BAE Systems, British made Eurofighter makes maiden flight

Manufacturing News, Source : TheManufacturer.com
Published : 17 Apr 2002 9:30

The first British production model of the Eurofighter combat aircraft has made its maiden flight, keeping the programme on track towards delivery of the first aircraft to the Royal Air Force later this year, BAE Systems said.

The defence and aerospace group is assembling the first batch of UK Eurofighters at Warton, Lancashire, UK as part of a four nation consortium including manufacturers in Germany, Italy and Spain.

Britain is buying 232 Eurofighters at a total programme cost of £19bn ($27.3bn), with the first delivery likely to be delayed until several months after the June 2002 target. Germany is buying 180, Italy 121 and Spain 87.

BAE Systems, which owns 33 per cent of the Eurofighter consortium, is making the front fuselage, the canards and parts of the aft fuselage, as well as important elements of the avionics and radar. Several other British companies are involved in the project.

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