Reflecting the strong commitment to deepen the strategic partnership with Japan, the Supervisory Board of Eurofighter GmbH will for the first time hold a board meeting in Tokyo.
Senior executives from Eurofighter partner companies (BAE Systems, Alenia Aeronautica, and Cassidian in Spain and Germany) are visiting Japan from 5 July to 8 July to discuss the status of the Eurofighter Typhoon F-X campaign and strategic next steps, and to hold talks with Ambassadors of the four consortium member-nations – the U.K., Germany, Italy and Spain.
Eurofighter, its partner companies and the four member-nations are working to strengthen industrial and technological relations with Japan. All four partner countries are supporting and are committed to the Eurofighter F-X campaign, which is being led by the U.K. government and BAE Systems.
Commenting on the visit, Chris Boardman, Managing Director Military Air and Information at BAE Systems, said: “This meeting of the Eurofighter Supervisory Board demonstrates the enthusiasm of the consortium to work with Japan. We are ready to offer Japan’s defence industry considerable participation in the programme, which will offer significant technology transfer opportunities, including the source code, and the ability to develop and sustain key skills, capabilities and jobs within Japanese industry.”
Enzo Casolini, CEO, Eurofighter GmbH, added: “The changing security environment in East Asia presents Japan with diverse and evolving defence challenges. We are confident that the technical capabilities, cost projections and industrial offering of Eurofighter, the most advanced multi-role combat aircraft currently available, fully meet the Japanese government’s requirements.”
In addition, U.K. Ambassador to Japan, David Warren, on behalf of the Ambassadors of the consortium member-nations, commented: “As with broader economic partnerships, there is much that Europe and Japan can gain by cooperating more closely in the aerospace and defence field. We share a great deal in common, including common values, a close relationship with the United States and the need for interoperability with U.S. equipment, and similar pressures from an increasingly complex security environment. The U.K. government, and our European partners, remains fully committed to supporting the Eurofighter campaign and strengthening the defence and security relationship with Japan.”
The Eurofighter Supervisory Board members meeting in Japan include Bernhard Gerwert, Chairman of the Supervisory Board of Eurofighter GmbH and CEO of Cassidian Air Systems; Enzo Casolini, Eurofighter GmbH CEO; Chris Boardman, Managing Director, Military Air and Information, BAE Systems; Cliff Robson, Deputy Managing Director, Combat Air, BAE Systems; Maurizio De Mitri, Senior Vice President Business Management, Alenia Aeronautica; and Enrique Barrientos, CEO of Cassidian Spain.
Eurofighter Jagdflugzeug GmbH manages the Typhoon programme on behalf of the Eurofighter Partner Companies: Alenia Aeronautica, BAE Systems and Cassidian in Spain and Germany, Europe’s foremost aerospace companies.
Typhoon entered service with the four partner nations – Germany, Italy, Spain and the United Kingdom in 2004 – and over 280 aircraft have been delivered to the air forces of the four partner nations and to customers, with over 115,000 flying hours achieved between them. Final Assembly facilities are based in Warton, UK; Manching, Germany; Getafe, Spain and Turin in Italy.
The six nations, working with industry support, ensure Typhoon is available for full operational duty, protecting and defending the national air space 24 hours a day, seven days a week. The role of the aircraft includes air dominance, air defence, air interception and air-to-surface support.
The Italian and Royal Air Force Typhoons have been performing operational tasks in Libya from 21st March 2011 as part of operation Odyssey Dawn decided by the United Nations Security Council Resolutions 1970 & 1973.
Eurofighter Typhoon is the world’s most advanced new generation real multi-role/swing-role combat aircraft available on the market and has been ordered by six nations (Germany, Italy, Spain, United Kingdom, Austria and the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia). With 707 aircraft under contract, it is Europe’s largest military collaborative programme and delivers leading-edge technology, strengthening Europe’s aerospace industry in the global competition. More than 100,000 jobs in 400 companies are secured by the programme. Eurofighter Jagdflugzeug GmbH manages the programme on behalf of the Eurofighter Partner Companies: Alenia Aeronautica/Finmeccanica, BAE Systems, EADS CASA and EADS Deutschland, Europe’s foremost aerospace companies with a total turnover of approx. EUR 120 billion (2010).
