A long-planned package of aerodynamic enhancements developed for the Eurofighter Typhoon has edged closer to operational reality, with the award of a contract covering development, testing and certification activities.

Placed by the NATO Eurofighter and Tornado Management Agency on behalf of partner nations Germany, Italy, Spain and the UK, the deal concerns the future fielding of an aerodynamic modification kit (AMK).

“AMK will allow faster integration of new weapons and certification of new [and heavier] external loads,” the Eurofighter consortium says.

Notably, that will include supporting the Typhoon’s adaptation for the suppression of enemy air defences role, where Germany is having the Northrop Grumman AGM-88E AARGM anti-radiation missile integrated as part of an EK-model upgrade to 15 of its in-service jets.

The UK also will introduce an electronic-attack capability with 40 Tranche 3-standard Typhoons slated to receive the ECRS Mk2 active electronically scanned array radar via a recently-contracted upgrade by Leonardo UK and BAE Systems.

The subject of extensive previous flight-testing, the aerodynamic kit incorporates “extensions to the fuselage strakes, the flaperons and the leading-edge root”, and will deliver “a noticeable increase in maximum wing lift”.

This also will “further improve the jet’s air combat performance”, Eurofighter notes.

“Signing the AMK contract marks a major milestone for the Eurofighter programme, further enhancing the jet’s long-term capability,” says Eurofighter chief executive Jorge Tamarit-Degenhardt.

“The Eurofighter Typhoon will continue to be the backbone of European air defence into the 2060s, and capability enhancements such as the AMK will ensure the platform is operationally effective to fulfil that role,” he adds.

In a separate development, the global Eurofighter fleet in late January passed the combined one million flight hours milestone.

Partner companies Airbus Defence & Space, BAE and Leonardo have to date delivered 613 Eurofighters, against total orders for 769.