en.Wedoany.com Reported - Hensoldt, Indra, and Leonardo have announced that the European Common Radar System ECRS Mk.1 Active Electronically Scanned Array radar is ready to commence airborne trials. This radar will be used on German and Spanish Eurofighter Typhoon fighter jets. Indra previously conducted ground tests of the sensor, using opportunistic and cooperative targets for illumination trials. The three companies stated that early test results indicate good performance in terms of robustness and capability.

The next step for the radar is installation on a development Eurofighter Typhoon test aircraft and an Airbus A320 airliner borrowed by Airbus from the German Aerospace Center, which is equipped with a Eurofighter Typhoon nose section for radar experiments. The Mk.1 radar will equip new Tranche 4 Eurofighter Typhoon aircraft procured by Germany and Spain, and is likely to be used on Tranche 5 aircraft ordered by Germany. The German Air Force will also retrofit the radar onto its Tranche 2 and Tranche 3 aircraft.

Alongside these developments, Airbus Defence and Space is preparing for the first flights of the initial Tranche 4 Eurofighter Typhoon aircraft built in Manching, Germany, and Getafe, Spain, in the coming weeks. Airbus announced on June 1 that the first Spanish Tranche 4 aircraft had rolled off the production line. Since the first Mk.1 radar sets are scheduled for delivery to Germany and Spain in 2027, Tranche 4 aircraft will initially be delivered with the Mk.0 AESA radar—a variant used for Kuwaiti and Qatari aircraft—but fitted with an antenna produced by Hensoldt, a sensor referred to as "Radar Mk.1, Step 0".

Mónica Pérez Fernández, Indra's Eurofighter Typhoon Program Director, stated that the launch of the testing phase is a key milestone in equipping the Eurofighter Typhoon with an advanced-capability AESA radar that will support the aircraft's superiority for years to come. She added that the radar will be one of the most advanced airborne radars to enter service and an example of how long-term collaboration among leading European companies can achieve faster progress. The three companies said the Mk.1 radar features a multi-channel AESA and high-end processor, enabling the sensor with advanced air-to-air and high-resolution air-to-ground modes, as well as passive and active electronic warfare capabilities.

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