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EUROFIGHTER EXPANDS EXPORT DRIVE

For Filippo Bagnato everything is clean cut: "The increased interest requires a company which focuses entirely on exporting the Typhoon", explains the Chairman of Eurofighter's Supervisory Board. It was November 4, the day Eurofighter International Limited was founded. He gave assurances that current relations between Eurofighter GmbH in Hallbergmoos and the government's management organisation NETMA were not in the least affected by the creation of this new company.

However, in a European co-operation program things are not always that simple. No one would ever officially admit it, but there have been rumours for some time now that the British want more influence in the export activities of the fighter. Up to now the four partners had split up the responsibilities. Apart from this, London as a location has its advantages. It is close to banks for credit and has a very effective state-owned arms export organisation (DESO). After all British arms export regulations are quite acceptable when compared with other partner states.

Things should also run smoother if activities are combined. There would be no need to expand marketing functions some of the Eurofighter partner companies. It is hoped to staff Eurofighter International such that three active sales campaigns can be run at the same time.

Eurofighter International president Cesare Gianni (Alenia) and his staff cannot complain about lack of work. Negotiations are currently going on with three countries and half a dozen others are also interested.

Greece has committed itself to buying 60 to 90 aircraft to be handed over from 2005. At the moment details of a contract, which might possibly be signed in 1999, are being discussed. As is often the case offset deals are very significant. It was certainly a good PR stunt to allow Lieutenant General Litzerakos, Chief of Staff of the Hellenic Air Force to fly in the two seat prototpye DA 6, and during the second November weekend the German prototype DA 5 was one of the exhibits at the Tanagra Air Show.

In the meantime, the competition with the Lockheed Martin F-16 is nearing its end in Norway. A decision is expected at the beginning of 2000. Until then the Eurofighter partners are trying to keep Norwegian companies sweet in order to prepare attractive offset offers. Daimler-Chrysler for example invited 23 companies to a symposium at the beginning of October. British Aerospace has already ordered small structural components valued at DM1.8 mio from Kongsberg Protech as a precautionary measure. After all, the deal is worth about Krona10.7bn.

The Eurofighter is under consideration in South Korea, where a technical tender was submitted on 8 September. It will, however, take some time to come to a decision in the F-X program. A conclusion is not expected before the middle of 2001. An office in Seoul is looking to keep serious competition from the US in check.

Further countries, which have approached Eurofighter officially, are Poland, the Czech Republic, Singapore and the Netherlands. The latter are especially important since they have also shown an interest in the American JSF.

The enormous attention the Eurofighter is receiving is quite surprising, because the maiden flight of the first production aircraft will not take place before August 2001. In all companies involved, the manufacturing and assembly of components is in full swing. Dasa for example has joined the two parts of the mid section of the fuselage in Augsburg. One of these parts was sent from Bremen.

At British Aerospace in Samlesbury, the cockpit section and the tail component of the fuselage are taking shape, while Alenia and CASA have completed one wing each. According to Erwin Obermeier, who is responsible for series production at Dasa, everything has so far gone without a hitch and on time. This does not come as a surprise, because Dasa alone has invested DM100 million in new equipment, and procedures are rationalised and modelled on the manufacturing of Airbus components. One cannot afford to encounter major problems, if the tightly calculated costs are to be adhered to.

From page 62 of FLUG REVUE 1/2000