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UK GIVES OK FOR EUROFIGHTER PRODUCTION
by Karl SchwarzThe Eurofighter management was in the best mood in Farnborough; and with good reason. UK Defence Secretary Michael Portillo announced timely, on the opening day of the Air Show, that "Great Britain is basically ready to begin the production phase of the Eurofighter program"; the evaluations of the ministry having shown that EF2000 is "the best choice" for the needs of the country, the statement continued.
John Weston, head of BAe Defence and Chairman of Eurofighter, couldn't resist to add that the Eurofighter EF2000 offers a combat performance two and a half times that of the McDonnell Douglas F-18 Hornet for the same price, thus having "an enormous potential on the export market".
According to Weston, the deliveries to the Royal Air Force could begin in 2001. However, the prerequisite being that the politicians in all partner nations go along with it. "Great Britain will now work together with Germany,
Italy, and Spain, with the goal of having the intergovernmental contracts and the orders for the industry signed by the beginning of next year", Portillo commented. However, it remains to be seen how this is going to work in Germany, since difficult talks in the parliamentary committees are still pending.
Meanwhile another important milestone of the flight tests was reached. On August 31, the Saturday before the show, the first EF2000 two-seater took-off from the CASA facilities in Getafe. Prototype DA6 was in the air for almost one hour. After landing, test pilot Alfonso de Miguel Gonzalez reported very satisfactory results.
DA6, as well as, DA1, which is flying from Manching, Germany, are operating with the newest version of the flight control software (2A) which enables the clean aircraft (without external loads) to be maneuvered without worries.
From page 20 of FLUG REVUE 10/96
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Last updated September 17, 1996