The Euroradar Captor is a next-generation mechanical multi-mode pulse Doppler radar designed for the Eurofighter Typhoon.

In June 1985, discussions began amongst various concerns to sound out the possibility of cooperation for the EFA, the project that would later become the Eurofighter, radar.

Towards the end of June 1985, a memorandum of understanding was signed between the UK, Germany, France, Italy and Spain to develop a joint radar for the EFA.

The schedule now envisaged completing the first airworthy radars in 1992, as the first flight of the EFA was planned for 1991, and starting series production in 1996.

At the same time, the UK Ministry of Defence launched a study into how the partner countries, excluding Germany, could develop their own radar for the EFA.

In December 1989, Ferranti held talks with Telefunken System Technik (formerly AEG until Daimler took over the company) to co-operate on the ECR-90 and resolve the German resistance.

It later dropped this allegation and was awarded $23 million; the court judged that the MSD-2000 "had a real or substantial chance of succeeding had GEC not [tortiously] intervened ... and had the companies, which were bound by the Collaboration Agreement, faithfully and diligently performed their continuing obligations thereunder to press and promote the case for MSD-2000.

The development effort is now organized under the Euroradar consortium, consisting primarily of Selex ES,[16] as well as Airbus and Indra.

This enables new mission capabilities for combat aircraft such as simultaneous radar functionalities, air surveillance, air-to-ground and weapon control.

[19] In July 2010, it was reported that the Euroradar consortium made a formal offer to provide an AESA solution for the Eurofighter.

[19] On 19 November 2014, at the Edinburgh office of Selex ES, the European consortium Eurofighter GmbH and the inter-governmental agency NETMA (NATO Eurofighter and Tornado Management Agency) signed a contract worth €1 billion to develop the electronically scanned digital antenna array Captor-E radar for the Typhoon.

[20] Characteristics of the antennas: The CAPTOR was optimised for air combat with beyond visual range air-to-air missiles (BVRAAM) under strong enemy electronic countermeasures, resulting from the requirements of the Cold War.

[24][25] Since the end of the Cold War, the main focus of the Eurofighter has shifted from fighter to multi-role combat aircraft tasks.

The mechanical control system was selected in the initial phase of the Eurofighter project as the development risks were to be minimised.

[26] The radar consists of a mechanically controlled antenna made of carbon fibre-reinforced plastic with a diameter of 0.7 metres (2 ft 4 in).

The built-in self-diagnostic capability indicates the defective SRI, which can be read out on the ground by a laptop without having to switch on the power supply.

The computer creates a track file and continues to work in 'track while scan' (TWS) mode while searching for new targets.

Austria Germany Italy Oman Saudi Arabia Spain United Kingdom 52 aircraft will eventually be fitted with this radar.