The cost of a single Eurofighter: £66.7 million
Posted on 11/23/2006 8:42:13 PM PST by bruinbirdman
The Government threw down the gauntlet to the makers of the Eurofighter yesterday, warning that it would no longer tolerate industrial inefficiencies that had effectively turned the project into a "charity".
The cost of a single Eurofighter: £66.7 million
The attack came as new figures suggested that the cost of buying 232 Eurofighters for the RAF is set to top £20 billion — making it far and away the most costly weapons project ever undertaken by Britain.
Figures released by the National Audit Office, the official spending watchdog, put the current price of a single Eurofighter, known as Typhoon in the RAF, at £66.7 million. That compares to a forecast price tag in 2003 of £56.8 million.
In a press conference coinciding with the release of the NAO's annual report on major Ministry of Defence projects, Lord Drayson, the minister for defence procurement, criticised the four-nation European consortium, describing it as "not fit for purpose".
Ominously, he refused to confirm that the RAF would be allowed to buy the third and final batch of the 232 aircraft order, totalling 88 aircraft.
Loss of some or all of the "Tranche 3" aircraft would threaten hundreds of jobs at BAE plants in Lancashire.
"The current structure of the national collaboration and the industrial collaboration is not fit for purpose," said Lord Drayson, who criticised Eurofighter for charging too much for spares and the use of aircraft to test the new advanced air-to-air missile, Meteor.
The company, he said, had to be restructured if the RAF was to receive adequate support during the fighter's operational career.
Sir Peter Spencer, the civil servant in charge of procurement, was equally uncompromising, saying: "We are going to turn this charity into a business — and a cost-effective business.
"We are not prepared to pay inflated prices for risks we believe should be under the control of industry."
For the second year running the MoD has been allowed by Parliament to exclude crucial figures on the Eurofighter from the NAO report to protect its bargaining position with the consortium.
The most important is the "current forecast cost" of the entire project to the taxpayer. In 2003 it was £19.67 billion. Increases in labour costs and changes to software will easily take that figure higher if Tranche 3 is bought.
Military experts said the temptation for the Government to cut some or all of Tranche 3 must be enormous, given the pressures on the defence budget caused by the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan.
The MoD has not yet signed the final contract committing itself to the purchase. Asked about Tranche 3, Lord Drayson said: "We are absolutely interested in negotiating."
Critics of Eurofighter-Typhoon argue that it is a Cold War relic that has consumed far too much of the MoD's scarce resources.
Conceived 20 years ago to combat agile Soviet fighters, the aircraft, made by Britain, Germany, Italy and Spain, is only now entering squadron service after delays and doubts over its future. The RAF wants to use it in Afghanistan next year.
If you want on or off my aerospace ping list, please contact me by Freep mail.
The plane looks kind of "retro" to me for some reason.
20 years from drawing board to production?
Wow! I know the F-22 is expensive, but it brings supercruise, stealth, and a myriad of real advances. The typhoon is basically a 4th gen plus aircraft.
Just for comparison, I recently attended a Super Hornet brief where the Boeing rep said that the delivery cost of AESA equipped model will be coming in just over $50 million. It isn't as manueverable as Typhoon and it is slow, but it is a truly multi-role fighter with Low Observability.
Think F-16 with canards and two engines. Doesn't look terribly stealthy either. How 90's is that?
How many Europeans does it take to change a high tech halo light bulb?
Oh Come on UK, take one up the @ for charity.
Thre are a lot of people depending on the revenue from these things. It's a economic bankruptcy fighter for all of Europe, and will keep welfare, health care, dissability, old age security, hookers for the disabled, and dhimmitude for Islamic immigrant Yout's who can't assimulate into western culture payments for years to come. It's the only major employer and revenue maker for the whole Europeon community. It even comes with a half tank of gas, and a spare propeller (for french models)
"The plane looks kind of "retro" to me for some reason."
At a cursory glance, it doesn't appear to have any stealth capabilities, just another hot performing thoroughbred for some jet jockey. We in the US did that for years. Eventually we got smart and made the planes almost invisible though fast and agile, yet still capable of carrying lots of armaments.
Europe is still in their penis worshipping mode, building new, next generation, thoroughbreds.
Wonder why Boeing doesn't upgun the SuperHornet's engines & also fit conformal fuel tanks?that would give it a real chance on the exports market.The Euros are planning to do the same to the Rafale & EF-2000 after 2010.
Kind of like a snap set toy?
LOL it reminded me of those plastic model toys @ Walmart
I'd still rather have an F-22
[. . .warning that it would no longer tolerate industrial inefficiencies. . .]
What's the alternative? They've already invested billions. The next time they need a weapon on this scale maybe they will turn to the U.S.
You gotta remember that the primary customer is the U.S. Navy, the same organization that fielded the F-14 with a totally crappy engine. When they finally got a replacement they only put new engines in half the aircraft.
its not that shabby.. youtube
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.
