The Eurofighter Typhoon is a European multinational
twin-engine
A twinjet or twin-engine jet is a jet aircraft powered by two engines. A twinjet is able to fly well enough to land with a single working engine, making it safer than a single-engine aircraft in the event of failure of an engine. Fuel efficien ...
,
canard
Canard is French for duck, a type of aquatic bird.
Canard may also refer to:
Aviation
*Canard (aeronautics), a small wing in front of an aircraft's main wing
* Aviafiber Canard 2FL, a single seat recreational aircraft of canard design
* Blé ...
delta wing
A delta wing is a wing shaped in the form of a triangle. It is named for its similarity in shape to the Greek uppercase letter delta (Δ).
Although long studied, it did not find significant applications until the Jet Age, when it proved suitabl ...
,
multirole fighter
A multirole combat aircraft (MRCA) is a combat aircraft intended to perform different roles in combat. These roles can include air to air combat, air support,
aerial bombing, reconnaissance, electronic warfare, and suppression of air defens ...
.
The Typhoon was designed originally as an
air-superiority fighter
An air superiority fighter (or air-superiority fighter) is a fighter aircraft designed to seize control of enemy airspace by establishing tactical dominance ( air superiority) over the opposing air force. Air-superiority fighters are primarily ...
and is manufactured by a
consortium
A consortium (plural: consortia) is an association of two or more individuals, companies, organizations or governments (or any combination of these entities) with the objective of participating in a common activity or pooling their resources for ...
of
Airbus
Airbus SE (; ; ; ) is a European Multinational corporation, multinational aerospace corporation. Airbus designs, manufactures and sells civil and military aerospace manufacturer, aerospace products worldwide and manufactures aircraft througho ...
,
BAE Systems
BAE Systems plc (BAE) is a British multinational arms, security, and aerospace company based in London, England. It is the largest defence contractor in Europe, and ranked the seventh-largest in the world based on applicable 2021 revenues. ...
and
Leonardo
Leonardo is a masculine given name, the Italian, Spanish, and Portuguese equivalent of the English, German, and Dutch name, Leonard
Leonard or ''Leo'' is a common English masculine given name and a surname.
The given name and surname originate ...
that conducts the majority of the project through a joint
holding company
A holding company is a company whose primary business is holding a controlling interest in the securities of other companies. A holding company usually does not produce goods or services itself. Its purpose is to own shares of other companies ...
,
Eurofighter Jagdflugzeug GmbH. The
NATO Eurofighter and Tornado Management Agency The NATO Eurofighter 2000 and Tornado Management Agency (NETMA) is the prime customer and management body for the four-state Eurofighter Typhoon Weapon System programme. Its offices are located in Hallbergmoos, Germany and it is staffed by civilian ...
, representing the UK, Germany, Italy and Spain, manages the project and is the prime customer.
The aircraft's development effectively began in 1983 with the Future European Fighter Aircraft programme, a multinational collaboration among the UK, Germany, France, Italy and Spain. Previously, Germany, Italy and the UK had jointly developed and deployed the
Panavia Tornado
The Panavia Tornado is a family of twin-engine, variable-sweep wing multirole combat aircraft, jointly developed and manufactured by Italy, the United Kingdom and West Germany. There are three primary Tornado variants: the Tornado IDS (inter ...
combat aircraft and desired to collaborate on a new project, with additional participating EU nations. However disagreements over design authority and operational requirements led France to leave the consortium to develop the
Dassault Rafale independently. A technology demonstration aircraft, the
British Aerospace EAP
The British Aerospace EAP (standing for ''Experimental Aircraft Programme'') was a British technology demonstrator aircraft developed by aviation company British Aerospace (BAe) as a private venture. It was designed to research technologies to ...
, first flew on 6August 1986; a Eurofighter prototype made its maiden flight on 27 March 1994. The aircraft's name, Typhoon, was adopted in September 1998 and the first production contracts were also signed that year.
The sudden end of the
Cold War
The Cold War is a term commonly used to refer to a period of geopolitical tension between the United States and the Soviet Union and their respective allies, the Western Bloc and the Eastern Bloc. The term '' cold war'' is used because the ...
reduced European demand for fighter aircraft and led to debate over the aircraft's cost and work share and protracted the Typhoon's development: the Typhoon entered operational service in 2003 and is now in service with the air forces of
Austria
Austria, , bar, Östareich officially the Republic of Austria, is a country in the southern part of Central Europe, lying in the Eastern Alps. It is a federation of nine states, one of which is the capital, Vienna, the most populous ...
,
Italy
Italy ( it, Italia ), officially the Italian Republic, ) or the Republic of Italy, is a country in Southern Europe. It is located in the middle of the Mediterranean Sea, and its territory largely coincides with the homonymous geographical re ...
,
Germany
Germany,, officially the Federal Republic of Germany, is a country in Central Europe. It is the second most populous country in Europe after Russia, and the most populous member state of the European Union. Germany is situated betwe ...
, the
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, commonly known as the United Kingdom (UK) or Britain, is a country in Europe, off the north-western coast of the continental mainland. It comprises England, Scotland, Wales and North ...
,
Spain
, image_flag = Bandera de España.svg
, image_coat = Escudo de España (mazonado).svg
, national_motto = ''Plus ultra'' (Latin)(English: "Further Beyond")
, national_anthem = (English: "Royal March")
, i ...
,
Saudi Arabia
Saudi Arabia, officially the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA), is a country in Western Asia. It covers the bulk of the Arabian Peninsula, and has a land area of about , making it the fifth-largest country in Asia, the second-largest in the A ...
and
Oman
Oman ( ; ar, عُمَان ' ), officially the Sultanate of Oman ( ar, سلْطنةُ عُمان ), is an Arabian country located in southwestern Asia. It is situated on the southeastern coast of the Arabian Peninsula, and spans the mouth of t ...
.
Kuwait
Kuwait (; ar, الكويت ', or ), officially the State of Kuwait ( ar, دولة الكويت '), is a country in Western Asia. It is situated in the northern edge of Eastern Arabia at the tip of the Persian Gulf, bordering Iraq to the nort ...
and
Qatar
Qatar (, ; ar, قطر, Qaṭar ; local vernacular pronunciation: ), officially the State of Qatar,) is a country in Western Asia. It occupies the Qatar Peninsula on the northeastern coast of the Arabian Peninsula in the Middle East; it sh ...
have also ordered the aircraft, bringing the procurement total to 623 aircraft .
The Eurofighter Typhoon is a highly agile aircraft, designed to be an effective
dogfighter in combat.
