This photo taken on Sep 21, 2016 shows a Britain's Royal Air Force Eurofighter Typhoon fighter jet in flight during a coalition mission over central Iraq. (Petros Karadjias / POOL / AFP)

LONDON - Britain will spend 40 million pounds (US$52 million) on upgrading the anti-missile defense system of its Typhoon fighter jets, Defense Secretary Michael Fallon said on Thursday, after awarding a contract to Italian company Leonardo.

The work will improve Typhoon's Defensive Aids Sub System (DASS) supplied by Leonardo, and the government said it would help the aircraft in missions against Islamic State in Iraq and Syria.

The contract will sustain 65 jobs in Leonardo's site in Luton, 30 miles north of London, and supports a further 41 jobs at BAE Systems in Warton, northwest England.

"Today's announcement is a clear example of how it (the Typhoon) is being continually enhanced and upgraded so it remains as effective tomorrow as it is today," Fallon said in a statement.