Leonardo reveals next-gen survivability upgrade for Eurofighter

A visual representation of the Typhoon DASS (Praetorian) P4E upgrade package. (Leonardo)

Leonardo announced the next generation of survivability upgrade for Eurofighter Typhoon combat aircraft at the Royal International Air Tattoo (RIAT) on 14 July.

Speaking on behalf of the European Defensive Aids Sub-System (EuroDASS) consortium that also comprises ELT Group, Indra, and Hensoldt, Leonardo said this improvement of the current Praetorian DASS system is designed to meet the Phase 4 Enhancement (P4E) upgrade requirements of the four Eurofighter partner countries of Germany, Italy, Spain, and the United Kingdom, as well as for export customers.

“The latest upgrade will increase the survivability of the aircraft and lays the foundation for the defence system's integration with Typhoon's highly capable E-Scan radars. This includes all versions of the Typhoon E-Scan radar comprising that already in service as well as variants currently under development by the Eurofighter partner nations,” Leonardo said.

With the existing Praetorian system geared to defend the Typhoon against heat-seeking infrared (IR) missiles, the enhancements announced will see the inclusion of a digital receiver capability, which will allow Typhoon to better recognise modern and complex targets and their modes of operation, enabling it to deploy the appropriate countermeasures. “The system's integrated sensors and jamming equipment deliver situational awareness to the pilot and equip the aircraft with a digital stealth capability, achieved through advanced electronic deception techniques,” Leonardo added.