the pilot via implementation of when suddenly subjected to high acceleration Paveway IV’s three detonation modes are: a launch acceptability region or LAR. forces. Design of the fuse allows it to survive • Height of Burst, which allows the altitude e weapon uses its position and the target the same penetration and force as the warhead. at which the bomb detonates above the ground location, the target constraints input by the It continues to function throughout the delay to be selected. pilot, and the attack orientation to calculate a used in post-impact mode and detonate at • Point impact where the bomb detonates on LAR, which is projected in the HUD to show the correct location. Paveway IV is the fi rst impact. the pilot his or her position relative to the air-to-surface weapon to have the guidance • Post-impact delay in which the bomb LARs and when he is in range to release and hit section and the fuse fully integrated and the detonates a set time a er it has penetrated the the target. two communicate to each other throughout its target. e weapon calculates an in-range and an fl ight to the target. Without this smart fuse the In a strike using height of burst detonation, in-zone LAR. Once the aircra is inside the in- weapon’s diff erent modes of operation can’t be the guidance section knows exactly the bomb’s range LAR, if the weapon is released anywhere selected and adjusted by the pilot. orientation and speed. Even fl ying a diff erent within that area, it will reach the target but not trajectory than pre-planned, the guidance to the constraints input. If the bomb is released Combat Air Control section corrects for that, the bomb comes inside the in-zone LAR, the weapon will reach Paveway IV was designed as a combat air through a set point, the half antenna signals the target and achieve the constraints (impact control weapon. is means the bomb can be to the fuse with the time remaining, the fuse angle and heading angle) input. ese features employed to suit the conditions of diff erent counts down and detonates on command. e allow increased mission fl exibility for the targets during the mission. Target information pilot doesn’t have to worry about the timing aircrew. can be updated at any time and transmitted to because the weapon does that for him, all he For Typhoon, LAR algorithms have been the weapon. What’s more, a Paveway IV can be selects is the required mode. incorporated into the aircra . e aircra employed using one of three detonation modes Paveway IV is also capable of coming into decides which algorithm to use (weapon or

A seven-shot sequence of a Paveway IV detonating at a pre-selected altitude over its intended target using height of burst mode.

22 WWW.KEY.AERO A six-shot sequence of a Paveway IV striking its intended target and the resultant detonation underground using post-impact delay mode. All sequences Ministry of Defence

aircra ), both are available all of the time. the weapon’s laser guidance to manage any Typhoon was not invalidated by changes in the  is allows the pilot to train with Paveway IV change or deviation at the target or target area. weapon. Raytheon implemented that eff ort without actually having weapons fi tted to the  e weapon also uses a pre-programmed with the Paveway IV Mk2 version. aircra . arming manoeuvre which is unique to the Feedback from RAF aircrew serving in weapon – the fuse has to get through diff erent Afghanistan and Libya showed the utility they Stability and Lift gates showing it has released from the aircra , gained from the LAR, particularly at steep One further component that warrants coverage is in free fl ight, and is under its own guidance impact angles, and how they were being used all is the tail plane or tail planes which provide before the fi nal arming command when close to of the time. RAF aircrew requested provision of stability and li for the weapon. Each tail plane the target area.  is ensures that the munition larger LARs. (of four) opens slowly to ensure that adjacent remains safe in the event that it was released Using telemetry recorded from the rounds stores are safely cleared and swing open to a outside the LAR or will not get to the target dropped during the weapon’s development, fi xed position and lock. and hit the ground elsewhere. Raytheon’s engineers verifi ed that the weapon And what about the weapon’s ability to had additional manoeuvrability.  e extra Antennas counter any spoofi ng or jamming threat? manoeuvrability, combined with advanced Paveway IV is fi tted with two sets of antennas:  anks to a selective availability anti-spoofi ng mathematical techniques, were input into one set for height of burst and one for GPS. module or SAASM receiver, Paveway IV cannot the design of updated algorithms which Both are fi tted to the ECCG that provide be spoofed and is fi tted with an anti-jamming consequently generated larger LARs. Paveway connectivity throughout the weapons fl ight capability. IV Mk2 presents the pilot with “wider holes in time to the target. the sky” allowing him or her to release weapons Mark 2 with even more fl exibility. Laser, Weapon Weapons integration onto a fi ghter aircra  e Mk2’s LAR takes account of the aircra ’s Arming and SAASM takes a long time and is very expensive. fl ight parameters and those for the target,  e Paveway IV weapon is always given GPS Raytheon strove to improve Paveway IV and and continuously recalculates at a high rate to coordinates for the target and is the position did so by minimising modifi cations, so the provide the pilot with a cue for impact as per it heads to immediately a er release.  e evidence gathered to qualify the weapon on the constraints. munition seeks to fl y the most energy effi cient Raytheon designed a smaller low collateral route to that point throughout its guided warhead for Paveway IV as part of the MoD’s mid-course fl ight. During the terminal phase, “The RAF’s lead Selective Precision Eff ects at Range (SPEAR) laser guidance takes precedence over a GPS Capability 1 weapons programme. Company coordinate. If the laser lock is lost, the weapon platform for Paveway engineers sought to optimise their design to be reverts back to GPS guidance and if a laser IV was the Harrier GR9, very precise and have almost no kinetic eff ect in designator pod is not present, the bomb will the area surrounding the aim point. continue to the GPS coordinate. when it entered service  e new warhead has the same outer mould But things can change at the target, which is in Afghanistan during line, mass, centre of gravity and moments of why laser-guidance takes precedence over GPS inertia as the original 500lb warhead, maintains coordinates, even though the latter is the most November 2008” the same interfaces as the baseline weapon to effi cient guidance mode. And to improve on provide seamless operability to the aircra , and capability, Raytheon has successfully designed features a new shroud design. Mark Ayton ●

A three-shot sequence of a Paveway IV striking a 4x4 truck.

WWW.KEY.AERO 23 TYPHOON ELECTRONIC WARFARE

BEEPS AND SQUEAKS

Mark Ayton spoke with Leonardo’s Fiona Clark about Typhoon’s electronic warfare systems.

ilitary combat aircraft require to identify specific threat radar systems, the file held in the on-board library. In the event of a means to counter adversary associated type of missile and its operating status. a non-match, Praetorian displays an alert to the threat systems intent on If the determination made deems the Typhoon pilot of the potential threat and records the data. shooting them down. Use of the to be in danger, the countermeasure system is Once analysed, the new threat is programmed into M electromagnetic spectrum to also programmed to take immediate action to the library. The one thing that makes Praetorian impede or attack those systems prevent engagement by the threat missile. Actions unique is that mission data remains under the is the means by which military combat aircraft are aimed at keeping the missile on its launcher operator’s control and can be updated between protect themselves. Commonly referred to as or defeating the missile when airborne using flights if necessary. Similarly, countermeasures are electronic warfare, the action attempts to protect jamming and deception techniques. also adaptable to counter new threats.” the aircraft and the aircrew. The author asked her if mission data will need Named Praetorian, the Typhoon’s electronic Mission Data to be reprogrammed onboard Typhoon in near warfare system is fully-integrated and synergistic Praetorian uses missile approach warning detectors real time to counter the never-ending growth in which provides the pilot with a high level of to detect both heat-seeking and radar-guided threat capability? She replied: “We can already situational awareness. missiles, laser warning receivers to detect laser upload new mission data to systems in flight. So, Leonardo’s electronic warfare guru, Fiona guided weapons, and radar-warning-receivers to yes, we could reprogramme, that’s no problem at Clark says Praetorian senses what threats are detect threat radars. Fiona suggests the Praetorian all. Would we be using the information that we’re in the battlespace, mainly active radar systems system can detect all known ways in which missile seeing for the first time right now? Potentially yes, trying to find the aircraft and determine an systems are guided towards a Typhoon. She said: when we move to processing that makes use of understanding of its modus operandi, while “Threat identification is critical. It’s based on machine learning, using concepts which are already transmitting energy detectable by the system. matching the detected system to a mission data under evaluation.” The big question raised by such She said: “Praetorian unpacks the mix of data, a system is, who would be the operational decision determines what systems are in the battlespace, maker? their locations, their current phase, whether “Improving Praetorian “Nowadays, we trust countermeasure systems they are searching or tracking the Typhoon, or will keep it apace with without a person involved in the decision-making guiding a missile toward the Typhoon, whether loop. We know we’ve got that process right because they present danger to the Typhoon, and if so, multi-platform electronic it’s been evaluated thouroughly and called upon so how much? An accurate battlespace picture of the warfare, combat ISR many times. We’re pushing that logic into the task threat level faced by the Typhoon is presented to of updating mission data. However, we may require the pilot. The pilot chooses what to do: getting and precision targeting” the pilot to manually sanction the upload of new out of danger or deploying countermeasures.” data, but ultimately trust the logic to invoke split Praetorian’s programmed database is able second decisions.

