SHAH ALAM: Airbus has a signed a contract to deliver 38 new Eurofighter aircraft to the German Air Force. This makes Germany the largest ordering nation in Europe’s biggest defence programme. The order, also known by its project name Quadriga, covers the delivery of 30 single-seater and 8 twin-seater Eurofighters. Three of the aircraft will be equipped with additional test installations as Instrumented Test Aircraft for the further development of the Eurofighter programme.
Dirk Hoke, CEO Airbus Defence and Space, said: “The new Tranche 4 Eurofighter is currently the most modern European-built combat aircraft with a service life well beyond 2060. Its technical capabilities will allow full integration into the European Future Combat Air System FCAS”.
The renewed order from Germany secures production until 2030 and comes at a strategically important time for the programme. In addition to an expected Eurofighter order from Spain to replace its legacy F-18s, procurement decisions in Switzerland and Finland are imminent in 2021.
The variant offered in Switzerland corresponds to the configuration of the German Quadriga order. The equipment includes the world’s latest electronic radar, future-proof hardware and software and unlimited multi-role capability for engaging air and ground targets.
Eurofighter is Europe’s largest defence programme, in which the United Kingdom, Spain and Italy are involved alongside Germany. In addition to technological capabilities, it secures more than 100,000 jobs in Europe.
— Malaysian Defence
Why is there no open tender for this large contract? This cannot happen in a country as democratic as Germany! Where is the German Auditor General?
*sarcasm*
Additional info for this contract
1) This is to be the 1st phase of the larger overall buy of 93 Typhoons and 45 Super Hornets/Growlers. The Quadriga 38 units is especially for the replacement of Tranche 1 Typhoons, which is to be retired. Should be of interest of Indonesia should it buy the Austrian Tranche 1 Typhoons.
2) The other 55 Typhoons and 45 Super Hornets/Growlers is to replace the Panavia Tornados. This is to be approved next year after the German federal elections. The 30 Super Hornets and 15 Growlers are for the replacement of the Tornado IDS nuclear delivery capability of the B61 nuclear gravity bomb, and the electronic attack capability of the Tornado ECR respectively.
3) The 38 Typhoon Tranche 4 are of 30 single and 8 dual seaters. 4 of them to be wired as fully instrumented aircraft for weapons R&D.
4) Total cost of the 38 Typhoon Tranche 4 Quadriga buy is €5.4 billion or USD6.35 billion.
They should have bought F-35s instead of Hornets.
Meanwhile, Saudi cleared to buy F-35s.
Meanwhile UK, France and Germany goes their separate ways on 5th Gen fighter development. Ironic.
BTW did I hear someone said C.G. Haenel MK556?
@ chua
” Meanwhile, Saudi cleared to buy F-35s ”
Saudi? Not heard of that. So far only official approval was for UAE
___________________________________________
What MK556? National interest is too strong…
http://www.gunsweek.com/en/rifles/news/haenel-mk-556-order-canceled-german-ministry-defense
Up to them to decides, got fund, industry, influences and anything… How about us?
National interest? That’s funny when both are German? More like personal interest when a small player beat the juggernaut H&K in a fair and open tender process. The lobbyist from H&K is too strong…
” How about us? ”
If we listen to those who live in alternate reality dreamland, we should also get Typhoons or do our own PTM 6.
Realistically?
I would prefer to get at least 52 FA/TA-50 from Korea costing around USD1.7 billion to be paid for in RMK12 and RMK13. While asking for the korean government a 100% offset value in reciprocal investment of at least USD1.7 billion from korean private sector into malaysia. This can be in electronics (samsung and silterra for example), petrochemicals (additional investment by Lotte Chemicals for example), construction/properties (KL-Singapore HSL or bandar malaysia for example) and aerospace.
We get our fighters, KAI factory have orders, We got investments in our economy and creating jobs, korean manufacturers can exit china. A win for both Malaysia and South Korea.
MK556 is Caracal CAR816 in all but name.
Haenel is fully owned by UAE Tawazun.
@Fadiman
Us? We can play it smart by waiting for more affordable 5th gen fighter to start coming out and mature. Meanwhile we could save the budget by getting Kuwaiti Hornets to tide us while we wait.
I will go with the FA-50s. We need them rather quickly but am quesy about the Israeli systems that the Koreans installed. If we opt for them, IF, are we still getting alternative systems ? Surely that will delay them joining our air force.
@ Taib
The question is, are we against Israeli designed systems? Or are we against buying something directly from the Israelis?
JHMCS system in our hornets are basically Elbit DASH III made in USA. They are also seen with israeli built TALD decoys.
http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-NnYtLzmr3To/WWycGPl5-sI/AAAAAAAAKBg/pUQbc2yYjlMo4Kqu2y7BCv9MR2Upw87bQCLcBGAs/s1600/19800862_127428687858250_3522357817204970248_o.jpg
http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-W6iX34BWgNw/XWZnvvhYlgI/AAAAAAAAK24/WiwcwO5sw9ghW0oAEyBnpJ29ZhG81FaGACLcBGAs/s1600/gsrae.jpg
The FA-50 radar is built by LIG Nex1 korea.
http://www.defense-aerospace.com/article-view/release/107012/israel,-south-korea-to-jointly-develop-radar.html
I thought the T50 come with the option of apg 67 radar?