Later production aircraft have been increasingly better equipped to undertake air-to-surface strike missions and to be compatible with an increasing number of different armaments and equipment, including
Storm Shadow,
Brimstone and
Marte ER missiles. The Typhoon had its combat debut during the
2011 military intervention in Libya
On 19 March 2011, a multi-state NATO-led coalition began a military intervention in Libya, to implement United Nations Security Council Resolution 1973, in response to events during the First Libyan Civil War. With ten votes in favour and five ...
with the UK's Royal Air Force (RAF) and the Italian Air Force, performing
aerial reconnaissance
Aerial reconnaissance is reconnaissance for a military or strategic purpose that is conducted using reconnaissance aircraft. The role of reconnaissance can fulfil a variety of requirements including artillery spotting, the collection of ima ...
and
ground-strike missions. The type has also taken primary responsibility for air-defence duties for the majority of customer nations.
Development
Origins
![Eurofighter logo](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/a/a8/Eurofighter_logo.svg)
In the UK, as early as 1971, work commenced on the development of a manoeuvrable, tactical aircraft to replace the
SEPECAT Jaguar
The SEPECAT Jaguar is an Anglo-French jet attack aircraft originally used by the British Royal Air Force and the French Air Force in the close air support and nuclear strike role. It is still in service with the Indian Air Force.
Originall ...
(that was then about to enter service with the RAF). This work soon expanded to include an
air superiority
Aerial supremacy (also air superiority) is the degree to which a side in a conflict holds control of air power over opposing forces. There are levels of control of the air in aerial warfare. Control of the air is the aerial equivalent of c ...
capability. A specification titled ''Air Staff Target 403'' (AST 403), in 1972, led to the
Hawker P.96, an unbuilt design with a relatively conventional
planform
In technical drawing and computer graphics, a multiview projection is a technique of illustration by which a standardized series of orthographic two-dimensional pictures are constructed to represent the form of a three-dimensional object. Up to ...
, including a separate tail structure, in the late 1970s.
Simultaneously, in
West Germany
West Germany is the colloquial term used to indicate the Federal Republic of Germany (FRG; german: Bundesrepublik Deutschland , BRD) between its formation on 23 May 1949 and the German reunification through the accession of East Germany on 3 O ...
, the requirement for a new fighter had resulted in competition between
Dornier,
VFW-Fokker and
Messerschmitt-Bölkow-Blohm
Messerschmitt-Bölkow-Blohm (MBB) was a West German aerospace manufacturer. It was formed during the late 1960s as the result of efforts to consolidate the West German aerospace industry; aircraft manufacturer Messerschmitt AG merged with the civi ...
(MBB) for a future ''Luftwaffe'' contract known as ''Taktisches Kampfflugzeug 90'' ("Tactical Combat Aircraft 90"; TKF-90). Dornier collaborated with Northrop in the US on an acclaimed, but unsuccessful design, known as the
:de:Northrop-Dornier ND-102. MBB was successful, with a design including a
cranked delta wing, close-coupled-
canard controls, and artificial stability.
In 1979, MBB and
British Aerospace
British Aerospace plc (BAe) was a British aircraft, munitions and defence-systems manufacturer. Its head office was at Warwick House in the Farnborough Aerospace Centre in Farnborough, Hampshire. Formed in 1977, in 1999 it purchased Marconi ...
(BAe) presented a formal proposal to their respective governments for a collaboration, to be known as the European Collaborative Fighter,
or ''European Combat Fighter'' (ECF). In October 1979, French firm
Dassault joined the ECF project.
It was at this stage of development the Eurofighter name was first attached to the aircraft.
However, the development of three separate prototypes continued: MBB continued to refine its TKF-90 concept, and Dassault produced a design known as the ACX.
In the meantime, while the P.96 would have met the original UK specification, it had been cancelled because it was considered to offer little potential for future upgrades and redevelopment. In addition, there was a feeling within the UK aircraft industry that the P.96 would have been too similar to the
McDonnell Douglas F/A-18 Hornet, which was then known to be at an advanced stage of development. The P.96 would not have been available until long after the Hornet, which would therefore likely have met and closed off most potential export markets for the P.96.
BAe then produced two new proposals: the P.106B, a single-engined
lightweight fighter, superficially resembling the
JAS 39 Gripen, and the twin-engine P.110. The RAF rejected the P.106 concept on the grounds it had "half the effectiveness of the two-engined aircraft at two-thirds of the cost".
The ECF project collapsed in 1981 for several reasons, including differing requirements, Dassault's insistence on "design leadership" and the British preference for a new version of the
RB199
The Turbo-Union RB199 is a turbofan jet engine designed and built in the early 1970s by Turbo-Union, a joint venture between Rolls-Royce, MTU and Aeritalia. The only production application was the Panavia Tornado.
Design and development
The R ...
to power the aircraft versus the French preference for the new
Snecma M88.
![British Aerospace EAP at the Farnborough Air Show, 1986](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/4/43/British_Aerospace_EAP_at_the_Farnborough_Air_Show%2C_1986.jpg)
Consequently, the
Panavia
Panavia Aircraft GmbH is a German company established by the three partner states of the Tornado Multi Role Combat Aircraft (MRCA) project: West Germany, Italy and the UK.
Structure
The company was based and registered in West Germany. Since ...
partners (MBB, BAe and
Aeritalia) launched the ''Agile Combat Aircraft'' (ACA) programme in April 1982.
BAe designers agreed with the overall configuration of the proposed MBB TKF-90, although they rejected some of its more ambitious features such as engine
vectoring nozzle
Thrust vectoring, also known as thrust vector control (TVC), is the ability of an aircraft, rocket, or other vehicle to manipulate the direction of the thrust from its engine(s) or motor(s) to control the attitude or angular velocity of the ve ...
s and vented
trailing edge controls – a form of
boundary layer control.
The ACA, like the BAe P.110, had a cranked delta wing, canards and a twin tail. One major external difference was the replacement of the side-mounted engine intakes with a chin intake. The ACA was to be powered by a modified version of the RB199. The German and Italian governments withdrew funding, and the UK
Ministry of Defence
{{unsourced, date=February 2021
A ministry of defence or defense (see spelling differences), also known as a department of defence or defense, is an often-used name for the part of a government responsible for matters of defence, found in states ...
(MoD) agreed to fund 50% of the cost with the remaining 50% to be provided by industry. MBB and Aeritalia signed up and it was agreed that the aircraft would be produced at two sites:
BAe Warton and a MBB factory in Germany. In May 1983, BAe announced a contract with the MoD for the development and production of an ACA demonstrator, the
Experimental Aircraft Programme.
In 1983, Italy, Germany, France, the UK and Spain launched the "Future European Fighter Aircraft" (FEFA) programme. The aircraft was to have
short take off and landing (STOL) and beyond visual range (BVR) capabilities. In 1984, France reiterated its requirement for a
carrier-capable version and demanded a leading role. Italy, West Germany and the UK opted out and established a new EFA programme. In
Turin
Turin ( , Piedmontese language, Piedmontese: ; it, Torino ) is a city and an important business and cultural centre in Northern Italy. It is the capital city of Piedmont and of the Metropolitan City of Turin, and was the first Italian capital ...
on 2August 1985, West Germany, the UK and Italy agreed to go ahead with the Eurofighter; and confirmed France, along with Spain, had chosen not to proceed as a member of the project.