24 WWW.KEY.AERO A striking artistʼs impression of electromagnetic radiation emitting from the wing-tip pods of the Typhoon DASS system. Eurofi ghter

Praetorian was designed with capacity for accurate target locations to be calculated through upgrade and has seen several such enhancements the use of triangulation, which leads to expedient throughout its service life. Work is currently action being taken against the target. ongoing to scope what further enhancements Most eff ort for adapting and improving might be needed to ensure the system remains Praetorian with longer term technical solutions relevant for decades to come – including the and enablers, such as an all-digital architecture, will potential for a next-generation architecture. be devoted to a concept for keeping it apace with Elaborating, Fiona explained: “ e original multi-platform electronic warfare, combat ISR and design and all of the work undertaken throughout high-precision targeting capabilities. the life of the DASS, are being monitored for obsolescence issues. Anything must be changed; BriteCloud it is done in good time.  e design was made to Measuring just a few inches in diameter and be as future-proof as possible with plenty of extra length, Leonardo’s BriteCloud expendable active space and extra capacity. Trying to make sure decoy is a small, active, self-contained digital RF the system has the capacity to insert so ware or memory countermeasure. First introduced to RAF capability that enables the system to cope with frontline service on the now-retired Tornado GR4, the threat environment as it develops was key.  e BriteCloud is set to grace the Typhoon FGR4 in system is designed to be fl exible and programmed This artistʼs impression shows a BriteCloud expendable the near future. live. Additionally, electronic components have active decoy transmitting jamming signals to defeat Dubbed ‘the jammer in a beer can’, as the battery- shrunk since the DASS system was fi rst produced surface-to-air and air-to-air missiles away from the powered expendable one-shot device falls away Typhoon aircraft. Leonardo enabling more memory to be housed in the tiny from the Typhoon it transmits a jamming signal volumes of space available when required.” that functions for long enough to deceive the threat But perhaps the biggest change to emerge in anymore. Current threat lay downs and the missile into tracking toward the BriteCloud thereby during the life of the DASS is the advent of ability of adversaries to protect their airspace, missing the Typhoon by a substantial distance. Fins the networked battlespace. When DASS was mean that from the moment a Typhoon takes off pop-out to provide stability in fl ight. designed it was a self-protection system, operating it is potentially under threat, so the DASS must Leonardo maintains BriteCloud has the against one or few simultaneous weapon system have the capability to datalink information to capability to defeat the majority of modern and engagements in a mission. Typhoons would other aircra and assets in the battlespace, usually legacy RF-guided surface-to-air and air-to-air operate with other aircra alongside but the via satellites linking assets together. threat systems, and fi re control radars by employing DASS was used to protect just the host aircra in Sharing information between diff erent aircra deny and disrupt techniques programmed before the group.  at’s not the world Typhoons operate fl ying at diff erent positions also enables more fl ight using a ground control station. ●

WWW.KEY.AERO 25 EURODASS PRAETORIAN

This image annotated with green lines tries to create an impression of the all-round electronic warfare protection provided to Typhoon by the Praetorian Defensive Aids Sub System. EuroDASS

PRAETORIAN: TYPHOON’S DEFENSIVE AIDS SUB SYSTEM

urofi ghter’s defensive aids sub-system Capabilities detect, analyse and respond to any threat, even (DASS) was created specifi cally for  e system provides spherical 360° coverage, in environments with the highest threat density. the Typhoon. DASS is an integrated detecting and evaluating single or multiple  e DAC is housed in the avionics bay. internal electronic warfare suite which threats at maximum range.  reat location DASS is fully user-programmable. At E provides comprehensive protection is gained using a high-accuracy direction- national level this ensures complete control of against infrared missile and threat fi nding system which calculates and displays the electronic warfare (EW) so ware library radars using a set of self-defence sensors and the zones of lethality and then automatically content, and the best exploitation of mission countermeasures systems positioned at diff erent activates appropriate countermeasures. DASS data.  is will facilitate future growth and locations around the aircra . thereby makes a vital contribution to the pilot’s promises to keep Typhoon viable throughout DASS is integrated with all of the other situational awareness. its service life. Diff erences in mission data avionics subsystems and the cockpit display  e overall system is controlled by a make a massive diff erence to the capability of which has a dedicated format giving a plan view dedicated defensive aids computer (DAC) Typhoons operated by diff erent nations. of the battle space showing the pilot any threats and interfaces with other avionic sub-systems around the aircra .  e system is data driven providing a fully-automated capability to Sensors and Countermeasures and automated. It reduces the pilot’s workload DASS has electronic surveillance measures by displaying what threats are in the battle (ESM) antennas rated for high pulse-density space, how much of a risk each one poses to his “The objective for environments and electronic countermeasure or her aircra and provides automated cues for (ECM) jammers housed in the wing tip pods. countermeasures. developing Praetorian  ere are also forward and a -staring compact Mission data uploaded into DASS adapts eVo is to upgrade all high-sensitivity laser warning and an active the system’s behaviour in response to particular missile approach warning (MAW) system.  e threat systems predicted to be in the battle major components MAW uses pulse-Doppler technology and is space and also adapts to any modifi cations of the existing DASS based around three MAW sensors, one in each made to those threat systems. It is logical to wing root to give forward coverage and one assume that DASS also records threat data but system” in the rear fuselage. Because these are active no confi rmation of this was forthcoming from systems, they can detect passive weapons such as BAE Systems. infrared-guided short-range missiles as well as

26 WWW.KEY.AERO radar-guided missiles. e laser warning system on what kinds of responses are programmed in ensure the Typhoon’s electronic warfare and is a national fi t item and one that has been for particular threat systems which are based self-protection capabilities will be fi t for purpose selected by the RAF. on the information provided by the intelligence until the type’s out of service date. Euro-DASS DASS incorporates an RWR (radar warning community. is undertaking this development as part of the receiver) system with Super Heterodyne e pilot has the ability to confi gure how Typhoon long term evolution study. (SuperHet)-based wideband receivers. ese automated responses work, for example he EuroDASS is under contract to BAE Systems are located in the port wingtip pod (front and or she can force a particular type of response, to evaluate potential future requirements for the rear) and within the fuselage, giving full 360° conserve resources or invoke a diff erent one to DASS based on a forecast characterisation of coverage in azimuth and elevation. what is programmed. If, for example, the pilot future threats, one that’s as accurate as is possible e electronic countermeasures (ECM) wants to combine expendable chaff and fl ares given that no person or organisation can truly system displays threat information on the with an electronic countermeasure, the system predict future events, threats or otherwise. cockpit displays and controls a range of will automatically assess the resources available Part of the task contracted to EuroDASS is coherent and non-coherent RF jamming on board and select accordingly. to enhance the Typhoon’s survivability by and expendable options. e system can Alternatively, the pilot can also cancel any identifying available and emerging technologies automatically actuate the most suitable on or automated response. and techniques which will help protect the off board response to a given threat and can be jet through to its OSD. Use of agile so ware- manually overridden by the pilot. Computers for the Future driven digital architecture capable of operating e ECM system includes onboard phased Typhoon has eight main computers (most algorithmic mission data applications and array active jammers, and an innovative active of which are housed in the aircra ’s avionics meeting further growth demands, onboard off board countermeasures sub-system including bay), six main boxes and over 30 other line sensor fusion and data exploitation, and use two expendable towed radar decoys (TRD) replaceable items associated with DASS, of onboard and o oard countermeasures. which sit in the right hand wing tip pod. e making it the biggest of all the aircra ’s avionics If EuroDASS can develop such a capability, ECM jammer works in conjunction with subsystems. All of the computers and the the Typhoon pilot would likely benefi t from the ESM to jam a large spectrum of diff erent processors were recently upgraded and provide threat identifi cation, greater awareness of threat airborne and set radars but has no electronic ample spare computing power for future laydown around the battlespace and mission attack capability. upgrades. One such Typhoon upgrade already data updates in real time. TRDs have been successfully deployed at under way is integration of the e-scan (active Objectives for developing Praetorian eVo is both subsonic and supersonic speeds and can electronically scanned antenna or AESA) radar. to upgrade all major components of the existing be operated throughout the Typhoon’s fl ight e interoperability between DASS and DASS system - onboard and o oard electronic envelope. e TRD in use with RAF Typhoon the e-scan radar will function in a very similar countermeasures, electronic support measures FGR4s is a derivative of Leonardo’s proven way to how the system works with the current and missile warning - to give the digital system Ariel TRD and deploys from the wingtip pod radar. erefore, the DASS will not require the ability to conduct precision targeting on a Kevlar cable containing a fi bre-optic link any modifi cation to keep it working or to allow and threat identifi cation using algorithms to and a separate power distribution line. the radar to function properly when DASS is recognise the waveforms in use, and then its e DASS’s techniques generator sends jamming. mode. commands to the decoy’s RF emitter down the However, the introduction of the AESA Potential use of expendable active decoys fi bre-optic cable. radar will enable some DASS functions to use such as Leonardo UK’s BriteCloud system, Passive countermeasures include SAAB the radar’s antenna, opening up new missions to hybrid active/passive radar and IR-guided Technologies’ BOL-500 integrated chaff Typhoon, particularly jamming, and based on missile warning sensors and machine learning to dispensers housed in the weapon pylons, the amount of power generated by the aircra , detect, characterise and jam threat waveforms and integrated fl are dispensers housed in perhaps limited electronic attack. are also under consideration. the actuator fairings underneath the wing. BriteCloud is a small, active, self-contained ese can be activated manually by the pilot, Praetorian eVo digital RF memory countermeasure for fast automatically by the DAC or by the MAW But the current DASS system is unlikely to keep jet aircra with the capability to defeat the sensors. pace with emerging and future threats such majority of modern and legacy RF-guided that the EuroDASS consortium, comprising surface-to-air and air-to-air threat systems. A Operating Modes Leonardo, Elettronica, Indra and Hensoldt, is BriteCloud expendable active decoy is designed DASS operates in three diff erent modes: fully self-funding the development of a new DASS to be dispensed from standard chaff and fl are automated, pilot selectable pre-programmes and architecture dubbed Praetorian eVolution (eVo). dispensers and requires minimal platform fully manual. e level of autonomy will depend is yet to be defi ned system is supposed to integration. Mark Ayton ●

Imagine the interlapping series of red domes seen ahead or around the Typhoon as the engagement zones of surface-to-air missile systems such as the Russian S-400. The two white beams originating from the aircraft try to show how the DASSʼ jamming capability pushes back those zones allowing the Typhoon a safer passage through the threat zone. EuroDASS

WWW.KEY.AERO 27 EUROJET EJ200 ENGINE

Two Typhoons perform a demonstration display using the EJ200ʼs reheat to good effect. Eurojet/Geoff Lee

28 WWW.KEY.AERO ith more than 1,200 EJ200 engines now delivered and in service, Eurojet Turbo GmbH – which oversees EJ200 W development, production, maintenance support and sales – believes the engine design has achieved an excellent combination of exceptional performance and very good efficiency.

