Squadron Service
In August 2001 Eurofighter GmbH was awarded a contract for the provision of an Industrial Exchange and Repair Service (IERS) for Eurofighter Typhoon airborne equipment. IERS is unique in that Eurofighter will manage equipment exchange spares as an international spares pool, rather than each country maintaining its own spare spool.
IERS will be provided at the four initial main operating bases of the partner air forces. It will cover a total of 199 key items of equipment, with 60 items in an exchange service and 139 in a Guaranteed Repair Turn Round Service. The first phase of IERS went live in May 2002, with Phase 2 due to go online in July 2002.
On January 21st 2003 Eurofighter GmbH announced the formal handover of the first major training and simulation support system for the Eurofighter Typhoon Weapon System. The Crew Escape and Safety Systems Trainer (CESST) is the first major training equipment to enter service with the Eurofighter Partner Air Forces and has been in operation at the German Air Force Technical School at Kaufbeuren since commissioning in December 2002. CESST is a major component of the Eurofighter Typhoon Weapon System Ground Training Aids (GTA) suite.
The official handover event represented all aspects of the Eurofighter Partnership including senior representatives from industry, the NATO Eurofighter Tornado Management Agency (NETMA), the German Federal Armaments Procurement Agency and the German Air Force.
On March 28th 2003 Eurofighter GmbH announced the formal opening of the joint industry-operator International Weapon System Support Centre (IWSSC) in Hallbergmoos, Germany.
The IWSSC is the International organisation through which Industry - represented by Eurofighter and Eurojet - and the Eurofighter Typhoon Weapon System operator community - represented by NETMA and the four Eurofighter Partner Nation Air Forces - provide and undertake technical In-Service Support of all Eurofighter Typhoon Weapon System products.
This event marks the first formal operational step in establishing the joint service and support network for the Eurofighter Typhoon Weapon System ahead of service entry later in the year.
On April 15th 2003 Eurofighter GmbH announced the formal inauguration of the Aircrew Synthetic Training Aids Joint Integration Facility (ASTA JIF) at Manching. Inauguration of the ASTA JIF is a further milestone in the path to Type Acceptance and Entry to Service for the Eurofighter Typhoon Weapon System. From the outset Eurofighter Typhoon has incorporated a unique and innovative system of training and support that will revolutionise collaboration between industry and operators in the support of complex weapon systems.
The ASTA JIF will house a complete range of integrated training systems and simulators geared to support of the Eurofighter Typhoon Weapon System:
- Full Mission Simulators (FMS)
- Cockpit Trainer/Interactive Pilot Station (CT/IPS)
- Three ASTA build standards up to FOC
Thirty-one training devices plus ancillaries devices will be delivered to twelve Main Operating Bases in the four partner nations:
- Germany: 4 FMS and 4 CT/IPS-E for 4 MOBs - Laage, Neuburg, N�rvenich, Wittmund
- Italy: 6 FMS and 1 CT/IPS-E for 3 MOBs - Grosseto, Trapani, Gioia del Colle
- Spain: 2 FMS and 2 CT/IPS-E for 2 MOBs - BA de Moron, BA de Albacete
- UK: 6 FMS, 2 CT/IPS-E and 4 DCT for 2 MOBs - Coningsby, Leuchars
By the end of August 2008 the Air Forces of Germany, Italy, Spain, United Kingdom and Austria had amassed some 44,500 in-service flying hours which, when coupled with the 5,900 logged by the test fleet, surpasses the 50,000 hour mark.
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