New Missiles, Upgrades Ordered for Taurus KEPD 350

The German-Swedish Taurus KEPD 350 missile co-development program is being boosted under a German Defense Ministry contract for several more test missiles and improvements to the existing design.

The two-year, $12 million contract will buy 28 test missiles to continue the on-going assessment of the standoff missile. The KEPD 350 is being designed for use on Tornadoes and Eurofighter Typhoons. The German Air Force is slated to be the first user of the missile. "This contract is a logical step on the way to series production of the [missile]," says Manfred Kuesters, managing director of Taurus Systems.

But more important may be the development activity attached to the contract. It will include a new fuel supply system and integration of a turbofan engine that should allow flight at speeds higher than 0.8 Mach.

Furthermore, new navigation system is to be added that will get data from an inertial navigation system, global positioning system, terrain-following system and infrared waypoint navigation device. As part of the effort, low cost production techniques are also being examined.
The Taurus Systems joint venture that is developing the missile is made up of Germany's Lenkflugkoerpersysteme (LFK), which is part of the international European Aeronautic Defense and Space Company, and Sweden's SAAB-Bofors Dynamics.

By Robert Wall