Engine Architecture A deceptively simple and small engine in terms of its architecture, dimensions and weight, the two-spool EJ200 nevertheless has a lot of sophisticated technology packed into its compact frame. The EJ200 is just 29 inches in diameter, 157 inches in length and weighs about 2,205lb or an imperial ton. However, the EJ200 offers 13,500lb of dry thrust and approximately 20,000lb of thrust with full reheat at SLS. The engine offers a 9.2-to-1 power-to-weight ratio at full reheat. Although very similar in diameter and only 31 inches longer than the Turbo-Union RB199 engine which powers the , the EJ200 is approximately 50% more powerful in terms of dry thrust. However, by making extensive use of integrated blade-and-disc or blisk rotors in both its low-pressure compressor (LPC) and high-pressure compressor (HPC) modules, and because it has only one high- pressure turbine (HPT) stage and one low- pressure turbine (LPT) stage, the EJ200 uses about 1,800 fewer parts than earlier generation engines. Since the – the only aircraft type powered by the EJ200 – packs two of these compact furies into its airframe, the aircraft is blessed with about 40,500lb of thrust at full reheat. This is easily enough for the aircraft to achieve Mach 2 dashes at higher altitudes. So powerful are the twin EJ200s even at dry-thrust settings that the Typhoon can comfortably supercruise (cruise at greater-than- EUROJET supersonic speeds) without the pilot needing to use reheat. If the aircraft is nearly empty, it can achieve a thrust-to-weight ratio above 1 at maximum dry thrust, and the pilot can accelerate the Eurofighter Typhoon even when flying vertically upwards. Wolfgang Sterr, deputy program director for Eurojet Turbo GmbH – a multinational consortium which contains UK company Rolls-Royce, Germany’s MTU Aero Engines AG, Italy’s Avio Aero S.p.A. and Spain’s ITP Aero S.A. – said that the development parameters for the engine called for good EJ200 subsonic performance and fuel-efficiency. At the same time, however, the developers of the Eurofighter Typhoon wanted high reheat thrust to ensure good supersonic performance by use of a sophisticated reheat system which would offer Typhoon pilots very quick acceleration to high supersonic speeds and a smooth reheat modulation for supersonic cruise. The aircraft designers also wanted an engine which would be reliable in service, easy to maintain, easy to change and – as the icing on the cake – superior to other engines in its class (the GE Aviation F414 is one example) in terms of service life.

Performance To achieve the good subsonic fuel-efficiency the aircraft’s designers and customers wanted, the Eurojet design team decided the EJ200

WWW.KEY.AERO 29 EUROJET EJ200 ENGINE

would have a higher ratio of bypass air (cold 3D-aerodynamic compressor blades which third LPC stage the air destined for the engine’s air fl owing round, rather than through, the compresses the air that comes in through the core fl ows through a set of movable inlet guide engine core a er passing through the engine’s aircra ’s inlet. vanes – the only set of inlet guide vanes in the fan section) than was usual in turbofan fi ghter Each LPC stage is a single-piece blisk, so entire engine, another notable feature of the engines. Instead of operating with a bypass there are no removable blades which have EJ200 – into the high-pressure compressor ratio of around 0.1 to 1, a typical bypass ratio to be seated into the rotor hub. As a result, module (HPC). By the time the core air exits for fi ghter turbofans, the EJ200 was designed the engine’s parts count is cut dramatically, the LPC headed for the HPC, it has been to off er a bypass ratio of 0.4 to 1, according to easing the operator’s maintenance burden, and compressed down by a factor of 4.2. Sterr. reducing its parts inventory costs. A er the Like each stage in the LPC, each of the fi rst Even though this is still a very low bypass three stages of the fi ve-stage HPC module is a ratio by the standards of commercial-aircra single-piece blisk, again helping reduce the parts turbofan engines – the Pratt & Whitney “Eurojet claims a count dramatically. Only the last two HPC PW1521G powering the Airbus A220-100 Typhoon requiring a stages show traditional hub-and-seated-blade has a bypass ratio of 12 to 1 – the extra bypass designs. fl ow helps improve the EJ200’s subsonic complete engine change  e HPC module compresses the already- fuel effi ciency. It also provides a substantial compressed air fl owing through it by an secondary fl ow of air which can usefully be can be accomplished in additional factor of 6.2. So, by the time the core employed to provide additional reheat thrust less than 45 minutes” air exits the HPC to enter the EJ200’s annular when needed.  e EJ200’s innovative three- combustor, it has been compressed down to stage reheat system is just one of a number one twenty-sixth (less than 4%) of its original of innovative technologies employed in the engine.  e specifi c fuel consumption of the EJ200 is 1.66-1.73lb/lbf-h (pounds per pound An aft facing image of an force per hour) using full reheat and a measly EJ200. Eurojet GmbH 0.74-0.81lb/lbf-h with the engine producing only dry thrust. Unlike commercial turbofans, the EJ200 does not have a fan stage as such. Instead, it has a three-stage low-pressure compressor module, so Eurojet prefers to say the EJ200 has an LPC module rather than a fan. It is worth mentioning that the LPC does not feature inlet guide vanes (IGVs) in front of the fi rst rotor.  is reduces complexity (inlet guide vanes have to be of variable geometry), leads to a lower LPC diameter (no aerodynamic blockage) and takes away the requirement for an anti-icing device. Each LPC stage has wide-chord,

30 WWW.KEY.AERO This cutaway image shows all 15 modules of the EJ200 engine. Eurojet GmbH volume. Sterr said that other, comparable engines only achieve this level of compression by employing nine or ten compressor stages rather than the EJ200’s eight. He credits the 3D-aerodyamic design of the blades in each EJ200 compressor stage for the LPC and HPC modules’ high compression effi ciency.  e highly compressed air exiting the HPC then enters the EJ200’s annular combustor.  is features a series of fuel nozzles which spray fuel into the combustion chamber along with air injected into the combustor by air injectors.  ere the fuel and air are mixed into a micro spray by means of what Sterr called preferential fuelling.  orough mixing of the air and fuel LEE EUROJET/GEOFF entering the combustor into a micro spray before combustion takes place lets the fuel in the mixture burn more completely.  is aids air pathway geometries inside its HPT and experienced by fi ghter pilots – of thrust droop. fuel-effi ciency, and the combustion of the LPT blades. In modern engines, HPT blades  is transient eff ect occurs when a pilot thoroughly mixed micro spray produces no are almost invariably etched with internal suddenly commands considerable additional visible emissions of oxides of nitrogen (NOx) – pathways and surface holes for cooling air to thrust for acceleration at take-off and internal another important benefi t. pass through, but such pathways are somewhat component-effi ciency losses result from Although military operators of aircra are less common in LPT stages. Perhaps the fact increased gaps between rotors and casings. probably less worried about environmental the EJ200 only has one HPT and one LPT  is phenomenon disappears again a er concerns than civilian operators, they do not stage made the decision to cool its LPT blades a all the engine components have completely want their aircra producing visible smoke trails compelling one. heated up. However, it is an undesirable from their exhaust nozzles: this can make an  ese cooling pathways and holes create thin behaviour, which leads to unpredictable engine otherwise-stealthy aircra easy for opponents fi lms of relatively cool air over the surfaces of performance for the pilots. It can be overcome on the ground and in the air to target. the turbine blades, which prevent the blades by the engine’s control unit, but only by using  e maximum temperature of the core air from degrading in the intensely hot airfl ow higher combustion temperatures at the expense leaving the combustor and entering the EJ200’s exiting the combustor.  e cooling air for the of engine life. single high-pressure turbine stage is classifi ed, turbine blades is bled from the HPC, so it is According to Sterr, Eurojet put a lot according to Sterr, but it is generally reported as actually at a temperature of several hundred of eff ort into mitigating the thrust droop being about 300° Kelvin higher than previous degrees Celsius, but it is still cool enough to problem during development by designing generation military engines, providing a very reduce metal temperatures of hot gas-path “a sophisticated system” which off ers passive effi cient thermodynamic cycle. To achieve parts to prevent deterioration. Additionally, blade-tip clearance control to maintain a tight the required durability at those temperatures, says Sterr, the stators in the HPT stator row fi t between the blade tips of rotors and the Eurojet has had to build sophisticated cooling are coated with a proprietary thermal barrier lining of the casings in any operating condition. technology into the engine’s hot section, which coating, which helps protect them against the  is system involves “a specifi c selection of in addition to the combustor contains a single temperature of the combustor exit airfl ow. materials”. Although Sterr didn’t explain the high-pressure turbine stage and a single low- Ceramic matrix composites (CMCs) are not system further, it appears likely the casing pressure turbine stage. used in the EJ200 engine. and/or its lining contain diff erent materials  e EJ200 has single-crystal metal-alloy Sterr said the EJ200 also has a feature which contract and expand at diff erent rates or HPT blades and employs sophisticated cooling- which does away with the problem – o en diff erent temperatures, helping maintain a

