First 'Production Standard' cockpit canopy delivered to Eurofighter

Citation

(2000), "First 'Production Standard' cockpit canopy delivered to Eurofighter", Aircraft Engineering and Aerospace Technology, Vol. 72 No. 4. https://doi.org/10.1108/aeat.2000.12772daf.008

First 'Production Standard' cockpit canopy delivered to Eurofighter

First "Production Standard" cockpit canopy delivered to Eurofighter

Keywords: BAe Systems, Aerospace Composite Technologies, Cockpit, Windshields

The first "Production Standard" cockpit canopy for the Eurofighter aircraft has been delivered this month to Eurofighter partner, BAE Systems by Aerospace Composite Technologies Ltd, a GKN Westland Aerospace company.

"Eurofighter is a strategically important programme for ACT as it gives us a strong position in the high technology coated military canopy market", comments Phil Harris, General Manager, ACT.

The company is the sole source supplier of cockpit windshield and canopies to the Eurofighter and the contract is estimated to be worth in the region of £40 million, based on the four participating nations taking 620 aircraft, plus the potential "Typhoon" export quantities. ACT also produces windshields and canopies for the Saab Gripen, Jaguar, Tornado, Harrier and Shorts Tucano Trainers.

The canopy is the first of a number of twin and single seat canopies being produced by ACT to undergo qualification testing for pressure, fatigue and incidents such as bird strike and crew escape. "One of the key design changes reflected in the Typhoon canopy is that the transparencies now play more of a structural role in absorbing aerodynamic loading", explains Tim Hodges, EF2000 Programme Manager, ACT.

Production canopies will have low observable coatings applied using proprietary manufacturing technology and processes developed by ACT, which screen electronic emissions generated in the cockpit area.