Despite pressure from France, Spain rejoined the Eurofighter project in early September 1985.
France officially withdrew from the project to pursue its own ACX project, which was to become the
Dassault Rafale.
By 1986, the programme's cost had reached
£180 million.
When the EAP programme had started, the cost was supposed to be equally shared by government and industry, but the West German and Italian governments wavered on the agreement and the three main industrial partners had to provide £100 million to keep the programme from ending. In April 1986, the BAe EAP was rolled out at BAe Warton, by this time also partially funded by MBB, BAe and Aeritalia.
The EAP first flew on 6August 1986.
The Eurofighter bears a strong resemblance to the EAP. Design work continued over the next five years using data from the EAP. Initial requirements were: UK: 250 aircraft, Germany: 250, Italy: 165 and Spain: 100. The share of the production work was divided among the countries in proportion to their projected procurement – BAe (33%),
DASA
''Dasa'' ( sa, दास, Dāsa) is a Sanskrit word found in ancient Indian texts such as the ''Rigveda'' and ''Arthasastra''. It usually means "enemy" or "servant" but ''dasa'', or ''das'', also means a "servant of God", "devotee," "votary" or "o ...
(33%), Aeritalia (21%), and
Construcciones Aeronáuticas SA
Construcciones Aeronáuticas SA (CASA) was a Spanish aircraft manufacturer that was founded in 1923 and began manufacturing aircraft the following year. In 1999 it became a subsidiary of the EADS (European Aeronautic Defence and Space Company) ...
(CASA) (13%).
The Munich-based Eurofighter Jagdflugzeug GmbH was established in 1986 to manage development of the project
and
EuroJet Turbo GmbH
EuroJet Turbo GmbH is a multi-national engine manufacturing consortium. It is headquartered in Hallbergmoos, Germany.
The consortium was created in 1986 to manage the development, production, support, maintenance, support and sales of the EJ200, ...
, the alliance of
Rolls-Royce,
MTU Aero Engines, FiatAvio (now
Avio) and
ITP for development of the
EJ200
The Eurojet EJ200 is a military low-bypass turbofan used as the powerplant of the Eurofighter Typhoon. The engine is largely based on the Rolls-Royce XG-40 technology demonstrator, which was developed in the 1980s. The EJ200 is built by the E ...
. The aircraft was known as Eurofighter EFA from the late 1980s until it was renamed EF 2000 in 1992.
By 1990, the selection of the aircraft's radar had become a major stumbling-block. The UK, Italy and Spain supported the
Ferranti
Ferranti or Ferranti International plc was a UK electrical engineering and equipment firm that operated for over a century from 1885 until it went bankrupt in 1993. The company was once a constituent of the FTSE 100 Index.
The firm was known ...
Defence Systems-led
ECR-90
The Euroradar Captor is a next-generation mechanical multi-mode pulse Doppler radar designed for the Eurofighter Typhoon. Development of Captor led to the Airborne Multirole Solid State Active Array Radar (AMSAR) project which eventually produ ...
, while Germany preferred the
APG-65-based MSD2000 (a collaboration between
Hughes
Hughes may refer to:
People
* Hughes (surname)
* Hughes (given name)
Places Antarctica
* Hughes Range (Antarctica), Ross Dependency
* Mount Hughes, Oates Land
* Hughes Basin, Oates Land
* Hughes Bay, Graham Land
* Hughes Bluff, Victoria La ...
,
AEG
Allgemeine Elektricitäts-Gesellschaft AG (AEG; ) was a German producer of electrical equipment founded in Berlin as the ''Deutsche Edison-Gesellschaft für angewandte Elektricität'' in 1883 by Emil Rathenau. During the Second World War, AEG ...
and
GEC-Marconi). An agreement was reached after UK Defence Secretary
Tom King assured his West German counterpart
Gerhard Stoltenberg
Gerhard Stoltenberg (29 September 1928 – 23 November 2001) was a German politician of the Christian Democratic Union (CDU) and minister in the cabinets of Ludwig Erhard, Kurt Georg Kiesinger and Helmut Kohl. He served as Minister-President o ...
that the British government would approve the project and allow the GEC subsidiary
Marconi Electronic Systems
Marconi Electronic Systems (MES), or GEC-Marconi as it was until 1998, was the defence arm of General Electric Company (GEC). It was demerged from GEC and bought by British Aerospace (BAe) on 30 November 1999 to form BAE Systems. GEC then renam ...
to acquire Ferranti Defence Systems from its parent, the
Ferranti
Ferranti or Ferranti International plc was a UK electrical engineering and equipment firm that operated for over a century from 1885 until it went bankrupt in 1993. The company was once a constituent of the FTSE 100 Index.
The firm was known ...
Group, which was in financial and legal difficulties. GEC thus withdrew its support for the MSD2000.
Delays
The financial burdens placed on Germany by
reunification
A political union is a type of political entity which is composed of, or created from, smaller polities, or the process which achieves this. These smaller polities are usually called federated states and federal territories in a federal governmen ...
caused
Helmut Kohl to make an
election
An election is a formal group decision-making process by which a population chooses an individual or multiple individuals to hold public office.
Elections have been the usual mechanism by which modern representative democracy has opera ...
promise to cancel the Eurofighter. In early to mid-1991 German Defence Minister
Volker Rühe
Volker Rühe (born 25 September 1942) is a German politician of the Christian Democratic Union (CDU). He served as German Defence minister from 1 April 1992, succeeding Gerhard Stoltenberg during the first government of a reunified Germany i ...
sought to withdraw Germany from the project in favour of using Eurofighter technology in a cheaper, lighter plane. Because of the amount of money already spent on development, the number of jobs dependent on the project, and the binding commitments on each partner government, Kohl was unable to withdraw; "Rühe's predecessors had locked themselves into the project by a punitive penalty system of their own devising."
![Royal Air Force Eurofighter Typhoon FGR4 MOD 45160576](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/8/8b/Royal_Air_Force_Eurofighter_Typhoon_FGR4_MOD_45160576.jpg)
In 1995 concerns over workshare appeared. Since the formation of Eurofighter the workshare split had been agreed at 33/33/21/13 (United Kingdom/Germany/Italy/Spain) based on the number of units being ordered by each contributing nation, all the nations then reduced their orders. The UK cut its orders from 250 to 232, Germany from 250 to 140, Italy from 165 to 121 and Spain from 100 to 87.
According to these order levels the workshare split should have been 39/24/22/15 UK/Germany/Italy/Spain, however Germany was unwilling to give up such a large amount of work.
In January 1996, after much negotiation between German and UK partners, a compromise was reached whereby Germany would purchase another 40 aircraft.
The workshare split was therefore UK 37.42%, Germany 29.03%, Italy 19.52% and Spain 14.03%.
At the 1996
Farnborough Airshow the UK announced funding for the construction phase of the project.
