Hundreds of Scottish jobs secured as £473m contract to make Typhoon fighters 'more potent'

UK Defence Secretary, John Healey, will visit Leonardo UK’s Edinburgh site today to confirm the award of the contract for the manufacture of state-of-the-art Typhon radar systems.

The UK government said that more than 1,500 skilled jobs will be sustained into the next decade across Britain, with 300 positions in Edinburgh.

Under the new contract, BAE Systems, Leonardo UK and Parker Meggitt will equip Royal Air Force Typhoons with the new radar systems.

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The full Typhoon programme supports more than 20,000 jobs across 330 UK companies.

The UK government said that apprentices and workers in Scotland will benefit from the contract, with more than half of Leonardo UK’s almost 3,000 Edinburgh employees working in highly skilled professions, including hardware, software, electronics and systems engineering.

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The UK is committed to the largest sustained increase in defence spending since the end of the Cold War - and is poised to reach 2.6 per cent of GDP from 2027.

Mr Healey said: "Our Typhoon fleet is the backbone of UK and Nato air defence, operated across Europe by the Royal Air Force and our allies to protect our skies and security.

“As the threats we face increase, and as Russian drones continue to strike Ukraine and violate Nato airspace, this cutting-edge radar capability will keep Britain secure at home and strong abroad for many years to come.”

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Scottish Secretary Douglas Alexander said: "This £453m contract award to build state-of-the-art radar systems for Typhoon fighter jets shows just how vital Scottish expertise is to the UK's national security and why Scotland is globally recognised as a centre of defence excellence.

“The UK government is transforming our defence sector into an even more powerful engine for growth because when we back our service personnel and Scottish industry, we keep ourselves and our allies secure whilst delivering skilled jobs and growth for communities and workers."

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The investment will deliver an additional 40 advanced European Common Radar System (ECRS) Mk2 radars for RAF Typhoons, including 38 new systems and modifications to two test systems, ensuring radars will be fitted to 40 aircraft. These radars will simultaneously detect, identify and track multiple targets in the air and on the ground.

The ECRS Mk2 radar will ensure the RAF maintains its operational advantage in contested environments. It provides high-powered jamming capability whilst engaging targets beyond the reach of threats.

Mark Stead, senior vice president of radar and advanced targeting, Leonardo UK, said: “ECRS Mk2 isn’t just an exceptional radar – it’s equipped with advanced electronic surveillance and electronic attack capabilities which will make RAF’s Typhoons more potent against their adversaries, adapting to new and unpredictable threats.

“This contract secures 300 highly skilled jobs at Leonardo’s Edinburgh site, and 100 at our Luton site.

“As well as supporting over 71 UK-based suppliers, we hope ECRS Mk2 will see wider adoption by other Typhoon export users given its advanced capabilities against current and future threats.”