The German air force is looking at the option of using its Eurofighter EF2000 fighter aircraft as part of a theatre missile-defence system.
The air force has begun to consider whether the EF2000 could be deployed as part of an extended air-defence umbrella tasked with the boost-phase intercept of theatre ballistic missiles (TBMs).
Col Herbert Woelfel, German Air Staff, Branch Chief of Air Defence Planning, says: "We must -exploit the potential of manned aircraft-Their most significant mission contribution may be in the boost-phase intercept against TBMs. Airborne terminal intercept also needs to be studied."
Woelfel says that using the EF2000 in an anti-missile role would be as an adjunct to surface-to-air missile (SAM) systems. "We think that, in the future, SAM systems will be the primary means against theatre missiles," he says. The EF2000 could use either a variant of BGT'sIRIS-Timaging-infra-red short-range air-to-air missile (AAM), or the future medium-range AAM (FMRAAM) to intercept TBMs. If the IRIS-T were used, then the airframe could be modified to reduce control-surface-induced drag, since high agility would not be necessary in engaging a ballistic missile.
Source: Flight International