THE government will review its efforts to promote the Eurofighter Typhoon fighter jet around the world as BAE banks on new sales to hit its profit targets.

Defence secretary Michael Fallon made the pledge during a visit to the aerospace giant's facilities in Samlesbury and Warton yesterday.

He said: "We are having a fresh look at how we promote Typhoon sales as a new government. We are having a fresh look at each of the campaigns, in the Gulf and elsewhere, to see what more the government can do to help alongside industry.

"It's not just government. It's the rest of the plane, the support package around it, the training that's made available, there's lots of things to go into these campaigns, but we are having a fresh look at whether we can do more to promote Typhoon.

"The Prime Minister and the Defence Procurement Minister were in Malaysia on Thursday, one of the key targets.

"I'm in the Gulf next week. All senior minsters who travel are helping to promote Typhoon amongst potential buyers.

"I have regular meetings with my opposite numbers in each of these countries, so there's a full government effort behind the Typhoon programme.

"We have sold a lot. It has been flown by six Air Forces."

The fighter plane, which came into service in 2003, is developed by BAE, which has seen its sales and profits rise over the last six months compared to the same period last year.

Sales rose from £8.472bn from £7.611bn, and its operating profit increased from £689m to £700m.

But the firm is relying on new orders for the Typhoon to hit its full-year targets.

Chief executive Ian King said: "Challenges remain. We need to win order intake in our military air business to maintain continuity of production.

"I am confident in the capability of our products and that we can also meet affordability challenges."

During yesterday's visit, made to celebrate the 200th fuselage made by BAE for the multi-million pound state-of-the-art F-35 Lightning II jet, Mr Fallon said it will make a real difference on the world stage when it is finally operational.

Although it is being tested in the US, the F-35 is not expected to make its debut in the UK until 2018.

It is hoped it will be operating from air-craft carriers two years later.

"It will help keep the peace and that's what we need now," Mr Fallon said.

He also said Taranis, BAE's unmanned concept aircraft, will be at the fore of future military operations.

He said: "We have seen how important unmanned missions have been in Afghanistan and now in the Middle East.

"Unmanned surveillance and unmanned strikes are increasingly playing a very big part in these zones.

"Unmanned is certainly going to be the future."