WWW.KEY.AERO 31 EUROJET EJ200 ENGINE constant tight fi t between the blade tips and the service in early 2007, when deliveries began of A forward facing image of casing lining. the 519 engines ordered under Tranche 2 of the an EJ200. Eurojet GmbH A er the core air exits the low-pressure production programme. turbine, it passes into the exhaust duct.  is Under the Tranche 3A contract signed on contains two stages of the EJ200’s innovative July 31, 2009, 241 engines were ordered. three-stage augmentor, which produces reheat Eurojet designed the EJ200 for a design life when the pilot commands it.  e fi rst stage of 6,000 fl ying hours for the cold parts – 30 comprises a radial series of burners and their years of fl ying, assuming the usual fi ghter-fl ying associated fl ame cups.  e second stage is rate of about 200 hours a year. However, Sterr downstream of the radial burners and involves explained that because each engine’s DECMU a series of primary vaporisers.  ese presumably monitors so many of the EJ200’s operating create fi ne sprays of fuel, which are burned parameters – temperatures, pressures, and other almost completely when mixed with the very measurements in various parts of the engine – it hot exhaust air.  e third augmentor stage is can use this data to perform a function that the most innovative of all: it is a stage of fuel Eurojet calls executive lifi ng. injectors near the back of the bypass-air duct,  is function assesses how much remaining which create combustion in the well-oxygenated operating life the engine components actually stream of cold, previously unburned air passing have, compared with the wear and tear through the duct. accumulated during assumed average missions totalling 6,000 hours. Together with the ground Engine Control support system, the DECMU calculates what Each augmentor stage is activated Eurojet calls a ‘beta factor’, which is the ratio independently and only begins operating at of the engine’s design life to its real-life usage, certain throttle levels commanded by the pilot. as measured by the parameters recorded and However, each stage is activated and controlled gathered by the unit.  e DECMU totals the automatically by the EJ200’s digital engine parameters for the calculation of the beta factor for the engine a er every mission and from that results from the engine design concept and the derives how much real operating life the engine sophisticated health-monitoring functionality “Since a Typhoon packs has remaining.  is means that for a more off ered by the DECMU. two of the compact benign average mission usage (compared to the When an EJ200 does need repairing, it is a design mission), the engine life will exceed the quick, simple, and relatively painless process. furies into its airframe, 6,000 hours.  e Eurofi ghter Typhoon has been designed the aircraft is blessed  e DECMU’s health-monitoring so it provides lots of maintenance access panels capabilities go well beyond executive lifi ng: to the engines.  e engines themselves are with about 40,500lb of it is also closely involved with the EJ200’s designed to off er extensive borescope access. automated engine testability system (AETS).  e EJ200’s modular nature means a faulty thrust in full reheat”  is provides the maintenance technician module can be replaced quickly. Installation of with a decision tree off ering various pathways a spare module makes the engine immediately to solve any suspected engine issue.  e service-ready again and the faulty module control and monitoring unit (DECMU), so system identifi es likely parts malfunctions is taken away for repair at the operator’s the transition to and from each additional or failures in descending order of likelihood convenience.  is all leads to low turnaround stage of reheat isn’t visible to the pilot. Each of and if an operational reason prevents use of times and therefore a high availability rate.  is the Eurofi ghter Typhoon’s two EJ200s has its a particular pathway towards resolving the makes for easy maintainability and also for a own DECMU box – which is attached to the issue, other choices are off ered. Overall, the high degree of reliability, both for the aircra engine’s casing – and each DECMU box has DECMU allows a high degree of on-condition and its engines. two separate channels to allow redundancy of maintenance: overhauls and replacements are According to Sterr, when a Eurofi ghter engine control. only carried out when necessary, rather than at does need an entire engine change, it can be According to Sterr, the EJ200’s DECMU fi xed fl ying-time intervals. accomplished in less than 45 minutes.  e represents the biggest upgrade the engine has Eurofi ghter Typhoon is designed so that seen since the fi rst production EJ200 was Maintenance its two EJ200 engines are accessible from delivered in 2001. It replaces in one unit both According to Eurojet, the fl eet of EJ200s is directly underneath the aircra . Ingenious the Digital Engine Control Unit (DECU) and achieving low engine removal rates – below engine-mounting designs allow engines to be the original Engine Monitoring Unit (EMU) 1 in 1,000 fl ying hours (the basic unplanned decoupled from their mountings easily. Using delivered as separate boxes (one unit per rejection rate) – and high mean times, over winches and cables, an EJ200 can be quickly aircra ) along with the 363 original Tranche 1,000 fl ying hours, between engine-core defects. removed vertically through the bottom of the 1 production engines.  e DECMU entered  is high level of reliability and availability aircra ’s fuselage and another EJ200 inserted up into the aircra through the same space, then coupled to its mountings.  e EJ200 has 15 An EJ200 on a test rig in full separate modules. In order, these are the: reheat. Eurojet GmbH • Low-pressure compressor • Bearing support • Intermediate casing • Variable inlet guide vanes • High-pressure compressor • Combustion casing • Combustor • High-pressure turbine • Accessory gearbox • Bypass duct • Low-pressure turbine stator • Low-pressure turbine rotor • Exhaust duct • A erburner system; and • Variable exhaust nozzle.  e EJ200’s variable convergent-divergent exhaust nozzle

32 WWW.KEY.AERO This side view shows the positions of the main modules: the low-pressure compressor to the left through to the afterburner nozzle to the right. Eurojet GmbH

has 24 pairs of petals which only open fully manufacturer is using datasets as the basis for EJ200 engine over a ten-year term. Dubbed when the engine is operating with maximum development of machine learning algorithms. the Partnered Support Operational Phase reheat. Maintenance schedules attuned to individual arrangement, contract objectives were effi cient Rolls-Royce produces the intermediate case, EJ200 engines based on the in-service history and aff ordable engine support for the Typhoon combustor, high pressure turbine, bearing data gathered by the engine’s management force, and to ensure the availability of Typhoon support, bypass duct, and the variable inlet system meant the EJ200 was an ideal aircra to meet all of the RAF’s operational guide vanes. engine for the company’s trial. By making commitments. MTU Aero Engines produces the low- a comparison between historical records Work was undertaken at RAF Coningsby, pressure compressor, the high-pressure held on the EJ200 fl eet with an individual Lincolnshire, RAF Leuchars, Fife (until the base compressor and the DECMU digital engine engine’s performance data and inspection was closed) and then RAF Lossiemouth, Moray. control and monitoring unit. e DECMU is data enables the engineer to tweak and adjust Other work took place at the Rolls-Royce considered to be a world benchmark in engine that engine’s maintenance requirement. facilities at Ansty, near Coventry and Filton control system technology. 3D scanning techniques are used to gather near Bristol. Avio Aero S.p.A. is responsible for the accurate dimension information of engine In August 2019, the UK Ministry of accessory gearbox, low pressure turbine and components. Consequently, an algorithm Defence agreed terms for a follow-on EJ200 a erburner. can accurately determine which engine maintenance and repair contract with Rolls- ITP Aero S.A. produces the engine housing, components require replacing based on the Royce, over a fi ve-year term and valued at front jet pipe casing, turbine exit case, precise information fed from the 3D scan. £346.7m. Under the terms of the contract, convergent-divergent nozzle, and external Chris Kjelgaard dubbed the EJ200 In Service Support or EJISS, dressings. Rolls-Royce continues to provide support to the In November 2018, Rolls-Royce announced UK EJ200 Support RAF with maintenance, repair, and overhaul it had started to evaluate a process based on Back in January 2010, the UK Ministry of the EJ200 engine and the provision of machine learning to optimise maintenance of Defence signed a £865m contract with modules, spares, and aircra ground equipment of jet engines in operation. e UK engine Rolls-Royce to maintain and support the management. Chris Kjelgaard ●

WWW.KEY.AERO 33 TERPROM DIGITAL TERRAIN SYSTEM TERRAIN AVOIDANCE

lying a modern military fast jet low to registered trademark, but for readability we use None of this is ideal when you’re flying low- the ground at high speed is demanding TERPROM. level at high speed. TERPROM is designed to work. Pilots have to fly close to terrain A GPWS works by constantly monitoring address both of these problems. whilst managing their aircraft’s complex the aircraft state provided by the INS and F systems and doing so under the pressure the RADALT and attempting to predict if Terrain Database of complex operations involving the aircraft will come dangerously close to So how does TERPROM achieve this? At the numerous aircraft. And that’s before you the terrain. There are a couple of potential core of TERPROM is a Terrain Referenced consider poor weather or enemy activity. problems with this. An INS can drift by close Navigation (TRN) function which provides a The pilots of advanced combat jets have for to one nautical mile per hour. This means that highly accurate, drift-free navigation solution to decades stayed out of danger near the ground for every hour an aircraft is airborne, it could other TERPROM functions as well as to other by using their aircraft’s ground proximity be one nautical mile further away from where systems on the aircraft. warning system (GPWS). In the Typhoon, this the INS thinks it is. The INS drift is reduced TRN works by integrating the INS inputs, is the Collins Aerospace TERPROM® Digital by GPS, but the availability of GPS cannot be RADALT inputs and the digital terrain Terrain System, which uses stored digital terrain guaranteed. Additionally, many systems have no database which is loaded into the TERPROM elevation data, inputs from the aircraft’s inertial knowledge of the up-coming terrain, so make a unit. The INS provides the necessary position, navigation system (INS), and radar altimeter crude calculation based on the aircraft descent velocity, and attitude details, whereas the (RADALT) to produce a highly accurate rate and the assumption that the earth is flat. RADALT is used to build a picture of the terrain referenced navigation solution and Of course, the Earth is not flat, and the terrain terrain as the aircraft passes over it. TRN state-of-the-art protection against a controlled that one has just flown over will not provide an blends the information from these sources flight into terrain incident. TERPROM® is a indication of what lies ahead. together using a Kalman Filter. Kalman Filters

