Eurofighter GmgH, HALLBERGMOOS, Germany: Eurofighter GmbH has signed the contractual documents with its shareholder BAE Systems for the supply of 72 Eurofighter Typhoon aircraft to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.
Aloysius Rauen, Chief Executive Officer, Eurofighter GmbH, comments:
“This contract represents the second export order for Eurofighter Typhoon, the world's most advanced next generation multi-/swing-role fighter aircraft. It underlines the prominent position of the programme in the global fighter aircraft market and symbolises the strength of the European aerospace industry. No other competing European or international manufacturer for a new generation fighter aircraft can present as large an order book. This order also represents one of the largest single export orders since the early 1990's.”
Eurofighter GmbH will manage their element of the production and support of the aircraft under a contract from BAE Systems, who will act as the Industrial Prime Contractor on this Government to Government Contract.
Including the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia as the latest customer for Eurofighter Typhoon, six Nations have now ordered a total of 707 Eurofighter Typhoon aircraft:
— Germany: 180
— Italy: 121
— Spain: 87
— United Kingdom: 232
— Austria: 15
— Kingdom of Saudi Arabia: 72.
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To date, 137 Series Production Aircraft, including six Instrumented Production Aircraft operated by industry, have been delivered to the customer Nations: 48 Royal Air Force, 37 German Air Force, 26 Italian Air Force, 18 Spanish Air Force and 2 to Austria.
The in-service Eurofighter Typhoon fleets have accumulated more than 28,000 flying hours since introduction into the Air Forces early 2004, while the industrial test fleet has logged over 5,500 flying hours.
Thirty Tranche 2 aircraft are already in final assembly. Avionics and engine testing has already started for Type Acceptance of Block 8, to be achieved in Spring 2008, with deliveries scheduled to begin in Summer next year.
Eurofighter Typhoon is the world's most advanced new generation swing-role combat aircraft available on the market and has been ordered by six nations (Germany, Italy, Spain, United Kingdom, Austria and the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia). With 707 aircraft under contract, it is Europe's largest military collaborative programme and delivers leading-edge technology, strengthening Europe's aerospace industry in the global competition. More than 100,000 jobs in 400 companies are secured by the programme.
Eurofighter Jagdflugzeug GmbH manages the programme on behalf of its shareholders Alenia Finmeccanica, BAE Systems, EADS CASA and EADS Deutschland, Europe's foremost aerospace companies with a total turnover of EUR 60.7 billion (2006).
