Industry welcomes UK Decision on Tranche 3 Agreement

Hallbergmoos (ots) - The Eurofighter consortium welcomes
today's decision of the United Kingdom to participate in the third
production tranche of Eurofighter Typhoon. The UK is the last member
of the four nations Eurofighter consortium that have confirmed a
final draft contract, negotiated between the industrial consortium
and the NATO Eurofighter Tornado Management Agency NETMA.
Finalisation of this contractual document will now be implemented by
Eurofighter GmbH and NETMA and will address significant through-life
savings as expected by the partner nations. Signature is expected
before the summer break.

Enzo Casolini, Eurofighter GmbH CEO, commented: "The agreement
that the UK have confirmed today sends a clear signal of
customer commitment. The funding put forward by the four partner
nations in this programme provides to the nations important
capabilities and a strong trade balance bonus. When I speak
about returns I mean tangibles ones, like the invaluable
capabilities developed by the partner companies through technology
transfer and the spin-off we guarantee to other industrial
sectors. I also recognise the security of work and the growth in
knowledge and in education for many within Europe. This agreement -
Casolini says - will strengthen Eurofighter Typhoon leading position
in the market."

The overall value of contract under negotiation will be in
the region of E8 billion.

The authorisation for Tranche 3 production and capabilities
will have a tremendous effect on the export potential of
Eurofighter Typhoon. Having already secured two export contracts with
Austria in 2003 and the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia in 2007, the
Eurofighter partner companies are actively pursuing campaigns in
Switzerland, India, Japan, Romania, Greece, Turkey and
exploring possible opportunities in Bulgaria and Croatia. With
the production of Eurofighter Typhoon now being confirmed until the
later part of the next decade and the agreed new capabilities,
Eurofighter Typhoon confirms itself as the most advanced real
multirole fighters available on the market.

Background information: Eurofighter Typhoon is the world's most
advanced new generation real multi-role/swing-role combat aircraft
available on the market and has been ordered by six nations
(Germany, Italy, Spain, United Kingdom, Austria and the Kingdom of
Saudi Arabia). With 707 aircraft under contract, it is Europe's
largest military collaborative programme and delivers
leading-edge technology, strengthening Europe's aerospace
industry in the global competition. More than 100,000 jobs in
400 companies are secured by the programme. Eurofighter
Jagdflugzeug GmbH manages the programme on behalf of the Eurofighter
Partner Companies: Alenia Finmeccanica, BAE Systems, EADS CASA
and EADS Deutschland, Europe's foremost aerospace companies
with a total turnover of approx. E88 billion (2008).

High Resolution images of the Eurofighter Typhoon can be
downloaded from our web site: www.eurofighter.com/medialibrary

Blog: www.eurofighter.com/po_bl.asp

Originaltext: Eurofighter GmbH
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For More Information contact:
Marco Valerio Bonelli Head of PR & Communications Tel.: +49 811 80
1555 Fax: +49 811 80 1557 Mobile: +49 172 842 6017 mail:
marco-valerio.bonelli@eurofighter.com

Kathryn Coates External Communications Tel: +49 (0)811 80 1587 Mob:
+49 (0)172 88 12110 Fax: +49 (0)811 80 1557 Mail:
Kathryn.Coates@Eurofighter.com