On 22 December 1997 the defence ministers of the four partner nations signed the contract for production of the Eurofighter.
Testing
![typhoon f2 zj910 canard arp](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/1/11/Typhoon_f2_zj910_canard_arp.jpg)
The
maiden flight
The maiden flight, also known as first flight, of an aircraft is the first occasion on which it leaves the ground under its own power. The same term is also used for the first launch of rockets.
The maiden flight of a new aircraft type is alwa ...
of the Eurofighter prototype took place in
Bavaria
Bavaria ( ; ), officially the Free State of Bavaria (german: Freistaat Bayern, link=no ), is a state in the south-east of Germany. With an area of , Bavaria is the largest German state by land area, comprising roughly a fifth of the total lan ...
on 27 March 1994, flown by DASA chief test pilot Peter Weger.
In December 2004, Eurofighter Typhoon IPA4 began three months of Cold Environmental Trials (CET) at the
Vidsel Air Base
Vidsel Air Base is a Swedish Air Force airfield located 15 km west-northwest of the town of Vidsel, in Sweden. It is a critical part of Vidsel Test Range that provides an aerospace test and evaluation asset for Sweden through the Test & ...
in Sweden, the purpose of which was to verify the operational behaviour of the aircraft and its systems in temperatures between −25 and 31 °C.
The maiden flight of Instrumented Production Aircraft7 (IPA7), the first fully equipped Tranche2 aircraft, took place from EADS'
Manching airfield on 16 January 2008.
Procurement, production and costs
The first production contract was signed on 30 January 1998 between Eurofighter GmbH, Eurojet and NETMA.
The procurement totals were as follows: the UK 232, Germany 180, Italy 121, and Spain 87. Production was again allotted according to procurement: BAe (37.42%), DASA (29.03%), Aeritalia (19.52%), and CASA (14.03%).
On 2 September 1998, a naming ceremony was held at
Farnborough Farnborough may refer to:
Australia
* Farnborough, Queensland, a locality in the Shire of Livingstone
United Kingdom
* Farnborough, Hampshire, a town in the Rushmoor district of Hampshire, England
** Farnborough (Main) railway station, a railw ...
, United Kingdom. This saw the Typhoon name formally adopted, initially for export aircraft only. The name continues the storm theme started by the
Panavia Tornado
The Panavia Tornado is a family of twin-engine, variable-sweep wing multirole combat aircraft, jointly developed and manufactured by Italy, the United Kingdom and West Germany. There are three primary Tornado variants: the Tornado IDS (inter ...
. This was reportedly resisted by Germany; the
Hawker Typhoon was a fighter-bomber aircraft used by the RAF during the
Second World War
World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great powers—forming two opposin ...
to attack German targets.
The name "Spitfire II" (after the famous British Second World War fighter, the
Supermarine Spitfire
The Supermarine Spitfire is a British single-seat fighter aircraft used by the Royal Air Force and other Allied countries before, during, and after World War II. Many variants of the Spitfire were built, from the Mk 1 to the Rolls-Royce Grif ...
) had also been considered and rejected for the same reason early in the development programme.
In September 1998, contracts were signed for production of 148 Tranche1 aircraft and procurement of long lead-time items for Tranche2 aircraft.
In March 2008, the final Tranche1 aircraft was delivered to the German Air Force.
On 21 October 2008, the RAF's first two of 91 Tranche2 aircraft, were delivered to
RAF Coningsby
Royal Air Force Coningsby or RAF Coningsby , is a Royal Air Force (RAF) station located south-west of Horncastle, and north-west of Boston, in the East Lindsey district of Lincolnshire, England. It is a Main Operating Base of the RAF and hom ...
.
In July 2009, after almost 2 years of negotiations, the planned Tranche 3 purchase was split into 2 parts and the Tranche 3A contract was signed by the partner nations.
The "Tranche 3B" order did not go ahead.
The Eurofighter Typhoon is unique in modern combat aircraft in that there are four separate assembly lines. Each partner company assembles its own national aircraft, but builds the same parts for all aircraft (including exports);
Premium AEROTEC
Premium AEROTEC is a German aerospace manufacturing business, headquartered in Augsburg in Germany. It is a subsidiary of Airbus.
The company was created in September 2008 as a spin off from the multinational aerospace group EADS, which subse ...
(main centre fuselage),
EADS CASA
Construcciones Aeronáuticas SA (CASA) was a Spanish aircraft manufacturer that was founded in 1923 and began manufacturing aircraft the following year. In 1999 it became a subsidiary of the EADS (European Aeronautic Defence and Space Company) ...
(right wing, leading edge slats),
BAE Systems
BAE Systems plc (BAE) is a British multinational arms, security, and aerospace company based in London, England. It is the largest defence contractor in Europe, and ranked the seventh-largest in the world based on applicable 2021 revenues. ...
(BAE) (front fuselage (including foreplanes), canopy, dorsal spine, tail fin, inboard flaperons, rear fuselage section) and
Leonardo
Leonardo is a masculine given name, the Italian, Spanish, and Portuguese equivalent of the English, German, and Dutch name, Leonard
Leonard or ''Leo'' is a common English masculine given name and a surname.
The given name and surname originate ...
(left wing, outboard
flaperons, rear fuselage sections).
Production is divided into three tranches (see table below). Tranches are a production/funding distinction, and do not imply an incremental increase in capability with each tranche. Tranche3 are based on late Tranche2 aircraft with improvements added. Tranche3 was split into A and B parts.
Tranches were further divided up into production standard/capability blocks and funding/procurement batches, though these did not coincide, and are not the same thing; e.g., the Eurofighter designated ''
FGR4'' by the RAF is a Tranche 1, block 5. Batch1 covered block 1, but batch2 covered blocks 2, 2B and 5. On 25 May 2011 the 100th production aircraft, ZK315, rolled off the production line at Warton.
In 1985 the estimated cost of 250 UK aircraft was £7 billion. By 1997 the estimated cost was £17 billion; by 2003, £20 billion, and the in-service date (2003, defined as the date of delivery of the first aircraft to the RAF) was 54 months late.
After 2003, the MoD refused to release updated cost-estimates on the grounds of commercial sensitivity.
However, in 2011, the
National Audit Office estimated the UK's "assessment, development, production and upgrade costs eventually hit £22.9 billion" and total programme costs would reach £37billion.
By 2007, Germany estimated the system cost (aircraft and training, plus spare parts) at €120million and said it was in perpetual increase.
On 17 June 2009, Germany ordered 31 aircraft of Tranche 3A for €2.8billion, leading to a system cost of €90million per aircraft.
The UK's
Committee of Public Accounts
The Committee of Public Accounts is a select committee of the British House of Commons. It is responsible for overseeing government expenditures, and to ensure they are effective and honest. The committee is seen as a crucial mechanism for en ...
reported that mismanagement of the project had helped increase the cost of each aircraft by seventy-five percent.
