The Nato Eurofighter and Tornado Management Agency (Netma) has awarded a contract to Eurofighter for integration of the Storm Shadow long-range attack missile into the Typhoon combat aircraft.
Awarded at the ongoing Farnborough International Air Show in the UK, the Contract 4 requires the company to integrate the long-range cruise missile into the Typhoons of four Eurofighter partner nations, Germany, Italy, Spain and the UK.
Eurofighter CEO Alberto Gutierrez said: "This is yet further evidence of a solid roll-out of capability from Eurofighter and also demonstrates the value of forward investment by industry to ensure a progressive and pro-active approach to weapons systems enhancement."
Manufactured by MBDA, Storm Shadow is an all-weather, long-range stand-off precision weapon designed to neutralise high value targets, such as port facilities, control centres, bunkers, missile sites, airfields and bridges.
According to Eurofighter, the stealth nature of the weapon allows it to penetrate layered air defences and its long range enables it to be launched outside those defences increasing survivability of the launch aircraft.
UK Defence Equipment Support and Technology Minister Philip Dunne said: "The ability to prosecute stand-off targeting while maintaining control of the airspace will provide Typhoon with unique battle winning capability."
The company will collaborate with three Eurofighter partner companies, BAE Systems, Airbus Space & Defence and Alenia Aermacchi, and their supply base, including MBDA.
Currently operational with the Italian and Royal Air Force’s Tornado fighters, the 1,300kg fire-and-forget missile has been deployed in Iraq and Libya.
Eurofighter partners have been conducting Storm Shadow-Typhoon flight testing since late 2013.
Image: Eurofighter CEO Alberto Gutierrez and Netma general manager Graham Farnell sign Storm Shadow contract at Farnborough Air Show in UK. Photo: © Eurofighter Jagdflugzeug GmbH.