34 WWW.KEY.AERO PAUL RIDGWAY

inconsistencies of a GPWS that solely uses manoeuvre. potentially drifting INS data, instead using a “The PGCAS looks for any instances where constantly-updated stream of information to the aircraft would intercept the selected SWH. provide what Collins Aerospace calls “a clear It interrogates the terrain database along the and unequivocal picture of where the aircraft aircraft’s trajectory and builds a profile of the sits relative to the world around it at any point upcoming terrain. The width of the profile in time”. Furthermore, although TERPROM depends on the accuracy of the navigation can use GPS, its operation is not reliant upon it solution, and the length ahead of the aircraft because it uses the terrain database. According is a function of the aircraft’s speed: the faster to Collins Aerospace: “If there is a situation the aircraft is travelling, the further ahead where there is no GPS for whatever reason, PGCAS looks. The system considers aircraft that’s not going to faze TERPROM in the performance – for example, the G it can pull slightest. TERPROM readily provides an and what power it has. It allows for a pilot’s accurate navigation solution in GPS Denied reaction time and also for the orientation of the environments.” aircraft. For example, if the aircraft is inverted it allows time for it to roll to wings level. Basically, if the pilot reacts promptly to the warning the “TERPROM uses stored aircraft will avoid the impending collision.” Closely related to PGCAS is the Obstruction data, INS and RADALT Warning & Cueing (OWC) function. OWC inputs to provide terrain gives advanced cues of upcoming obstructions such as radio masts, sufficiently far in advance avoidance solutions” that the pilot can fly around them rather than over them, thus maintaining low-level flight. If the pilot continues to fly at an obstruction, it will eventually trigger a PGCAS warning. Ground Collision Warning Simpler systems which don’t have But the strength of blending all this TEPROM’s accurate navigation solution and information doesn’t just end with improving the terrain database have been known to produce navigation solution. Collins Aerospace said: “If nuisance warnings to the extent that the pilot you know where you are to a very high degree switches the system off. This is because they are of accuracy, which we do because of the TRN essentially guessing! TERPROM isn’t guessing; function, and you know your surroundings it is making accurate predictions and therefore from the terrain database, you can effectively does not produce nuisance warnings. look ahead in time.” So, the database gives It’s important to note that the PGCAS TERPROM another key feature – a Predictive and OWC functions within TERPROM Ground Collision Avoidance System (PGCAS) don’t themselves generate the warnings to the which allows the aircraft’s systems to generate Typhoon’s pilot. The data from the system visual and audio warnings if the trajectory will goes out on the aircraft databus as a message. take the aircraft too close to the ground. The The system that looks at that message is the pilot has full control over the altitude at which CSG [computer symbol generator] which is TERPROM considers too low, via the selection responsible for generating the symbology on of a Set Warning Height (SWH). the head up display. The CSG generates the Warning systems were traditionally based warning symbology that will appear on the on a very simplistic model that would have no head up display. The audio warning system also kind of knowledge of the terrain – they use the picks up the TERPROM message from the RADALT and can determine how the aircraft databus and generates the necessary audio cues, is descending relative to the ground below. Such typically ‘Pull up! Pull up!’ and ‘Obstruction! are complicated mathematical algorithms, a system assumes a flat earth and run simple Obstruction!’. used widely in the aerospace and spaceflight calculations to predict when the aircraft is industries for guidance, navigation, control, and going to hit flat earth, which will invariably fail Air-to-Ground Support data integration applications. The TRN Kalman because the earth is not flat. Another difference between TERPROM and Filter models the known error mechanisms TERPROM’s PGCAS is different because rival systems is utilisation of its navigation within the INS and in the map database and it provides warnings stemming not from flat capability together with its terrain database effectively calibrates out the errors that are earth predictions, but instead from constant to assist other functions on the aircraft. present, to give an accurate, drift free, terrain scanning of the terrain ahead of the aircraft TERPROM has a set of ranging capabilities referenced navigation solution. using the information in the terrain databases. which allow the terrain database to be The digital terrain database contains DTED It is able to observe if there’s a potential interrogated to return data about specific points (Digital Terrain Elevation Data) and DVOD collision – either with terrain or a man-made on the ground, including the location, height, (Digital Vertical Obstruction Data), which obstruction – in the area the aircraft will shortly and range to a point on the ground observed respectively present detailed 3D maps about fly through. According to Collins Aerospace: from the aircraft, or, whether or not there is terrain and obstructions in a given area, the “It knows exactly what the terrain is along line-of-sight to a point of interest from the latter including man-made structures including the aircraft’s direction of travel. It’s constantly aircraft. These can be used for applications such chimney stacks and radio masts. The source looking ahead of the aircraft and at the aircraft’s as weapon aiming, sensor steering and combat DTED and DVOD is provided by government state – that’s roll, pitch, heading, velocities and search and rescue. In the case of Typhoon, these agencies to the end-users, who upload it to turn rate, effectively a snapshot in time. It will functions are used to assist the air-to-ground TERPROM. look at what the aircraft is currently doing and weapon aiming capabilities in more accurately TERPROM therefore removes the assumes that the aircraft has to pull out of the determining target locations. Mark Ayton ●

WWW.KEY.AERO 35 MBDA BRIMSTONE MBDA BRIMSTONEPROJECT CENTURION WEAPON: 2

rimstone 2 is based on the previous and three missiles. weapon release. Direct mode is generally used dual mode seeker variant and is A Brimstone missile weighs 110lb and against targets of opportunity. Off bore sight the baseline for the RAF’s Selected requires two people to li on to the 110lb launches can be made in both modes, no launch Precision Eff ects at Range (SPEAR) launcher. To allow eff ective separation from manoeuvre is required. BCapability 2 requirement. Brimstone the launcher, missiles are angled down, which  e missile is fi tted with a millimetric Wave 2 features an insensitive warhead and creates drag. (mmW) radar seeker with terrain avoidance, rocket motor, an enhanced version of MBDA’s  e control system allows the pilot to all weather and 24-hour per day capability and unique dual mode semi-active laser/millimetric launch a single missile, or any number up to semi-active laser guidance. Both are housed in wave seeker, an enhanced autopilot providing the maximum load of 12. Two launch modes, the single head.  is gives the pilot the ability to an increased off -axis and maximum range indirect and direct, allow diff erent attack direct the missile using a Litening III RD laser envelope, greater accuracy, a modular airframe, settings to be input by the pilot. designation pod. Once launched, the pilot can and so ware enhancements. Aircrew use indirect mode for pre-planned hone on the target using the laser. During its Designed as an anti-armour, fi re and forget attacks against a target at a known location and fl ight, the control system can either stick with missile fi tted with an autonomous targeting are not required to visually acquire the target the laser seeker or in the terminal stage, home algorithm, optimised for tanks, Brimstone 2 is before launching the missile. Using the databus, on a hard radar return. also used against armoured personnel carriers, the pilot can update target information en route Brimstone can be launched at any altitude. self-propelled guns, and towed artillery pieces via the datalink. Brimstone can be fi red off bore At medium and high-level, the missile enters in a close air support role.  e design is based sight from stand-off ranges of over six miles a dive. When the seeker detects the ground on the AGM-114 Hellfi re missile used by US to allow the pilot to use terrain to hide from the missile levels out at the cruise height and Army’s AH-64 Apache attack helicopters. surface-to-air threats. navigates to the target location using a digital A Typhoon FGR4 carries up to four Attacks undertaken in direct mode require inertial measurement unit and an autopilot. weapons. Each weapon comprises a launcher the pilot to visually acquire the target prior to As the mmW seeker sweeps terrain for

