Industry welcomes UK decision on Tranche 3 agreement

The Eurofighter consortium welcomes today's decision of the United Kingdom to participate in the third production tranche of Eurofighter Typhoon. The UK is the last member of the four nations Eurofighter consortium that has confirmed a final draft contract, negotiated between the industrial consortium and the NATO Eurofighter Tornado Management Agency NETMA. Finalisation of this contractual document will now be implemented by Eurofighter GmbH and NETMA and will address significant through-life savings as expected by the partner nations. Signature is expected before the summer break.

Enzo Casolini, Eurofighter GmbH CEO, commented: "The agreement that the UK have confirmed today sends a clear signal of customer commitment. The funding put forward by the four partner nations in this programme provides to the nations important capabilities and a strong trade balance bonus. When I speak about returns I mean tangible ones, like the invaluable capabilities developed by the partner companies through technology transfer and the spin-off we guarantee to other industrial sectors. I also recognise the security of work and the growth in knowledge and in education for many within Europe. This agreement – Casolini says - will strengthen Eurofighter Typhoon's leading position in the market."

The overall value of contract under negotiation will be in the region of €8 billion.

The authorisation for Tranche 3 production and capabilities will have a tremendous effect on the export potential of Eurofighter Typhoon. Having already secured two export contracts with Austria in 2003 and the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia in 2007, the Eurofighter partner companies are actively pursuing campaigns in Switzerland, India, Japan, Romania, Greece, Turkey and exploring possible opportunities in Bulgaria and Croatia. With the production of Eurofighter Typhoon now being confirmed until the later part of the next decade and the agreed new capabilities, Eurofighter Typhoon confirms itself as the most advanced real multirole fighter available on the market.