Airbus Defence and Space has awarded a contract to Hensoldt to deliver active electronically scanned array-based (AESA) radars for the German Air Force Eurofighters.
The contract is valued at roughly $241m (€200m) and includes the manufacture of radar systems and core electronics components.
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Work under the contract will be carried out at Hensoldt’s Ulm site and at Indra’s facility in Spain.
Last November, the German Parliament announced its commitment to the acquisition of 38 new Eurofighter jets for the country’s air force.
The Eurofighter order is also known by its project name Quadriga. Airbus will deliver 30 single-seater and eight twin-seater Eurofighters to the German Air Force.
Hensoldt CEO Thomas Müller said: “The high pace of development in the field of electronics and, above all, digitalisation constantly gives rise to new applications.
“With this contract, the Eurofighter will benefit in the future from a primary sensor that is technologically top class and will improve the aircraft’s survivability in even high-intensity conflicts.
“The fact that the radar will be produced by a European consortium led by Hensoldt, with Indra operating as the main partner, shows that there is good cooperation in Europe on joint armament programmes.”
The new AESA technology-based radar features a mechanically rotating antenna and the radar beam is controlled by several individual transmit/receive modules.
Currently, the company has a workforce of 2,500 people at its Ulm site and intends to hire 300 more new employees for the Hensoldt Group in 2021.
The sensor systems supplier is investing €30m to build a radio frequency (RF) technology development centre in Ulm, among other things.
In July last year, Hensoldt secured a contract from Airbus Defence and Space to develop and produce a new AESA radar for the German and Spanish Eurofighter fleets.