36 WWW.KEY.AERO Artist impression of a Typhoon loaded with a variety of missiles and munitions including two Brimstone weapons, each comprising a launcher and three missiles. Eurofi ghter GmbH MBDA

targets it receives high-resolution radar returns e pilot can set a missile with a search area, a shaped warhead, optimised for armour, when of potential targets. e on-board algorithms with a validation command to strike any target it strikes a tank its blast fragmentation is partly compare a radar return to those held in found in the area. e search area can be smaller contained in the tank. memory, rejecting those that do not match than a football pitch. If the pilot can sanitise a Development of Brimstone 2 was problematic. In a valid target signature. Target search can be piece of ground to that resolution, then he or early 2012, propellant cracking and liner de-bonding programmed to start at a specifi c point beyond she can confi dently put the missile inside the on the rocket motor were discovered. Subsequent the forward line of own troops and stop at area and know that it won’t hit anything outside fi rings suff ered from warhead failures, which resulted a specifi c point beyond the safe engagement of those bounds. in an extension to the development programme. area. is provides control against blue-on- Brimstone is a complimentary weapon used e failures were overcome such that the RAF blue and collateral damage. Once a valid target for active air tasking with specialised roles, and successfully conducted and completed Brimstone 2 is identifi ed, the seeker performs a scan to not conventional CAS. It can be fi red directly operational evaluation. Release to service was granted 2 optimise its aim point to maximise its eff ect. at a target from a high dive type profi le from as followed by service entry with the Tornado GR4 in Target groups can be engaged by launching a close as one mile or from low-level ingress to the July 2016. salvo of missiles across a broad front with each target for a similar type of attack. Starting in July 2017, the trial series, staged missile on a separate route. Brimstone also has Typhoon pilots have quite a big envelope in to provide weapons integration clearance for column attack capability in which multiple which to fi re Brimstone. With good weather, operational use, included nine fi rings and nine missiles fl y along the same route. In both types a Typhoon pilot looking into the target area jettisons. ey covered a range of specifi c release of attack engagement algorithms prevent a from an orbit around the target area can receive scenarios, testing at various heights, speeds, levels of single target being struck by multiple missiles. a talk-on from the JTAC, visually identify a G-force and from diff erent stations and diff erent Target information can be sent to individual target, tip in to mark it, and launch a missile positions in the launcher. e nine fi rings were used missiles before launch, via the databus to strike from a high dive profi le. to perform data analysis and models of the weapon’s sequentially numbered targets. Speed and profi le are irrelevant for Brimstone performance. One main test point of fi ring is to Each missile follows an inertial trajectory because the missile allows quite a free reign in ensure the aircra does not enter a spin, to allow for the fi rst stage of its fl ight. e radar tracks terms of delivery, provided the target is marked handling characteristics to be set, and release profi les the target during the second stage. Its narrow or identifi ed. e eff ect of the missile on a devised representative of those undertaken on radar beam rejects ground clutter and has a high target is small. As a directional weapon, with Operation Shader. probability of target intercept. A series of live fi rings of the Brimstone precision Brimstone is well suited to kill box strike missile from a Typhoon were completed from operations. A kill box is a grid superimposed “Brimstone’s design is Warton in October 2017, as part of the Phase 3 on the battle area containing enemy forces Enhancement package - the fi nal part of Project only. It is used as a fi re support control measure based on the AGM-114 Centurion. Further fl ight trials took place in early to facilitate close air support (CAS) and Hellfi re missile used by 2018, followed by a successful operational evaluation surface-to-surface indirect fi re. e pilot can by the RAF’s 41 Test and Evaluation Squadron. programme the missile to stay with the area AH-64 Apache attack On February 19, 2019, a Brimstone missile was of a kill box as given by the joint terminal air helicopters” launched in combat for the fi rst time from an RAF controller (JTAC) with clearance to take out Typhoon FGR4. e target was a boat on the River whatever targets he or she can. Euphrates used by ISIS fi ghters. Mark Ayton ●

WWW.KEY.AERO 37 MBDA METEOR METEORPROJECT CENTURION WEAPON: MBDA

BDA’s Meteor air-to-air Meteor has a new-gen focal plane array (TDR) ramjet motor, with an integrated missile was supposed to replace seeker that is designed to defeat current and nozzle-less launch booster. is gives the the Raytheon AIM-120 evolving missile jamming techniques. e weapon long range, a high average speed, and an AMRAAM as the primary missile’s airframe is asymmetric and features a operating envelope extending from sea level to M beyond visual range (BVR) novel guidance and control system comprising high altitude. Meteor’s speed is sustained by the weapon for Typhoon from an advanced rottle control Ducted Rocket TDR while its battery life provides a fl ight time about July 2015. However, industry sources measured in minutes rather than seconds. suggested that no formal timeline had been “Meteor’s operational e a section houses a conventional set and only development and risk reduction oxygenated booster charge fuel, which activities were underway on Typhoon, rather evaluation was accelerates the missile in the conventional than full integration work. Meteor sits outside undertaken by 41 way like a rocket. Once the booster charge is the usual biennial upgrade heartbeat. expended the air intakes open, as does a valve Meteor is an active radar guided missile Test and Evaluation positioned at the missile fuselage mid-position. designed to provide multi-shot capability e valve allows the sustainment charge (mid- against long-range manoeuvring targets, such Squadron during 2017 section houses the non-oxygenated sustainment as fast jets, small UAVs (unmanned air vehicles) and 2018” charge fuel) to fl ow into the a chamber and and cruise missiles within a dense electronic mix with air to combust. e subsequent burn countermeasures environment. is a less intense fl ux than that of the booster

38 WWW.KEY.AERO A Typhoon armed with four Meteor air-to-air missiles as part of an extensive combat payload. Eurofi ghter GmbH

charge but powers the missile at many times the end of the mid-course phase of fl ight. Once the Predating Typhoon speed of sound. seeker has acquired the target the missile will Even before the fi rst Typhoon prototype made As a result, MBDA claims that a Meteor pull incidence and also side slip to make it turn, its maiden fl ight on March 27, 1994, the UK missile has three to six times greater kinematic thereby increasing its agility and responsiveness. MoD had already issued an RFI (request for performance by comparison with equivalent Meteor is designed to allow the pilot information) for a new advanced medium range air-air missiles, and a no escape zone at least to establish a fi ring solution before the air-to-air missile in February. three times greater than that of an AIM-120 adversary can do so fi rst, even with tight  is led to the UK MoD issuing requirement AMRAAM. rules of engagement and because the missile’s SR(A)1239, which in turn led to an Anglo- During the mid-course phase of fl ight, the kinematics are sustained for minutes rather Swedish project defi nition and risk reduction missile has not acquired the target but is being than seconds. Meteor allows the pilot to easily (PDRR) programme.  e resulting Meteor data linked by the launch aircra and steered chase down the adversary while retreating from beyond visual range air-to-air missile soon like an aircra , rolling, and pulling incidence the engagement. attracted interest from Germany, Italy, and to manage the propulsion system.  is enables Meteor is designed to operate in battle Spain, and the weapon became the focus for the the missile to cover the range to the target and space environments that contain severe clutter consolidation of the European guided weapons makes the most effi cient use of the sustainment and electronic countermeasures.  e missile industry.  e French offi cially joined the charge fuel. incorporates a two-way data link to give programme in September 1999. To minimise risk of illuminating itself to the network-centric capabilities which allow the Initial fi rings from a Swedish JAS 39 Gripen target aircra , the seeker activates towards the use of third party targeting. began in 2006, followed by UK Tornado F3

WWW.KEY.AERO 39 MBDA METEOR

Typhoon test aircraft ZJ699 (IPA1) seen on take-off from Warton Airfi eld, Lancashire loaded with a Meteor air-to-air missile and two camera pods with calibration markings for a weapon separation fl ight. BAE Systems trials aircra joining the programme from 2009. “Meteor has a focal Meteor’s launch envelope expansion testing.  e fi rst trial fi t of a geometrically In the latter part of 2014, BAE Systems representative captive round was carried on a plane array seeker successfully completed the fi rst of a series of Eurofi ghter Typhoon in October 2003. Since designed to defeat Meteor live fi rings at the Hebrides range. By then, there have been a number of captive conducting fi rings at diff erent altitudes and carriage fl ight trials.  e fi rst of which was current and evolving speeds the Meteor’s jettison envelope was undertaken by the then 17(R) Squadron expanded. Pre-launch priming and post-launch Typhoon, which fl ew with two training missiles missile jamming datalink functions between the missile and on the forward under-fuselage stations to assess techniques” radar were also tested during the missile shots. aircra handling.  ere have also been some Commenting on the fi rst live fi re, BAE Systems drop trials. test pilot Nat Makepeace who fl ew the sortie During weapon separation trials in 2012, said: “ e aircra and the weapon performed BAE Systems had launched unpowered missiles launch of a Meteor test article from a Typhoon’s exactly as expected. It’s very easy and intuitive to evaluate safe separation of a Meteor missile a fuselage missile station at the Aberporth to operate and demonstrated that the Typhoon from a Typhoon aircra . In late 2012, the range in Wales.  e missile motor was fi red and Meteor missile can operate in an expanded company started integration trials with an eject which provided baseline test data for the envelope safely and accurately.”

GUIDED-FIRINGS Initial certifi cation work for Meteor integration with the P2E software included •Meteor had to autonomously acquire the carry Meteor. a new series of environmental data target via the aircraft or a third party (another The MEL uses an ejector release unit gathering trials using production standard aircraft). (ERU) with gas-powered yolks that push the missiles. These were conducted in Spain •Typhoon had to be able to communicate missile off the launcher. The modifi cations and were followed by two Meteor (using the radar) with the missile during its undertaken involved strengthening the ERU. guided-fi rings (known as F1 and F2) at fl ight to the target to gain its position, its track The trial had to demonstrate that once the the Aberporth range in the UK. and to feed it potential changes to the target. yokes were at the end of their stroke, the F1 and F2 involved a Typhoon Both fi rings exercised some of the missile was disconnected, in free fl ight, and confi gured with a radar software functionality listed above in short-range that the motor had lit up and accelerated upgrade and a design change of engagements against a Mirax drone target away. Meteor’s human machine interface. The using the following parameters. A further six fi rings (F3 to F8), each new software drop enabled the radar’s •F1 Mach 0.9 at 3,000-6,000ft and 1g. designed to increase the Meteor’s launch track model to be verifi ed with production •F2 Mach 1.3 at an unconfi rmed altitude envelope from Typhoon, were conducted standard Meteor missiles. Track model and 1g. over the subsequent 18 months. A working refers to the priming, target acquisition The missile’s seeker head was activated for group from No.41 Test and Evaluation and tracking functions between the one of the fi rings as a check of its functionality. Squadron was involved to provide input aircraft and the missile. A further objective was to exercise air which was particularly important for the •Typhoon had to be able to prime the release using the ram jet MEL (medium range operationally representative fi rings at the missile with a target position. air-to-air missile eject launcher) modifi ed to end of the campaign.

