Eurofighter Commences Typhoon Jet Production for Kuwait Order

Eurofighter has started work on first Typhoon aircraft meant for Kuwait Air Force.

Following the 2016 signature of the contract to supply 28 Eurofighter Typhoon to the State of Kuwait, Leonardo company and the other Eurofighter partner companies have started the production with several new additions to weapon system, the company said in a statement Wednesday.

The aircraft will be integrated with new laser designator pod (Lockheed Matin Sniper), DRS-Cubic ACMI P5 combat training pod, an enhanced navigation aid (VOR) and the E-Scan radar CAPTOR with its antenna repositioner, Giancarlo Mezzanatto, Eurofighter Programme Unit Vice President of the Leonardo Aircraft Division said.

“The capability packages for Kuwait will include the integration of Storm Shadow and Brimstone and other air-to-surface weapons. These features enrich the multi-role characteristics of the aircraft and enhance the weapon system in a role in which the aircraft is excelling since 2011 with the operations over Libya and now Syria and Iraq,” he added.

Following the 2016 signature of the contract to supply 28 Eurofighter Typhoon to the State of Kuwait, Leonardo and the other Eurofighter partner companies have started the production of advanced variant of the fighter jet.

“Production activities started in the second half of 2016 and are currently in line with the baseline plan and, in some cases, ahead of schedule. The wing skins of the first left hand wing at Leonardo and right hand wing at Airbus Defence & Space in Spain have already completed and the assembly phase will start before the end of 2017,” said Giancarlo.

The first rear fuselage section is going to start the “Stage 2” assembly phase at Leonardo in early 2018, while the “Stage 1” assembly phase is already running in BAE Systems for the first five aircraft.  The centre fuselage section, produced by Airbus Defence & Space in Germany, will start the assembly in the first half of 2018 having already commenced the “pre-assy” phase according to the plan.

The activities to establish infrastructures in Kuwait to operate the aircraft are also proceeding according to the plans. The detail design has already been completed with the finalization of all data packages. The construction activities started in August this year.