Leonardo contracted by Britain for Typhoon countermeasures upgrades

July 13 (UPI) -- Leonardo will receive a contract worth $51 million to upgrade the Defensive Aids Sub System electronic countermeasures and missile warning system on Britain's Typhoon fighter jets.

British Defense Secretary Sir Michael Fallon announced the contract at the Airpower Conference in London on Thursday. The upgrade program will run over a two-year period as part of Britain's efforts to modernize the fighter plane.

"Our armed forces face ever-evolving threats so we must invest in cutting-edge technology to ensure they can operate in hostile theaters," Fallon said in a press release.

"Our growing defense budget and [$230 billion] equipment plan makes this possible; giving UK forces the defenses they need to protect them, their kit and the people of Britain."

The DASS provides warning against enemy ground and air-launched radar-guided missiles. It automatically deploys jamming and radar decoys at extended ranges to confuse the incoming missile's guidance system.

The Eurofighter Typhoon is Britain's primary Quick Reaction Alert fighter for defending its domestic airspace in the mainland and Falkland islands. It is a multi-role fighter capable of air superiority and ground attack missions with partial stealth capabilities.

It is built by a consortium of European defense companies and has been adopted by several European nations. Britain currently has more then 70 Typhoons in active service.