Foreign parts in indigenous aircraft and their export restrictions

Also known as: Eurofighter to India.

After the topic came up in the IAF thread, I sent an email to Eurofighter GmbH with the following content:

Dear Madam or Sir,

on the discussion forums of Key Publishing there has been lively debate regarding intellectual property held by US companies or the US government that currently might be utilized in the Eurofighter. Of main interest was the question whether the Eurofighter can be exported without US approval, and if not, which parts require US permission. Additionally, as relating to competitions like the MMRCA competition in India, we wondered about how this compares and relates to the Rafale for example and whether there are obvious key parts in the Rafale and other competitors that might require US approval as well.

An answer illuminating these matters would be greatly appreciated.

Best regards,

Today I got the following answer:

Haben Sie vielen Dank für Ihr Interesse am Eurofighter Typhoon. Selbstverständlich stecken viele Teile im Eurofighter, die aus den USA beschafft werden. Das gilt aber auch für viele andere zivile oder militärische Flugzeuge.

Nur stellt sich das Problem der Exportgenehmigung seitens der USA nicht so, wie in der Öffentlichkeit gerne berichtet.

Für die Export- oder besser Ausfuhrgenehmigungen amerikanischer Komponenten in ihren jeweiligen Baugruppen sind die Zulieferer zuständig, die solche Teile in den USA beschaffen. Das hat bisher immer gut funktioniert. Sollte eine solche Genehmigung im Einzelfall nicht ausgesprochen werden, dann müssen die Zulieferer die Teile anderweitig beschaffen oder selbst fertigen. Eine generelle Exportgenehmigung seitens der USA für das gesamte Flugzeug ist also nicht erforderlich.

Über die Anzahl der amerikanischen Teile im Eurofighter kann ich Ihnen keine Auskunft geben, nur so viel, daß einem Export des Flugzeugs nach Indien wegen dieses Sachverhalts nichts im Wege steht.

Mit freundlichen Grüßen

Wolfdietrich Hoeveler
Vice President Communications
Eurofighter GmbH

Eurofighter Jagdflugzeug GmbH, Chief Executive Officer (Geschäftsführer) Aloysius Rauen, Location: Am Söldnermoos 17, D-85399 Hallbergmoos, Registergericht München HRB 80 129

Translation:

Thank you very much for your interest in the Eurofighter Typhoon. Of course there are many parts of the Eurofighter that are sourced in the USA. But this holds true for many other civil and military aircraft as well.

Just that the issue of export approval by the USA does not present itself the way it is often reported to the public.

The export approvals of US parts in their respective constructions fall under the responsibility of those external suppliers, who source such parts in the US. This has worked well in the past. Should such approval not be given, then the supplier has to obtain the parts someplace else or produce them on their own. A general export approval by the USA regarding the aircraft as a whole is not needed.

I cannot tell the quantity of American parts in the Eurofighter, except for this issue being no obstacle to exporting the aircraft to India.

There are no obstacles towards exporting the Eurofighter to India.