The investment will support the delivery of the ECRS Mk2 radar, the next‑generation primary sensor for the RAF’s Tranche 3 Typhoon aircraft. Designed and manufactured in the UK, the radar will ensure the Typhoon continues to form the backbone of the nation’s air defence capability for decades to come.
The ECRS Mk2 radar provides a step change in combat capability, enabling pilots to detect, identify and track multiple targets in the air and on the ground, while simultaneously delivering high‑powered electronic attack and jamming. This advanced capability will ensure the RAF maintains its operational advantage in increasingly complex and contested environments.
The Secretary of Defence 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."
The contract will secure 1,500 highly skilled jobs over the next decade, strengthening the UK’s national security and industrial resilience. As part of this:
- 300 specialist roles will be supported at our Edinburgh site
- 100 jobs will be sustained at our Electronic Warfare Centre of Excellence in Luton
- A further 120 roles will be secured with BAE Systems Air in Lancashire
More broadly, the Typhoon programme supports over 20,000 jobs across 330 UK companies, underlining its importance to the UK’s defence, aerospace and manufacturing sectors.
The ministers were accompanied by local MP, Tracy Gilbert and met with some of the 900 apprentices, graduates and industrial placement students employed by Leonardo in Scotland and across the UK. Business Graduate Apprentice Erin Douglas – a constituent of Ms. Gilbert - spoke to the Secretary of State for Defence about her role as a project controller on the ECRS Mk2 series production contract. Reflecting on the experience, Erin said:
“It was exciting to meet the Secretary of State for Defence. It is not something you get to do every day in your career. I was able to share a little bit about my role, highlighting the complexity of the product and its importance within the UK defence landscape.”
Commenting on the announcement, Mark Hamilton, UK Managing Director for Leonardo Electronics, said:
“It was with immense pride that I welcomed Secretary of State for Defence, John Healey and Secretary of State for Scotland, Douglas Alexander to our Leonardo Electronics site in Edinburgh. The Ministers visited our Radar and Advanced Targeting Systems centre of excellence to announce the latest UK MOD investment in the cutting-edge ECRS Mk2 radar which will be equipped to the full fleet of tranche 3 Eurofighter Typhoons operated by the Royal Air Force.
Their visit provided me with a fantastic opportunity to introduce them to the many talented individuals here in Scotland whose ingenuity is helping drive the development of truly game-changing sensor capability for our UK Typhoon pilots.”
