The German aerospace center DLR has carried out the first flight of an Airbus A320 adapted to carry out aerial tests of an active electronically scanned array radar (AESA) for the Eurofighter operating countries, Germany and Spain.
Conducted from the DLR’s Braunschweig site on 21 January, the sortie involved its A320 advanced technology research aircraft (ATRA), which has been equipped with a Eurofighter nose section.
Airbus says the integration activity required its engineers to design “a completely new front section” to accommodate the radome and sensor, as well as make structural reinforcements to the narrow fuselage structure.
“The teams will, in a next step, also install extensive test equipment in the A320 ATRA cabin, including a customised Eurofighter avionic test rig and supporting cooling and power infrastructure,” Airbus Defence & Space says.
Flight testing will begin later this year on the ECRS Mk1 AESA, which will join the new Eurofighters ordered for Berlin and Madrid, and will also bring modernization paints as a replacement for the type’s original mechanically scanned Captor radar.
“We are operating the aircraft in close collaboration with the DLR and the German armed forces to test a new radar for the Eurofighter and bring it to maturity,” says Airbus Defence & Space E-Scan radar project manager Thomas Hirsch.
“The A320 ATRA has a particularly shorter clearance procedure and can stay in the air longer than a Eurofighter,” he notes. “This means that time in a real-world environment is particularly earlier, faster and for longer. These aspects especially improve the radar progression process.
The ECRS Mk1 sensor will be installed in 38 German Eurofighters acquired nationally by Quadriga, as well as in 20 for Spain acquired by Halcon I. Countries will also get a total of forty-five more examples of these fighter jets as a component of upcoming orders. .
Berlin indicated at the end of 2023 that the new AESA radar would also be in its fleet of Eurofighters that are already in service.
Aircraft integration activities for partner countries will be carried out through Airbus Defense
In addition to upcoming work with the A320 ATRA platform, Spain carried out the first flight of a Eurofighter test aircraft with the ECRS Mk1 in December 2024.
Airbus notes that the upgrade of the AESA radar “will enhance the Eurofighter’s functions in air-to-air and air-to-ground operations and equip it with electronic warfare functions. “
Separately, Eurofighter UK is developing work on an ECRS Mk2 radar led by Leonardo UK, and a prototype flew on the fighter from BAE Systems’ Warton in Lancashire last September. The sensor will be installed on the Tranche 3 production aircraft for the Royal Air Force and the suit is expected to enter operational service until 2030.
One component of the investigation into the Gazpromavia Superjet 100 crash near Moscow is whether the pilots simply stopped the plane after its automatic stall coverage formula led to a fatal crash. Preliminary investigation indicates that the Superjet, which crashed in a forest on July 12 last year, was powered. . .
Vertical Aerospace has launched a new $90 million funding round, partly tying when investors are able to redeem the warrants on offer with the flight-test progress of its VX4 aircraft.
Russian carrier Ural Airlines expects all sections of the Airbus A320 which force-landed in a field will be removed by February, nearly one-and-a-half years since the occurrence. The twinjet ran low on fuel as it attempted to reach Novosibirsk in September 2023, having diverted from its original destination Omsk following …
Ukraine will expand its use of Poseidon vertical take-off and landing unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), following a new approval from the country’s Ministry of Defense.
An Indian government defense lab has effectively tested a scramjet as part of efforts to expand hypersonic missiles.
The Royal Malaysian Air Force (RMAF) has finalized a Life Extension Program (SLEP) for its Sukhoi Su-30MKM, which will allow the Russian type to serve for at least a decade.
FlightGlobal is the leading source of news, data, information, wisdom and expertise for the global aviation network. We provide news, data, research and consulting to connect the global aviation network and help organisations shape their business strategies, identify new opportunities and make better decisions faster.