TSAMTO, December 9th. According to the Kuwaiti news agency KUNA, on December 7, the Kuwaiti Air Force received the first batch of two Typhoon fighters produced by the Italian Leonardo group.
The aircraft handover ceremony took place at the Caselle Airbase of the Italian Air Force in the presence of the Kuwaiti Ambassador to Italy, Sheikh Azzam Al-Sabah and Deputy Commander of the Air Force, Vice Marshal Bandar Al-Mezyen. It is planned that the fighters will arrive in Kuwait next week.
As reported by TSAMTO, on April 5, 2016, the Ministry of Defense of Kuwait signed a contract with Leonardo Group, representing the Eurofighter consortium, for the supply of 28 Typhoon multipurpose fighters. As part of the agreement, the Kuwaiti Air Force will deliver 22 single-seat and 6 two-seat Typhoon fighters in the Tranche-3 configuration, assembled at Leonardo's Casella (Italy).
The agreement with the Ministry of Defense of Kuwait also includes the provision of services to ensure the use of Typhoon, including the design and construction of infrastructure at the Al-Salem Airbase in Kuwait, the initial maintenance of equipment for three years (with an option for five years), the supply of equipment and simulators for training pilots in Kuwait.
Flight tests of the first Typhoon fighters intended for the Kuwaiti Air Force began in October 2021.
Initially, it was assumed that aircraft deliveries would begin in 2020 and be completed in 2023. However, the timing was shifted, probably due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Kuwait will become the eighth operator of Typhoon. The fighters of the Kuwaiti Air Force will receive a radar with the Captor-E AFAR and several other novelties, in particular, the Storm Shadow cruise missiles and Brimstone ATGM, as well as other air-to-ground weapons that expand their versatility and increase their firepower. In addition, the configuration provides for the integration of suspended Sniper-ATP target designation containers, a DRS-Cubic ACMI P5 combat training container, and the improvement of navigation systems.