The Spanish MoD put the cost of their Typhoon project up to December 2010 at €11.718billion, up from an original €9.255billion and implying a system cost for their 73 aircraft of €160million.
On 31 March 2009, a Eurofighter Typhoon fired an
AIM-120 AMRAAM
The AIM-120 Advanced Medium-Range Air-to-Air Missile, or AMRAAM (pronounced ), is an American beyond-visual-range air-to-air missile (BVRAAM) capable of all-weather day-and-night operations. It is 7 inches (18 cm) in diameter, and employs ...
whilst having its radar in passive mode for the first time; the necessary target data for the missile was acquired by the radar of a second Eurofighter Typhoon and transmitted using the
Multifunctional Information Distribution System (MIDS).
The entire Typhoon fleet passed the 500,000 flying hours milestone in 2018.
As of August 2019, a total of 623 orders had been received.
In July 2016, the ten-year Typhoon Total Availability Enterprise (TyTAN) support deal between the RAF and industry partners BAE and Leonardo was announced that aims to reduce the Typhoon's per-hour operating cost by 30 to 40 percent.
This should equate to a saving of at least £550million ($712million), which "will be recycled into the programme" and, according to BAE, will result in the Typhoon having a per-hour operating cost "equivalent to a
F-16
The General Dynamics F-16 Fighting Falcon is a single-engine Multirole combat aircraft, multirole fighter aircraft originally developed by General Dynamics for the United States Air Force (USAF). Designed as an air superiority day fighter, it ...
".
By 2022 it was estimated that savings would be "over £500million."
Upgrades
In 2000, the UK selected the
Meteor
A meteoroid () is a small rocky or metallic body in outer space.
Meteoroids are defined as objects significantly smaller than asteroids, ranging in size from grains to objects up to a meter wide. Objects smaller than this are classified as micr ...
from
MBDA as the long range air-to-air missile armament for its Typhoons with an in-service date (ISD) of December 2011.
In December 2002, France, Germany, Spain and Sweden joined the British in a $1.9bn contract for Meteor on Typhoon, the Dassault Rafale and the Saab Gripen.
The protracted contract negotiations pushed the ISD to August 2012,
and it was further put back by Eurofighter's failure to make trials aircraft available to the Meteor partners.
In 2014 the "second element of the Phase1 Enhancements package known as 'P1Eb'" was announced, allowing "Typhoon to realise both its air-to-air and air-to-ground capability to full effect".
In 2011 ''Flight International'' reported that budgetary pressures being encountered by the four original partner nations were limiting upgrades.
For example, the four original partner nations were reluctant at that stage to fund enhancements that extend the aircraft's air-to-ground capability, such as integration of the
MBDA Storm Shadow
Storm Shadow is an Anglo-French low-observable, long-range, air-launched cruise missile developed since 1994 by Matra and British Aerospace, and now manufactured by MBDA. Storm Shadow is the weapon's British appellation. In French service, it is ...
cruise missile.
Tranche 3 aircraft ESM/ECM enhancements have focused on improving radiating jamming power with antenna modifications, while EuroDASS is reported to offer a range of new capabilities, including the addition of a digital receiver, extending band coverage to low frequencies (
VHF
Very high frequency (VHF) is the ITU designation for the range of radio frequency electromagnetic waves (radio waves) from 30 to 300 megahertz (MHz), with corresponding wavelengths of ten meters to one meter.
Frequencies immediately below VHF ...
/
UHF
Ultra high frequency (UHF) is the ITU designation for radio frequencies in the range between 300 megahertz (MHz) and 3 gigahertz (GHz), also known as the decimetre band as the wavelengths range from one meter to one tenth of a meter (on ...
) and introducing an interferometric receiver with extremely precise geolocation functionalities. On the jamming side, EuroDASS is looking to low-band
(VHF/UHF) jamming, more capable antennae, new ECM techniques, while protection against missile is to be enhanced through a new passive MWS in addition to the active devices already on board the aircraft. The latest support for self-protection will however originate from the new
AESA
Aesa or Aisa ( grc, Αἶσα) was a town of ancient Macedonia. Aesa belonged to the Delian League since it appears on a tribute list to Athens in 434/3 BCE. The editors of the Barrington Atlas of the Greek and Roman World identify Aesa wi ...
radar which is to replace the Captor system, providing in a spiralled programme with passive, active and cyberwarfare RF capabilities.
Selex ES has developed a self-contained expendable
Digital Radio Frequency Memory (DRFM)
jammer
Jammer may refer to:
Signal blocking devices
* Radar jammer, a device used in radar jamming and deception
* Radio jammer, a device used in radio jamming
* Radio-controlled Improvised Explosive Device jammer, a counter-IED device
* Mobile phone ...
for fast jet aircraft known as
BriteCloud
BriteCloud is a self-contained expendable Digital Radio Frequency Memory ( DRFM) jammer developed by Selex ES (merged into Leonardo since 2017) to help protect military aircraft. The decoy was launched by Selex ES at a conference held at the Churc ...
which is being studied for integration on the Typhoon.
![Nozzle of EJ200 afterburning turbofan (5)](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/6/6f/Nozzle_of_EJ200_afterburning_turbofan_%285%29.jpg)
Eurojet is attempting to find funding to test
thrust vectoring
Thrust vectoring, also known as thrust vector control (TVC), is the ability of an aircraft, rocket, or other vehicle to manipulate the direction of the thrust from its engine(s) or motor(s) to control the attitude or angular velocity of the v ...
control (TVC) nozzles on a flight demonstrator.
In April 2014, BAE announced new wind tunnel tests to assess the aerodynamic characteristics of
conformal fuel tanks (CFTs). The CFTs, which can be fitted to any Tranche 3 aircraft, could carry 1,500 litres each to increase the Typhoon's
combat radius
Radius of action, combat radius, or combat range in military terms, refers to the maximum distance a ship, aircraft, or vehicle can travel away from its base along a given course with normal load and return without refueling, allowing for all safet ...
by a factor of 25% to 1,500 n miles (2,778 km).
BAE has completed development of its Striker II Helmet-Mounted Display that builds on the capabilities of the original Striker Helmet-Mounted Display, which is already in service on the Typhoon.
Striker II features a new display with more colour and can transition between day and night seamlessly eliminating the need for separate night vision goggles. In addition, the helmet can monitor the pilot's exact head position so it always knows exactly what information to display.
The system is compatible with
ANR
People
* Akkineni Nageswara Rao, Great Telugu film actor.
Places
* Akkineni Nageswara Rao College, sometimes called ANR College
* Antwerp International Airport (IATA code)
Entities
* Agence nationale de la recherche, a French funding agency f ...
, a
3-D audio
3D audio effects are a group of sound effects that manipulate the sound produced by stereo speakers, surround-sound speakers, speaker-arrays, or headphones. This frequently involves the virtual placement of sound sources anywhere in three-dimensio ...
threats system and 3-D communications; these are available as customer options.
