An RAF Eurofighter Typhoon seen departing on a combat operation over the Middle East earlier in July. The UK is one of the four partner countries for the programme that will undertake the LTE upgrade programme. (Crown Copyright)
Eurofighter will launch the technology maturation phase for the Long-Term Evolution (LTE) package for the jet before the end of 2024, the consortium CEO Giancarlo Mezzanato said on 23 July.
Speaking to Janes and other defence media at the Farnborough International Airshow 2024, Mezzanato said the LTE upgrade package that was launched in 2019 is key to securing additional international orders for the aircraft, and that it will shortly begin its three-year maturation phase ahead of fielding in the early 2030s.
“I am confident we will launch the technology maturation phase of LTE before the end of the year,” he said.
The LTE is geared at taking the Eurofighter's capabilities out to beyond the Phase Enhancement (PE) packages, and includes upgrades for the aircraft's mission system architecture, defensive aids, human-machine interface (HMI), operational flexibility, and engine performance. As previously noted by Eurofighter, the LTE will support greater connectivity via the generation, transmission, and utilisation of increasing amounts of digital data for mission system architecture both on board (via advanced multispectral sensors) and off board (via high-performance tactical datalinks) while countering new and emerging threats, including cyber. This will maintain the Eurofighter's ability to operate in a highly contested and congested future operating environment.
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