First of 28 Typhoons Ferried With Italian Tanker Assistance

The first pair of Eurofighter Typhoons for the Air Force of Kuwait have been delivered, ahead of the rest of the 26 aircraft ordered for the country's air defenses. The delivered trim represents the highest-spec version of the fighter, including the must-have AESA radar essential to any respectable modern fighter. 

The Active Electronically Scanned Array is a vast improvement over their current fleet of legacy F/A-18C's older, mechanically scanned equipment. The Eurofighter will join the force as part of a two-model fleet, joined by recently ordered Boeing F/A-18E Super Hornets purchased through the U.S. FMS program. The Typhoon represents a considerable, continental effort aimed at competing with the world's largest defense producers, but still finds stiff competition against its mass-produced yankee counterparts. Kuwait chose it for a reason, however, enjoying its multirole capabilities, impressive performance, and wide support base. The extensive user base for the aircraft is expected to result in a long-lasting fighter program given the project's position as the cornerstone of Euro aerospace and defense industries. 

The selection has further strengthened ties to European members of the fighter’s development, especially to  Italian defense specialist Leonardo. They proudly cite their assistance in production results in a 36% share of the final produced Typhoon. The ferry flight to deliver the initial fighters was made possible by the Italian Air Force's aerial refueling capabilities, using a pair of KC-767 tankers and Eurofighters to escort them to their new home. Kuwaiti cadets have begun training on the Eurofighter facilities in Grosetto, availing themselves of the local aircraft maintenance, test personnel, and instructors of Italy's 20th group.

Alessandro Profumo, Chief Executive Officer of Leonardo, said: “The Eurofighter Typhoons we have developed and produced for the Kuwait Air Force are the most advanced in the whole history of the European program. We will provide the country with an impressive air defense capability. In cooperation with the Italian Air Force we trained their pilots in our training centers in Italy, we built state-of-the-art infrastructures to support and maintain a fleet of 28 aircraft. The milestones we are celebrating today is the result of the effective cooperation between the two countries, where institutions, armed forces, and industry have worked together in synergy."

FMI:www.leonardocompany.com