The UK Ministry of Defence has announced a $278m deal to install the ECRS Mk 2 radar on board the Royal Air Force's (RAF) Eurofighter Typhoon combat aircraft. Theannouncement in July said Leonardo has developed the ECRS Mk 2 to be installed on the RAF's Tranche-2/3 jets, equipping 40 and possibly 67 aircraft, respectively. Reports stated the new radar should reach an initial operational capability on the RAF's Typhoons circa 2030. The ECRS Mk 2 is a step change for the Typhoon's radar capabilities compared with the current Euroradar Captor-M systems furnishing the aircraft.The ECRS Mk2 will be an important move toward the radar equipping the Typhoon's Tempest successor. Several forthcoming sixth-generation combat aircraft will dominate Western airpower. Italy, Sweden and the UK are pushing ahead with theTempest programme. France, Germany and Spain are working on the Future Combat Air System. Across the Atlantic, the US Air Force should receive its Next-Generation Air Dominance platform in the 2030s. The US Navy's equivalent will be the F/A-XX.
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