Ground testing completed on Storm Shadow-equipped Typhoon

HALLBERGMOOS, Germany, July 20 (UPI) -- Ground tests on the integration of MBDA's Storm Shadow cruise missile on Typhoon fighters have been conducted at facilities in Italy and Britain.

Eurofighter GmbH said that in the first set of ground trials by Alenia Aeromacchi and BAE Systems, Italian Instrumented Production Aircraft 2 and UK production Typhoon aircraft BS111 were outfitted with the missiles for Electro Magnetic Compatibility testing to ensure the integrity of electrical systems on board the aircraft and the missile.

The Storm Shadow missiles have been readied for flight by positioning a series of laser tracking points to enable engineers to analyze the missiles' trajectories when released from the aircraft.

The flight tests of the integrated missiles are scheduled to be held in Britain later this year.

Alenia Aermacchi, a Finmeccanica company, is leading the program to integrate Storm Shadow onto Typhoon jets with the support of MBDA engineers, and will also be leading the UK-based flight trials, supported by engineers from BAE Systems.

Eurofighter, the holding company for the multinational fighter, said the flight trials will build upon previous trials last year in which a Storm Shadow missile was successfully released from a Typhoon.