40 WWW.KEY.AERO In September 2015, BAE Systems announced diff erent speeds and altitudes.  e fl ight test successful completion of Meteor guided fi ring team tested the envelope boundaries of the METEOR EARLY FIRING trials from a Typhoon missile to ensure confi dence in its performance against airborne targets in pre-planned and a full understanding of its operational In October 2012, the BAE Systems fl ight scenarios. Operating from its Warton airfi eld, relevance.” test team undertook a demonstration BAE Systems used Typhoon FGR4 ZJ938, James Glazebrook, BAE Systems head fi ring of a Meteor missile – the fi rst from dubbed IPA 6, an instrumented production of Centurion explained how the customer Typhoon – labelled F0. It was conducted standard aircra dedicated to weapons helped the test team agree upon operationally as a pre-requisite to the award of the integration for the guided fi ring trials. Staged as representative test scenarios. Meteor full integration contract with part of the type’s Phase 2 Enhancement (P2E) In the spring of 2017, BAE Systems Eurofi ghter. The trial involved fi ring an fl ight test programme, the aircra was loaded successfully completed a simultaneous fi ring avionic round (AV) capable of receiving with P2E so ware. Makepeace, who fl ew the of two Meteor missiles against two airborne information from the aircraft’s radar from aircra , said: “ e missile separated cleanly targets to test the ability to engage both targets NETMA-owned development aircraft IPA and guided successfully towards its target and the performance of simultaneous two- 1/ZJ699 loaded with Tranche 1 Drop maintaining a datalink communication between way data linking between two missiles and 2.2 software. the weapon and the aircra .” the aircra .  e test was conducted on the Before the AV round was fi red, ground Conducted at the Hebrides range, the trials Hebrides range using Spanish Typhoon C.16- trials were conducted to demonstrate were part of a NATO Eurofi ghter and Tornado 20 dubbed IPA 4, an instrumented production fi tting and functionality on Typhoon. Management Agency (NETMA) contract aircra based with, and operated by, Airbus Checks were run to verify the missile was awarded to fully integrate the Meteor missile Defence & Space at Getafe, Spain. receiving the required power including a onto Typhoon by 2017. suffi cient supply for the telemetry section. In January 2016, Leonardo aircrew used Operational Evaluation Those checks were also verifi ed by Typhoon MMX-614 dubbed IPA 2 to fl y Meteor’s operational evaluation was undertaken MBDA and included the receive/transmit the sixth and fi nal Meteor fi ring staged to by 41 Test and Evaluation Squadron based at functionality. expand the Meteor missile launch envelope as RAF Coningsby, Lincolnshire during 2017 There were three main objectives to the part of the type’s P2E fl ight test programme. and 2018 as part of Project Centurion, a Meteor early fi ring trial: demonstrate the  e Hebrides range was the only one with an 47-month, £425m programme designed to aircraft can prime the weapon, that it can operating area large enough to safely launch integrate new so ware, cockpit systems and separate safely as per the stores release Meteor missiles, and at the time Leonardo’s IPA the Brimstone, Meteor and Storm Shadow and jettison calculations, and that it can 2 was the only test jet available for the trials. weapons onto the Typhoon FGR4. During a be guided to the target. According to Alessandro Bianco, Leonardo’s media event held at RAF Marham, Norfolk Proving that a missile’s functionality P2E technical manager: “ e number of in January 2019, the then defence secretary is robust enough to achieve the trial requirements for each test was huge.  ese Gavin Williamson announced that Project objectives can take as many as 100 included the range, air control, Stornoway Centurion was complete, and all capabilities simulated fi rings. The AV round carried on Airport, the pilot, the fl ight test operation, had been fi elded. He said: “A transformed this trial allowed up to 12. MBDA to monitor the performance of the Typhoon has the power to dominate the skies Of the 42 subsystems on Typhoon that weapon, and the weapons integration team. into the 2040s and we continue to look even require clearance for a trial the propulsion Everybody had to be happy before take-off . further into an ambitious future.” Who knows system and structure had notable reasons. Assuming everything went to plan, and the what that actually meant? A typical politician’s A propulsion clearance was required trial was successful, we then had to repeat the soundbite. to clear ingestion of the missile’s plume process. A number of weapon releases were On December 10, 2018, RAF Typhoons and the structure clearance involved a carried out at diff erent speeds and altitudes to launched on a uick Reaction Alert mission metal shim used to load the round to the gather suffi cient data for the fl ight test engineers from RAF Lossiemouth for the fi rst time aircraft. Verifi cation was required that to clear the weapon for as wide a range of armed with Meteor missiles.  e pilot fl ying that if the shim peeled off when the missile use as possible. Subsequent fl ights focussed the QRA mission who remained unnamed separated, it would not damage the on integration with the team evaluating due to Ministry of Defence protocol said: aircraft. how the missile tracked and how it shared “ e options the Meteor missile gives us in Early fi ring F0 proved that Typhoon information with the aircra . Diff erent trials responding to an emergency situation cannot satisfi ed all four trial objectives. were conducted, each featured manoeuvres at be overstated.” Mark Ayton ●

An all-MBDA missile load out comprising four Meteor air-to-air missiles loaded on the fuselage stations and four on the wing pylons. Eurofi ghter GmbH

WWW.KEY.AERO 41 MBDA STORM SHADOW

STORMPROJECT CENTURION WEAPON: SHADOW

he MBDA Storm Shadow, built by Missiles Electronics and QinetiQ.  e fi rst capability, a range in excess of 135nm and, MBDA and known in France as the stage cuts through armour, concrete, and earth from a pilot’s perspective, a true fi re-and-forget SCALP EG (Système de Croisière before the second stage of the warhead – called capability. Autonome à Longue Portée – Emploi a follow-through bomb – detonates inside the T Général), is a conventionally armed target.  e missile is therefore used against Mission Planning stand-off . high-value strategic infrastructure including Storm Shadow’s capability is determined by Based on the French Apache AP anti-runway command centres buried underground, bunkers, the quality of the information programmed missile and developed primarily to meet UK airfi elds, and bridges. It has the three most into it before launch. Mission planners input and French requirements, it is currently cleared desirable requirements for such a weapon: information about the target, which enables the for carriage by Royal Air Force and Aeronautica accuracy, penetration, and stand-off range. In missile’s intelligent navigation systems to guide Militare Typhoons and Armée de L’Air Mirage addition, the missile possesses stealth, day/night it to its target. Once launched, the information 2000s and Rafales. cannot be changed.  e missile was fi rst used by RAF Tornado  e main elements of this planning process GR4s in March 2003 in the opening days of “The fi rst Storm Shadow include studying the target, consideration of over Iraq to destroy high-value the threats around it and those en route, and targets. Eight years later RAF/AMI Tornados integration tests for determining how best to counter them.  e and French Rafales used Storm Shadows and the Typhoon began in information used to study the target could be as SCALP EGs respectively against targets in simple as a digital photograph or as high-tech Libya as part of Operation Unifi ed Protector. December 2013 with as a three-dimensional satellite image. Storm Storm Shadow features a powerful two- Shadow’s accuracy can be improved by higher stage warhead called BROACH (Bomb Royal aircraft IPA2 operated quality target and route information: the more Ordnance Augmented Charge), developed by by ” detailed it is the more robust the guidance a UK consortium comprising BAE Systems, system will be. Storm Shadow can in fact attack Global Combat Systems Munitions,  ales a target with a simple GPS input.

42 WWW.KEY.AERO MBDA

Mission planners must be mindful that the using three internal systems: inertial navigation the pre-loaded information and subsequently target’s appearance could change during the (INS), GPS, and terrain referenced navigation selects the impact point. time since the target data was uploaded to the (TRN), which are activated when the missile is  e guidance systems will scene-match to missile. For this reason, additional information released. If GPS jamming is present, guidance will determine if the target has changed in any way. If it – for example, details of roads, rivers and trees be more reliant on the INS and TRN. While fl ying has, the missile will support its target identifi cation surrounding the target – can be uploaded which to the target, the Storm Shadow’s guidance system with the original INS, GPS and TRN data that was will enable the Storm Shadow to verify that it’s compares the INS, GPS, and TRN data with the input at the mission planning stage. If the seeker fl ying to the correct target. information stored in its memory. Meanwhile, opens and nothing matches the data input, the Other mission planning information includes in the approach to the terminal phase, the Storm missile goes to an abort mode. the prevailing conditions at the target location, Shadow’s imaging infrared seeker is cooled down. terrain along the route from release to the target On the fi nal run-in to the target, the missile can Missile Confi guration and any threats including ground-based air execute a bunt-up manoeuvre – the nose cone is  e missile is built to a standard confi guration. defence systems. An aim point and an approach jettisoned, and a high-resolution imaging infrared  e front of the missile contains the infrared angle are set, and a decision is made on when sensor looks for and acquires the target based on seeker. Behind that are the electronics and where the two-stage warhead should detonate once it penetrates its target.  e timings required for the initial detonation and An RAF Typhoon FGR4 seen loaded follow-through-bomb are determined according with two live Storm Shadow missiles to the nature of the target and the missile’s angle prior to an Operation Shader mission of attack and speed on approach. Storm Shadow on March 22, 2021. Royal Air Force/83 Expeditionary Air Group contains a target surface detector to aid this process.  e weapon is then loaded onto the aircra . Pilots fl ying Typhoon aircra undertake specialist training in a simulator to practise launching the missile, including contingency actions such as reallocating targets and routes while in the air, dealing with emergencies and – in the case of an aircra toting two Storm Shadows – how to fl y the jet with asymmetric weight problems if one missile fi res and the other does not.

