The UK Ministry of Defence has awarded BAE Systems a £453.5 million ($612 million) contract to deliver a new advanced radar capability for the Royal Air Force’s Eurofighter Typhoon fleet. The agreement authorizes full-rate production of the ECRS Mk2 radar, following several years of development, testing, and sustained government investment aimed at enhancing the RAF’s frontline combat aircraft.
Under the contract, BAE Systems and Leonardo UK will produce and integrate 38 ECRS Mk2 radars, all of which will be installed on the RAF’s Tranche 3 Typhoon aircraft. The radar is expected to enter operational service before the end of the decade, providing a step-change in the Typhoon’s sensor and electronic warfare capabilities. Once fielded, the system will allow the aircraft to detect, identify, and track multiple air and surface targets simultaneously, even in highly contested electromagnetic environments.
Industrial work on the program will support approximately 1,300 skilled jobs across the UK, including around 400 positions at Leonardo and more than 120 roles at BAE Systems. Leonardo will be responsible for the design and manufacture of the radar at its facilities in Edinburgh and Luton, while BAE Systems will handle aircraft integration and testing at its Lancashire sites.
The Eurofighter Typhoon remains the RAF’s primary air combat platform and a critical contributor to NATO air policing and air defense missions. Originally developed as an air superiority fighter, the aircraft has evolved into a multi-role platform supporting strike, intelligence, and electronic warfare operations. The radar upgrade builds on ongoing modernization efforts, including studies announced in September 2025 into integrating laser-guided rockets for counter-drone missions, while reinforcing the Typhoon program’s role as a cornerstone of the UK defense industrial base, which supports more than 20,000 jobs annually and has generated over £30 billion in export sales.