In 2015, BAE was awarded a £1.7million contract to study the feasibility of a common weapon launcher that could be capable of carrying multiple weapons and weapon types on a single pylon.
![EurofighterLEX2](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/5/58/EurofighterLEX2.jpg)
Also in 2015, Airbus flight tested a package of aerodynamic upgrades for the Eurofighter known as the Aerodynamic Modification Kit (AMK) consisting of reshaped (delta)
fuselage strakes, extended trailing-edge
flaperons and
leading-edge root extensions. This increases wing lift by 25% resulting in an increased turn rate, tighter turning radius, and improved nose-pointing ability at low speed with angle of attack values around 45% greater and roll rates up to 100% higher.
Eurofighter's Laurie Hilditch said these improvements should increase subsonic turn rate by 15% and give the Eurofighter the sort of "knife-fight in a phone box" turning capability enjoyed by rivals such as Boeing's F/A-18E/F or the Lockheed Martin F-16, without sacrificing the transonic and supersonic high-energy agility inherent to its delta wing-canard configuration.
Eurofighter Project Pilot Germany Raffaele Beltrame said: "The handling qualities appeared to be markedly improved, providing more manoeuvrability, agility and precision while performing tasks representative of in-service operations. And it is extremely interesting to consider the potential benefits in the air-to-surface configuration thanks to the increased variety and flexibility of stores that can be carried."
In April 2016, Finmeccanica (now Leonardo) demonstrated the air-to-ground capabilities of its Mode5 Reverse-
Identification friend or foe
Identification, friend or foe (IFF) is an identification system designed for command and control. It uses a transponder that listens for an ''interrogation'' signal and then sends a ''response'' that identifies the broadcaster. IFF systems usual ...
(IFF) system which showed that it is possible to give pilots the ability to distinguish between friendly and enemy platforms in a simple fashion using the aircraft's existing transponder.
Finmeccanica said
NATO
The North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO, ; french: Organisation du traité de l'Atlantique nord, ), also called the North Atlantic Alliance, is an intergovernmental military alliance between 30 member states – 28 European and two No ...
is considering the system as a short- to mid-term solution for air-to-surface identification of friendly forces and thus avoid collateral damages due to friendly fire during close air support operations.
UK Project Centurion upgrades
With the confirmed retirement date of March 2019 for RAF Tornado GR4s, in 2014 the UK commenced an upgrade programme that would eventually become the £425 million Project Centurion to ensure the Typhoon was able to assume the precision strike duties of the ageing Tornado. The upgrade was delivered under different phases:
*Phase 0 – initial multirole upgrades.
*Phase 1/P2EA – MBDA Meteor integration and initial Storm Shadow Capability.
*Phase 2/P3EA – Full Storm Shadow capability as well as Brimstone integration.
Phase 1 standard aircraft were used operationally for the first time as part of
Operation Shader over Iraq and Syria in 2018. On 18 December 2018 the RAF approved release to service for the full Project Centurion package.
Proposed upgrade for German Tornado replacement
On 24 April 2018, Airbus announced its offer to replace Germany's Panavia Tornado fleet, proposing the integration of new weaponry, performance enhancements and additional capabilities to the Eurofighter Typhoon.
This is similar to that being performed as part of the UK's Project Centurion. Integration of air-to-ground weapons already has begun on German Typhoons as part of Project Odin. Among the weapons being offered are the Kongsberg Joint Strike Missile for the anti-ship mission and the Taurus cruise missile.
The consortium is keen to make use of the engine's growth potential to boost thrust by around 15% as well as improve fuel efficiency and range. This will be combined with a new design and enlarged 1,800-litre fuel tank. The aircraft currently is fitted with 1,000-litre fuel tanks. Other modifications will include the Aerodynamic Modification Kit, test flown in 2014, to improve maneuverability and handling, particularly with heavy weapon loads. Eurofighter says it is comfortable with delivering integration of the U.S.
B61 nuclear weapon onto the aircraft, a process that requires U.S. certification. Paltzo said he was confident the U.S. government would not use the certification requirements of the weapon as "leverage" to force Germany towards a U.S. platform. A next-generation electronic warfare suite has been planned by the four-country consortium.
In November 2019, Airbus proposed a
SEAD capability for the aircraft, a role which is currently performed by the Tornado ECR in German service. The Typhoon ECR would be configured with two Escort Jammer pods under the wings and two Emitter Location Systems at the wing tips. Armament configuration would include four MBDA Meteor, two
IRIS-T and six
SPEAR-EW in addition to three
drop tanks.
On 5 November 2020, the German government approved an order for 38 Tranche 4 with ground attack capabilities for the replacement of Tranche 1 units in German service.
Luftwaffe ordered 15 ECR electronic warfare aircraft for the ''Luftgestützte Wirkung im Elektromagnetischen Spektrum'' (luWES) requirement in March 2022.
Replacement
Germany is to replace the Eurofighter with the
New Generation Fighter
The Future Combat Air System (FCAS), french: Système de combat aérien du futur; SCAF; es, Futuro Sistema Aéreo de Combate; FSAC) is a European combat system of systems under development by Dassault Aviation, Airbus and Indra Sistemas. Th ...
(NGF), co-developed with France and Spain.
The
BAE Systems Tempest
The BAE Systems Tempest is a proposed sixth-generation fighter aircraft that is under development in the United Kingdom for the Royal Air Force (RAF). The aircraft is intended to enter service from 2035, gradually replacing the Eurofighter Typh ...
is a ‘6th Generation’ fighter envisioned as a replacement for the RAF and
Italian Air Force
, colours =
, colours_label =
, march = (Ordinance March of the Air Force) by Alberto Di Miniello
, mascot =
, anniversaries = 28 March ...
(AM), part of the UK's wider
Future Combat Air System.
Design
Airframe overview
The Typhoon is a highly agile aircraft both at supersonic and at low speeds, achieved through having an intentionally
relaxed stability
In aviation, relaxed stability refers to an aircraft with low or negative stability.
An aircraft with negative stability will have a tendency to change its pitch and bank angles spontaneously. An aircraft with negative stability cannot be trimm ...
design. It has a quadruplex digital
fly-by-wire
Fly-by-wire (FBW) is a system that replaces the conventional manual flight controls of an aircraft with an electronic interface. The movements of flight controls are converted to electronic signals transmitted by wires, and flight control co ...
control system providing artificial stability, as manual operation alone could not compensate for the inherent instability. The fly-by-wire system is described as "carefree", and prevents the pilot from exceeding the permitted manoeuvre envelope. Roll control is primarily achieved by use of the ailerons. Pitch control is by operation of the canards and ailerons, because the canards disturb airflow to inner elevons (flaps). The yaw control is done by a large, single rudder.
Engines are fed by a chin double
intake ramp situated below a
splitter plate.