Launch Sequence A er release, the missile is powered-up electrically. Fins and wings on the top and the side of the weapon deploy soon a er release and the jet engine is started to establish control quickly. A Storm Shadow fi nds its way to its target by

WWW.KEY.AERO 43 MBDA STORM SHADOW associated with the seeker assembly (known known as Extended WIF phase 1. Five fl ights in the US as the control group) which include “Pilots undertake were performed with two Storm Shadows the safety and arming units. Behind them is the specialist simulator loaded and a further three in baseline warhead group, comprising the initial warhead confi guration. and then the follow-through bomb. training to practise Two of the Typhoon test aircra - IPA 7 e actuator for the wings and the electronics launching the missile” operated by Airbus Defence in Germany and which drive the on-board systems are located IPA 4 by Airbus Defence in Spain -subsequently in the centre of the weapon. Nearby is the fuel undertook an intensive campaign of related aero management system – the missile’s fuel, which data gathering trials. Typhoon IPA4 was fl own is standard jet fuel with some additives, is stored skimming anti-ship missile, developed with either one or two Storm Shadows fi tted to around the missile in diff erent locations rather by MBDA’s predecessor, complete the WIF fl ight test phase. than in one specifi c tank. Every Storm Shadow Dynamics, for the RAF’s Buccaneer force. A In November 2014, inert drop-tests and leaves the MBDA manufacturing facility fully separate internal structure holds the engine in store jettison trials were accomplished at one laden with fuel – fuelling is not undertaken by place. e Storm Shadow’s actuator fi ns, located of Italy’s test ranges run by Decimomannu the end user prior to a mission. on top and side, provide stabilisation in-fl ight. Air Base on the island of . e trials Behind the centre sections is the air intake ey are tucked away and deploy as part of the involved a missile being jettisoned from the which is sealed with a cover. At a certain stage launch sequence. aircra and tracked by radar up to impact. In during the launch process this will come off , MBDA has examined upgrade options to September 2015, two avionic integration fl ights enabling air to enter and spool up the engine, support possible mid-life updates for the missile were performed at Decimomannu to check the which is located a of the air intake at the which are implemented on a funded basis to aircra -missile avionic interface. back of the weapon. e Storm Shadow’s meet specifi c customer requirements. In November 2015, two of the latest engine traces its heritage to that used in the sea operational version of Storm Shadow missile Typhoon-Storm were released from Italian test Typhoon Shadow Flight Test MMX-614 dubbed IPA 2 on the Aberforth According to MBDA, the fi rst Storm Shadow range in Wales. e launches were designed to integration tests for the Typhoon began in expand the safe weapon trajectory envelope of December 2013 with test aircra MMX-614/ the missile as part of the Phase 2 Enhancement IPA2 operated by Alenia Aermacchi. fl ight test programme. Six further fl ights were subsequently Integration of the Storm Shadow missile with completed in the following weeks to assess the aircra ’s weapon system was successfully the Storm Shadow’s compatibility demonstrated. e trials also verifi ed the with the Typhoon’s air data system. interface of the missile with the weapon system Flutter and structural coupling tests for pre-launch checks, demonstrated post- were also carried out. A further test launch safe separation and the subsequent mission was fl own with the aircra in baseline commencement of missile fl ight. confi guration for comparative analyses. Commenting on the Storm Shadow tests, Despite a length of 16ft 9in, the Storm Assessment of the performance and loads Enrico Scarabotto, the Italian chief test pilot Shadow missile fi ts neatly on the inner on the aircra while carrying two missiles was who fl ew both sorties said: “ e Eurofi ghter under-wing station. Leonardo/L. Caliaro completed in March 2014 in a programme and its weapon system performed exactly as

Leonardo-operated test Typhoon MMX-614 (IPA 2) loaded with two inert Storm Shadow missiles. Leonardo/L. Caliaro

44 WWW.KEY.AERO An RAF Typhoon holding ready to depart on an Operation Shader mission on March 22, 2021. The Typhoon aircraft is loaded with two Storm Shadow missiles for a strike mission in the Makhmur Mountain region of Iraq in support of Iraqi Security Forces. Royal Air Force/83 Expeditionary Air Group

expected. e aircra ’s performance was not deployed Typhoon test aircra MMX-614/ ZK356. Both jets, in 41 Test and Evaluation signifi cantly degraded by this heavy missile IPA 2, a team of 30 people, ground equipment Squadron markings, operated from Warton and, thanks to the aircra ’s performance and and tools to BAE Systems’ Warton airfi eld to as part of the six-aircra fl eet and conducted the large number of weapon stations, a er the conduct the trials at the Hebrides range. numerous missions including some loaded launch of the missiles the Eurofi ghter kept a Highlighting the complementary skill set with two instrumented test articles. e full spectrum of capabilities for both air-to-air held by the Leonardo and BAE Systems teams, RAF’s operational testing of Storm Shadow on and air-to-surface engagements. is is a great Alessandro Bianco said: “Alenia-Aermacchi Typhoon was complete by February 2018. advantage that only the Eurofi ghter, among already had a great deal of Storm Shadow Typhoon’s combat debut with Storm Shadow western fi ghters, can guarantee. A truly swing- integration expertise and therefore our team took place during March 2021. During a 10-day role combat aircra .” was able to cover all the technical aspects, and operation, RAF Typhoons struck ISIS targets Under an original plan, the Storm Shadow the BAE Systems team had experience of the in the Makhmur Mountain region of Iraq in fi ring trials were expected to take place on Hebrides range.” support of Iraqi Security Forces tasked with an air weapon range run by the Aeronautica During 2016 and 2017, the Storm clearing the area. ISIS fi ghters were based in Militaire at on the Shadow-Typhoon integration programme caves within the Makhmur mountain region Italian island of Sardinia. e plan fell through continued, undertaken by an integrated test and deemed such hardened targets that they so the decision was made to re-locate the trial team comprising components from BAE required the RAF’s heaviest air-launched to the UK. According to Alessandro Bianco, Systems, MBDA, QinetiQ and 41 Test and weapons: Storm Shadow missiles. During Leonardo’s P2E technical manager responsible Evaluation Squadron based at RAF Coningsby, the 10-day operation, RAF Typhoon FGR4s for coordinating Storm Shadow integration Lincolnshire. dropped 42 Paveway IV 1,000lb precision- activities, it took less than three months from Six Typhoons were upgraded to support the guided bombs and ten Storm Shadow missiles the time the decision was taken to when IPA2 test programme including two RAF Tranche during multiple strikes throughout the was operating in the UK. Alenia-Aermacchi 3 aircra , Typhoon FGR4s ZK355 and operation. Costing nearly £1m per missile, each Storm Shadow’s two-stage BROACH warhead WORK SHARE was designed to cut through the outer rock before the second stage follow-through bomb Italian aerospace company Alenia on Typhoon in its wind tunnel using 1/12th, detonated inside the cave. Aeronautica led the integration of the Storm 1/20th or 1/50th scale models. The Shadow conventionally armed stand-off company conducted two types of wind SPEAR Capability 4 cruise missile (CASOM) on Typhoon. UK- tunnel tests: component testing for basic e Ministry of Defence’s Selective Precision based BAE Systems had a major work share aerodynamic information and installed store Eff ects at Range or SPEAR is a multi-year in the Typhoon-Storm Shadow integration loads testing. The latter uses a small strain programme for diff erent types of precision, programme and holds the interface control gauge balance placed inside the model of re-targetable weapons each of which can documents to support the requirements of its the Storm Shadow to gather load data for receive target information updates over a customers, including the RAF. determining the clearance limits of the store data-link (network) in near real-time as part As part of its work share, BAE Systems and to certify carriage on Typhoon. of the UK’s Network Enabled Capability. was involved with all of the aerodynamic Two types of load were determined, e programme was split into fi ve capability disciplines: fl utter, engine intake one for when the missile was installed on numbers: SPEAR Capability 4 is a mid-life compatibility, fl ight performance (take-off, the aircraft and the other in free air. The regeneration programme designed to sustain landing and in-fl ight), design and clearance aerodynamic infl uence of each defi ned the the Storm Shadow missile in RAF service until control for the fl ight control system, static starting point for stores release and jettison its out of service date. is upgraded version and dynamic loads, and structure coupling. trials. Blending the two load types together of Storm Shadow is currently undergoing And the UK aerospace company also allowed the trajectory of a store release to its operational evaluation with 41 Test and tested Storm Shadow load confi gurations be modelled. Evaluation Squadron based at RAF Coningsby, Lincolnshire. Mark Ayton ●

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