Watchdog denounces ‘flawed’ Eurofighter as unfit for combat.
Justin Sparkes
Sunday Times
The Eurofighter, developed at a cost of billons of pounds as the frontline air defence for Britain and other European nations for the next quarter of a century, has been criticised as obsolete and technically flawed.
Germany’s Federal Audit Court, which monitors government purchases, claims to have exposed a range of problems from the side fins to the weapons guidance software.
The draft report, a copy of which has been obtained by the Sunday Times, says that plane is not permitted to take off when temperatures drop below 5C in misty conditions due to “icing” problems that have still not been resolved. It also claims the cockpit canopy may not withstand the impact of a bird smashing against it.
Britain’s Ministry of Defence has ordered 232 Eurofighters. Germany - part of a four nation consortium alongside Britain, Spain and Italy making the plane - is due to buy 180.
But the report, to be presented to the German parliament later this year, presses the government to “urgently renegotiate” the contract amid talk of spiralling costs and fears that the place will not be fir to fly combat missions “for the foreseeable future”.
The inventory of “alarming shortcomings” includes claims that the plane’s top speed is 1,250mph - 300mph less that its contract specifications require - and its operational ceiling is 36,000ft rather than the required 54,000ft.
The report also claims pilots have experienced electronic systems failures that affect data readings. As a result, the aircraft is not permitted to travel more than 20 minutes’ flying time from the nearest landing strip.
The radar and tracking systems have also been heavily criticised. Objects such as missiles or planes picked up by the cockpit computer can be shown as travelling away when in fact they are attacking.
The report also claims that the Eurofighter will cost 50% more to operate than the Tornado planes currently used by Germany and Britain. It estimates the development costs so far at £4.3 billion and expects them to rise drastically.
Despite the criticism, the British and German defence ministries have insisted they are standing with the project.
Ian Bustin a spokesman for Eurofighter has refuted the criticism in the document, accusing investigators of relying on outdated information.
“Some of the areas alluded to in the document, such as problems with the side fins, were in fact announced by ourselves,” said Bustin.
“But the problem, like all the others, is ancient history. The current Eurofighter is 100% fully functional and a place that the RAF and German pilots consider a league ahead of the competition.”
Justin Sparkes
Sunday Times
The Eurofighter, developed at a cost of billons of pounds as the frontline air defence for Britain and other European nations for the next quarter of a century, has been criticised as obsolete and technically flawed.
Germany’s Federal Audit Court, which monitors government purchases, claims to have exposed a range of problems from the side fins to the weapons guidance software.
The draft report, a copy of which has been obtained by the Sunday Times, says that plane is not permitted to take off when temperatures drop below 5C in misty conditions due to “icing” problems that have still not been resolved. It also claims the cockpit canopy may not withstand the impact of a bird smashing against it.
Britain’s Ministry of Defence has ordered 232 Eurofighters. Germany - part of a four nation consortium alongside Britain, Spain and Italy making the plane - is due to buy 180.
But the report, to be presented to the German parliament later this year, presses the government to “urgently renegotiate” the contract amid talk of spiralling costs and fears that the place will not be fir to fly combat missions “for the foreseeable future”.
The inventory of “alarming shortcomings” includes claims that the plane’s top speed is 1,250mph - 300mph less that its contract specifications require - and its operational ceiling is 36,000ft rather than the required 54,000ft.
The report also claims pilots have experienced electronic systems failures that affect data readings. As a result, the aircraft is not permitted to travel more than 20 minutes’ flying time from the nearest landing strip.
The radar and tracking systems have also been heavily criticised. Objects such as missiles or planes picked up by the cockpit computer can be shown as travelling away when in fact they are attacking.
The report also claims that the Eurofighter will cost 50% more to operate than the Tornado planes currently used by Germany and Britain. It estimates the development costs so far at £4.3 billion and expects them to rise drastically.
Despite the criticism, the British and German defence ministries have insisted they are standing with the project.
Ian Bustin a spokesman for Eurofighter has refuted the criticism in the document, accusing investigators of relying on outdated information.
“Some of the areas alluded to in the document, such as problems with the side fins, were in fact announced by ourselves,” said Bustin.
“But the problem, like all the others, is ancient history. The current Eurofighter is 100% fully functional and a place that the RAF and German pilots consider a league ahead of the competition.”
Comment