The Typhoon features lightweight construction (82% composites consisting of 70%
carbon fibre composite material
A composite material (also called a composition material or shortened to composite, which is the common name) is a material which is produced from two or more constituent materials. These constituent materials have notably dissimilar chemical or ...
s and 12%
glass fibre
Glass fiber ( or glass fibre) is a material consisting of numerous extremely fine fibers of glass.
Glassmakers throughout history have experimented with glass fibers, but mass manufacture of glass fiber was only made possible with the inventio ...
reinforced composites) with an estimated lifespan of 6,000 flying hours.
Radar signature reduction features
![Eurofighter EFA-2000 Typhoon DA1 98+29 Intake DMFO 10June2013 (14563817746)](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/c/c7/Eurofighter_EFA-2000_Typhoon_DA1_98%2B29_Intake_DMFO_10June2013_%2814563817746%29.jpg)
Although not designated a
stealth fighter
Stealth aircraft are designed to avoid detection using a variety of technologies that reduce reflection/emission of radar, infrared, visible light, radio frequency (RF) spectrum, and audio, collectively known as stealth technology. The F-117 Nig ...
,
measures were taken to reduce the Typhoon's
radar cross section (RCS), especially from the frontal aspect; An example of these measures is that the Typhoon has jet inlets that conceal the front of the engines (a strong radar target) from radar. Many important potential radar targets, such as the wing, canard and fin leading edges, are highly swept so they will reflect radar energy well away from the front. Some external weapons are mounted semi-recessed into the aircraft, partially shielding these missiles from incoming radar waves.
In addition
radar-absorbent material
In materials science, radiation-absorbent material, usually known as RAM, is a material which has been specially designed and shaped to absorb incident RF radiation (also known as non-ionising radiation), as effectively as possible, from as ma ...
s (RAM), developed primarily by
EADS
Airbus SE (; ; ; ) is a European multinational aerospace corporation. Airbus designs, manufactures and sells civil and military aerospace products worldwide and manufactures aircraft throughout the world. The company has three divisions: '' ...
/DASA, coat many of the most significant reflectors, such as the wing leading edges, the intake edges and interior, the rudder surrounds, and strakes.
The manufacturers carried out tests on the early Eurofighter prototypes to optimise the low observability characteristics of the aircraft from the early 1990s. Testing at Warton on the DA4 prototype measured the RCS of the aircraft and investigated the effects of a variety of RAM coatings and composites.
Another measure to reduce the likelihood of discovery is the use of passive sensors (PIRATE IRST), which minimises the radiation of treacherous electronic emissions. While canards generally have poor stealth characteristics from side because of corner to hull,
the flight control system is designed to maintain the elevon trim and canards at an angle at which they have the smallest RCS.
Cockpit
![Eurofighter cockpit int](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/a/a4/Eurofighter_cockpit_int.jpg)
The Typhoon features a
glass cockpit
A glass cockpit is an aircraft cockpit that features electronic (digital) flight instrument displays, typically large LCD screens, rather than the traditional style of analog dials and gauges. While a traditional cockpit relies on numerous mech ...
without any conventional instruments. It incorporates three full colour multi-function head-down displays (MHDDs) (the formats on which are manipulated by means of softkeys, XY cursor, and voice (
Direct Voice Input Direct voice input (DVI), sometimes called voice input control (VIC), is a style of human–machine interaction "HMI" in which the user makes voice commands to issue instructions to the machine through speech recognition.
In the field of militar ...
or DVI) command), a wide angle
head-up display (HUD) with forward-looking infrared (
FLIR), a voice and hands-on throttle and stick (Voice+
HOTAS), a Helmet Mounted Symbology System (
HMSS), a MIDS, a manual data-entry facility (MDEF) located on the left glareshield and a fully integrated aircraft warning system with a dedicated warnings panel (DWP). Reversionary flying instruments, lit by
LED
A light-emitting diode (LED) is a semiconductor Electronics, device that Light#Light sources, emits light when Electric current, current flows through it. Electrons in the semiconductor recombine with electron holes, releasing energy i ...
s, are located under a hinged right glareshield.
Access to the cockpit is normally via either a telescopic integral ladder or an external version. The integral ladder is stowed in the port side of the fuselage, below the cockpit.
User needs were given a high priority in the cockpit's design; both layout and functionality was developed with feedback and assessments from military pilots and a specialist testing facility.
The aircraft is controlled by means of a
centre stick (or control stick) and left hand
throttle
A throttle is the mechanism by which fluid flow is managed by constriction or obstruction.
An engine's power can be increased or decreased by the restriction of inlet gases (by the use of a throttle), but usually decreased. The term ''throttle'' ...
s, designed on a Hand on Throttle and Stick (HOTAS) principle to lower pilot
workload
The term workload can refer to a number of different yet related entities.
An amount of labor
Workload is the amount of work an individual has to do.Jex, S. M. (1998). Stress and job performance: Theory, research, and implications for managerial ...
.
Emergency escape is provided by a
Martin-Baker Mk.16A
ejection seat
In aircraft, an ejection seat or ejector seat is a system designed to rescue the aircraft pilot, pilot or other aircrew, crew of an aircraft (usually military) in an emergency. In most designs, the seat is propelled out of the aircraft by an ex ...
, with the canopy being jettisoned by two rocket motors.
The HMSS was delayed by years but should have been operational by late 2011.
Standard ''g''-force protection is provided by the ''full-cover anti-''g'' trousers'' (FCAGTs),
a specially developed
''g'' suit providing sustained protection up to nine ''g''. German and Austrian Air Force pilots wear a hydrostatic ''g''-suit called ''Libelle'' (''dragonfly'') Multi G Plus instead,
which also provides protection to the arms, theoretically giving more complete ''g'' tolerance.
![Royal Air Force Typhoon Pilot's Helmet MOD 45158393](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/5/57/Royal_Air_Force_Typhoon_Pilot%27s_Helmet_MOD_45158393.jpg)
In the event of pilot
disorientation
Orientation is a function of the mind involving awareness of three dimensions: time, Location (geography), place and person. Problems with orientation lead to ''dis''orientation, and can be due to various conditions, from delirium to Substance int ...
, the
Flight Control System allows for rapid and automatic recovery by the simple press of a button. On selection of this cockpit control the FCS takes full control of the engines and flying controls, and automatically stabilises the aircraft in a wings level, gentle climbing attitude at 300 knots, until the pilot is ready to retake control.
The aircraft also has an Automatic Low-Speed Recovery system (ALSR) which prevents it from departing from controlled flight at very low speeds and high
angle of attack
In fluid dynamics, angle of attack (AOA, α, or \alpha) is the angle between a reference line on a body (often the chord line of an airfoil) and the vector representing the relative motion between the body and the fluid through which it is m ...
. The FCS system is able to detect a developing low-speed situation and to raise an audible and visual low-speed cockpit warning. This gives the pilot sufficient time to react and to recover the aircraft manually. If the pilot does not react, however, or if the warning is ignored, the ALSR takes control of the aircraft, selects maximum dry power for the engines and returns the aircraft to a safe flight condition. Depending on the attitude, the FCS employs an ALSR "push", "pull" or "knife-over" manoeuvre.