Whati is originally Israeli. So is Waze. And the Hornet systems bought were not Israeli until they bought over the US firms. If we intentionally buy Israeli items well … that’s a marked shift in our procurement decision making…
C.G. Haenel is a German weapon manufacturer located in Suhl, Germany. Owned by Merkel which itself owned by UAE company Caracal International which is a part of the state’s owned EDGE Group. Operations and manufacturing base for CGH are still based in Suhl Germany (the 120k rifle order are to be made there by German workers earning German salaries and paying German income taxes) so in all intents and purposes of “national interest”, it is still a German entity.
@Taib
In practical terms, there is no way for us to completely avoid Israel related items. Your computer Intel Core processor are developed by Intel Israel, did Malaysia banned Intel from selling it here? No right? The anti-Israel thing is just a political gimmick and our “official stance” but in reality majority of rakyat don’t really care about it. Behind the scenes, we buy what is practical and in small numbers as not to come up on some politician’s radar.
” so in all intents and purposes of “national interest”, it is still a German entity ”
HK and the German government does not share your view on that.
Good thinking @joe…regarding on Israel made equipment in our usages, I remember that last time when I was doing VSAT installation, some of the equipment was made from Israel but the labels had been remove from the products..
@joe
That’s what I said. We can’t avoid buying Israeli, but we can draw the line; on where we can or cannot afford (I don’t mean in just dollars and cents here) to buy the alternative. I am just juxtaposing. But the bold red line isn’t crossed yet, ie. recognizing Israel like some of our Arab brothers
@…
The European mentality doesn’t share the same myopic view of some Malaysians with regards to “national interest”.
Here its either has to be fully or majority owned by Malaysians/State/Government, often with majority workforce are Malaysians or “certain” Malaysians, and/or creating indigenous products.
In Europe, as long that country deemed the industry/company to be a critical asset (without which would hurt the economy), it generates significant income/jobs to surrounding areas (a loss which would be a huge impact), and it contributes a lot in corporate taxes, that industry/company becomes “national asset”. Who owns it is irrelevant. Skoda gets a lot of assistance from Czech Govt because a loss of this brand would make 30,000+ Czechs unemployed. The Czechs deemed it a “national interest” despite the brand now being owned by VW (Germany). The EU countries might interfere, limit or outright not permit certain key industries for sale to external parties but that still has to follow EU laws & regulations (ie German industrial robot maker, Kuka’s takeover by Midea – yes, of the kitchen appliance brand). Often such takeovers comes with the agreement not to move out the company as it is “national interest” asset.
@Taib
Buying from certain countries doesn’t mean we have to normalise relationship with them but it would certainly look like a step in that direction if done overtly and in the open.
Not absolutely “banning” Israeli products is one thing.
If you want to buy and operationalise something, it would help considerably if our end users could talk directly and openly with the people who are supposed to sell and support our stuff, and if those people could openly come here to help us out when they are needed.
@Taib
FYI Malaysia’s stand on the Israeli border doesn’t even match the Palestinian claims, so we have already crossed a certain line there.
Re: FA-50, I also mentioned the issue of the Israeli-derived radars here before, but as … says, if we can convince the relevant people that they are “Korean” then maybe it will be acceptable
KAI should have produced a dedicated single seat version of the FA-50 aka a modern version of the F-20.
Anyway, l guess if Northrop still produce the F-5E, people would still buy them!!
@ zainal abidin
” KAI should have produced a dedicated single seat version ”
no need. you can just fly with the rear seat empty. and 2 seats would give 2 pilots flying time in peacetime. saving both money and airframe hours.
@ Joe
“reality majority of rakyat don’t really care about it. Behind the scenes”
Kamu tidak mewakili kami “Majoriti Behind the scenes”
Ramai yang peduli & ambil berat.. Ambil duit cukai rakyat dan bagi kepada musuh…
adalah satu perbuatan keji & hina…
Jika menteri guna duit poket sendiri.. silakan… jika guna duit rakyat bagi pada zionis… silap besar lah..
” adalah satu perbuatan keji & hina … ”
conspiring with politicians, military current and retired top brass to buy overpriced equipments that the military does not request is also “satu perbuatan keji & hina”
unless it is buying officially direct from israel and is a major purchase, i also dont see a problem. As for FA-50 radar, if we do buy in significant numbers, i dont see it a problem if we want to replace the radar with say a leonardo grifo radar for example. grifos has been installed in russian and chinese fighters without issues, so it should not be a big problem fitting that into the FA-50.
I also dont see a problem buying stuff from the chinese (with actual not overinflated price like the LMS).
@Faris
Hmmm apa pandangan pulak kepada menteri yang ambil duit rakyat masuk poket sendiri?
Kalau beli barang zionis pun sekurang2nya dapat pakai barang tu, dan bukan teruk kualitinya jugak
Ni ada yang duit rakyat telan bulat2… macam lagi hina daripada zionis, kan?