UK boosts air defences with £453M radar upgrade for Typhoon fighter jets

The UK government has announced a major boost to its air defences, awarding a £453 million contract to upgrade radar systems on Typhoon fighter jets.

The deal, worth about $608 million, has been handed to defence contractors including BAE Systems and Leonardo.

On Thursday Defence Minister John Healey, ahead of a visit to Leonardo's facility in Edinburgh said, “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."

The Typhoon is the backbone of the UK’s air defence fleet and the country’s upgrades to the fleet are important not just to protect the UK but to encourage other countries to order the jets, helping sustain production lines and jobs at home. The government also says the investment is about more than security, it is designed to support the UK economy.

Ministers argue that modernising the Typhoon fleet will make the aircraft more attractive to overseas buyers, helping to sustain production lines and protect skilled jobs. Officials say the contract will secure more than 1,500 jobs across Britain.

In October, the UK secured an £8 billion (more than $10 billion) deal to sell Typhoon jets to Türkiye, and officials believe further sales to Qatar and Saudi Arabia could follow.

The government has also pledged to increase defence spending to 2.6% of GDP from 2027, signalling a long-term commitment to military investment.

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