LONDON, Aug. 26 (UPI) -- The British Royal Air Force announced contracts have been awarded to support a phase II sustainment program for its fleet of Tornado GR4/4A combat aircraft.
The Royal Air Force says the sustainment contracts, awarded through the NATO Eurofighter and Tornado Management Agency, are part of the Mid-Life Fatigue Program, the British Ministry of Defense reported.
Under the approximately $45.35 million MLFP contracts, BAE Systems and EADS will support the development of a trial installation of a structural modification for the Tornado, a two-seat all-weather attack aircraft, as part of an effort to ensure the fleet's readiness through its planned out-of-service date in 2025.
According to a news release, the phase II program "follows a concept phase that established the best way of dealing with aircraft fatigue issues identified during routine monitoring, and will involve technical demonstrations to assess the best method of delivering them."
