Air Power 2017

21 ST CENTURY PARTNERSHIPS AIR POWER 2017 51

21 ST CENTURY PARTNERSHIPS

(PHOTO: SAC MEGAN WOODHOUSE / © CROWN COPYRIGHT)

Air Commodore Ian Duguid

explains why the Typhoon

Force is the backbone

of the Royal Air Force’s

combat air capability

“Typhoon is a remarkable combat
aircraft. It has incredible performance,
can fly high and fast and can carry a
very broad range of weapons. It is,
without doubt, world class,” says
Air Commodore (Air Cdre) Ian Duguid,
the Royal Air Force’s Typhoon Force
Commander. This and the number
of squadrons available for front-line
duties makes it, in his opinion, “the
backbone” of RAF combat air capability.
The RAF currently has five squadrons
of the combat-proven, multirole Typhoon
fast jet. Each squadron is made up of
12 aircraft and about 150 personnel,
including pilots and engineers. Three
of the squadrons are based at RAF
Lossiemouth in Scotland and the other
two in Lincolnshire at RAF Coningsby. In
addition, four Typhoons are permanently
based in the Falkland Islands as part of
1435 Flight, which is manned by pilots
and engineers from across the Typhoon
Force. There is also a conversion unit,
29(R) Squadron, used to train pilots in
flying and operating the Typhoon.
These numbers are to soon be
boosted with the introduction of two
more squadrons by the end of 2019, and
preparations for them have already begun.
“I am already taking more people into the

Typhoon Force to be able to raise the two

extra squadrons,” Air Cdre Duguid reveals.

PROJECT CENTURION

By the time the Typhoon’s air combat

partner, the Tornado, is withdrawn from

service in March 2019, Typhoon will have

become an even more potent combat

aircraft thanks to the Project Centurion

weapon enhancement programme, which

will transfer Tornado’s air-to-ground

capability to Typhoon while additionally

introducing a record-beating, long-range

air-to-air missile: Meteor. “That will take the

multirole capability another step forward,

and the introduction of Storm Shadow and

Brimstone 2 in the air-to-surface role and

Meteor in the air-to-air role, together with

some software upgrades, will ensure

a seamless transition from Tornado to

Typhoon,” says Air Cdre Duguid.

The much-vaunted Meteor represents

a game-changing capability. “One of the

overriding things about the missile is that

it is very capable and can hit targets from

a very long range. Therefore, we should

be able to get the first shot off, which is

all important in the air-to-air war,” explains

Duguid. Storm Shadow and Brimstone 2

are equally significant – the former

against bunkers and large reinforced-

concrete buildings, and the latter against

moving vehicles and smaller targets.

“The net result is that, by the time

Project Centurion rolls out, we will be able to

carry an air-to-air mixed load of long-range

Meteor, medium-range AMRAAM and

short-range ASRAAM,” says Air Cdre Duguid.

“While we are doing that, we will also be

able to carry a targeting pod and a mixture

of air-to-surface missiles and bombs.” Due

to their size, it may not be the case that

Typhoons will carry Storm Shadow and

Brimstone simultaneously, but, according to

Air Cdre Duguid, “We are certainly looking

at a mixture of Brimstone and Paveway IV”.

However, that is not the end of the

story. In a few years, Typhoon will be fitted

with a brand new E-scan radar. As Air Cdre

Duguid says, “In terms of the aircraft’s

growth development, Typhoon is only

going to get even more capable.”

INTERVIEW

AIR COMMODORE IAN DUGUID

Typhoon Force Commander

“In terms of the aircraft’s growth

development, Typhoon is only

going to get even more capable”