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Eurofighter: Europe is investing billions in new fighter jets!
Several European countries are ordering new Eurofighters to upgrade their air forces and assert themselves in international competition.
Eurofighter: Europe is investing billions in new fighter jets!
Several European countries, including Italy and Spain, are undertaking major upgrades to their air forces. The Eurofighter, which has been in operation for 30 years, is currently experiencing one of the largest waves of purchases in its history. Spain has ordered 25 new Eurofighters, while Italy has signed an order for 24 copies World reported.
In June, German Chancellor Olaf Scholz announced that the Air Force would buy 20 Eurofighters. In addition, after the approval of arms exports to Saudi Arabia, a new order of 54 jets from Riyadh and further orders from Qatar are expected. Turkey has also shown interest in 40 Eurofighters after two models were flown for evaluation.
Investments and orders
Italy and Spain are investing a total of over 11 billion euros in the modernization of their air forces. The total contract value in Spain is 4.5 billion euros, while Italy is investing over seven billion euros in new Eurofighters. Germany had already ordered 38 Eurofighters for 5.5 billion euros in 2020, so Investment Week.
A total of 730 Eurofighters from eight nations have been ordered so far, with 603 units having already been delivered by the end of 2023. Giancarlo Mezzanatto, head of the Eurofighter consortium, predicts that 100 to 200 new orders could be received in the coming years. Deliveries of the new jets in Italy and Spain are scheduled to begin at the end of the decade, with the new Eurofighters replacing older versions in Italy and expanding the fleet in Spain.
The Eurofighter consortium, consisting of Airbus, BAE Systems and Leonardo, is enjoying success in competition with the American F-35 from Lockheed Martin, which has over 1,000 units worldwide and 20 customer countries. The Eurofighter is also undergoing continuous development, including a new cockpit and modernizations. Germany and Spain are jointly developing the MK1 E-Scan radar, while Italy and the UK are working on the MK2 radar.
Production of the Eurofighter takes place in a complex network: the left wing is manufactured in Italy, the right wing in Spain and the central fuselage in Germany. New orders not only strengthen series production, but also help secure employment at the manufacturing companies. However, these developments also raise questions about the political stability of potential buyers, as international orders could further establish the Eurofighter.