The Typhoon Direct Voice Input (DVI) system uses a speech recognition module (SRM), developed by
Smiths Aerospace
GE Aviation Systems (formerly Smiths Aerospace) is an American aerospace engineering, aircraft engine
An aircraft engine, often referred to as an aero engine, is the power component of an aircraft propulsion system. Most aircraft engines are ...
and Computing Devices. It was the first production DVI system used in a military cockpit. DVI provides the pilot with an additional natural mode of command and control over approximately 26 non-critical cockpit functions, to reduce pilot workload, improve aircraft safety, and expand mission capabilities. An important step in the development of the DVI occurred in 1987 when
Texas Instruments
Texas Instruments Incorporated (TI) is an American technology company headquartered in Dallas, Texas, that designs and manufactures semiconductors and various integrated circuits, which it sells to electronics designers and manufacturers globall ...
completed the TMS-320-C30, a digital signal-processor, enabling reductions in the size and system complexity required. The project was given the go-ahead in July 1997, with development carried out on the Eurofighter Active Cockpit Simulator at Warton.
The DVI system is speaker-dependent, requiring each pilot to create a template. It is not used for safety-critical or weapon-critical tasks, such as weapon release or lowering of the undercarriage.
Voice commands are confirmed by visual or aural feedback, and serves to reduce pilot workload. All functions are also achievable by means of a conventional button-press or soft-key selections; functions include display management, communications, and management of various systems.
EADS Defence and Security in Spain has worked on a new non-template DVI module to allow for continuous speech recognition, speaker voice recognition with common databases (e.g.
British English
British English (BrE, en-GB, or BE) is, according to Lexico, Oxford Dictionaries, "English language, English as used in Great Britain, as distinct from that used elsewhere". More narrowly, it can refer specifically to the English language in ...
,
American English
American English, sometimes called United States English or U.S. English, is the set of variety (linguistics), varieties of the English language native to the United States. English is the Languages of the United States, most widely spoken lan ...
, etc.) and other improvements.
BAE Systems has been awarded a contract to develop new touch screen displays in the cockpit and enhance data processing capability for Eurofighter Typhoon.
Avionics
![DASS by numbers](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/7/7b/DASS_by_numbers.png)
Navigation is via both
GPS
The Global Positioning System (GPS), originally Navstar GPS, is a Radionavigation-satellite service, satellite-based radionavigation system owned by the United States government and operated by the United States Space Force. It is one of t ...
and an
inertial navigation system
An inertial navigation system (INS) is a navigation device that uses motion sensors (accelerometers), rotation sensors ( gyroscopes) and a computer to continuously calculate by dead reckoning the position, the orientation, and the velocity (dire ...
. The Typhoon can use
Instrument Landing System (ILS) for landing in poor weather. The aircraft also features an
enhanced ground proximity warning system (GPWS) based on the
TERPROM
TERPROM (terrain profile matching) is a military navigation Ground Proximity Warning System (GPWS) employed on aircraft and missiles, which uses stored digital elevation data combined with navigation system and radar altimeter inputs to compute th ...
Terrain Referenced Navigation (TRN) system used by the Panavia Tornado.
MIDS provides a
Link 16 data link.
The aircraft employs a sophisticated and highly integrated
Defensive Aids Sub-System named
Praetorian (formerly Euro-DASS)
Praetorian monitors and responds automatically to air and surface threats, provides an all-round prioritised assessment, and can respond to multiple threats simultaneously. Threat detection methods include a
Radar warning receiver
Radar warning receiver (RWR) systems detect the radio emissions of radar systems. Their primary purpose is to issue a warning when a radar signal that might be a threat is detected, like a fighter aircraft's fire control radar. The warning can th ...
(RWR), a
missile warning system (MWS) and a
laser warning receiver (LWR, only on UK Typhoons). Protective countermeasures consist of
chaff
Chaff (; ) is the dry, scaly protective casing of the seeds of cereal grains or similar fine, dry, scaly plant material (such as scaly parts of flowers or finely chopped straw). Chaff is indigestible by humans, but livestock can eat it. In agri ...
,
flares, an
electronic countermeasures
An electronic countermeasure (ECM) is an electrical or electronic device designed to trick or deceive radar, sonar, or other detection systems, like infrared (IR) or lasers. It may be used both offensively and defensively to deny targeting info ...
(ECM) suite and a towed radar decoy (TRD).
The ESM-ECM and MWS consists of 16 antenna array assemblies and 10 radomes.
Traditionally each sensor in an aircraft is treated as a discrete source of information; however this can result in conflicting data and limits the scope for the automation of systems, hence increasing pilot workload. To overcome this, the Typhoon employs
sensor fusion
Sensor fusion is the process of combining sensor data or data derived from disparate sources such that the resulting information has less uncertainty than would be possible when these sources were used individually. For instance, one could potentia ...
techniques. In the Typhoon, fusion of all data sources is achieved through the Attack and Identification System, or AIS. This combines data from the major on-board sensors along with any information obtained from off-board platforms such as
AWACS and MIDS. Additionally the AIS integrates all the other major offensive and defensive systems (e.g. DASS & communications). The AIS physically comprises two essentially separate units: the Attack Computer (AC) and the Navigation Computer (NC).
By having a single source of information, pilot workload should be reduced by removing the possibility of conflicting data and the need for cross-checking, improving
situational awareness
Situational awareness or situation awareness (SA) is the perception of environmental elements and events with respect to time or space, the comprehension of their meaning, and the projection of their future status. An alternative definition is tha ...
and increasing systems automation. In practice the AIS should allow the Eurofighter to identify targets at distances in excess of 150 nmi and acquire and auto-prioritise them at over 100 nmi. In addition the AIS offers the ability to automatically control emissions from the aircraft, so called EMCON (from EMissions CONtrol). This should aid in limiting the detectability of the Typhoon by opposing aircraft further reducing pilot workload.
In 2017 a RAF Eurofighter Typhoon demonstrated interoperability with the F-35B using its
Multifunction Advanced Data Link Multifunction Advanced Data Link (MADL) is a fast switching narrow directional communications data link between stealth aircraft. It began as a method to coordinate between F-35 aircraft (the Joint Strike Fighter), but HQ Air Combat Command wants t ...
(MADL) in a two-week trial known as Babel Fish III, in the
Mojave Desert
The Mojave Desert ( ; mov, Hayikwiir Mat'aar; es, Desierto de Mojave) is a desert in the rain shadow of the Sierra Nevada mountains in the Southwestern United States. It is named for the indigenous Mojave people. It is located primarily in ...
. This was achieved by translating the MADL messages into Link 16 format, thus allowing an F-35 in stealth mode to communicate directly with the Typhoon.
Radar and sensors
Captor radar
![ILA Berlin 2012 PD 193-2](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/5/51/ILA_Berlin_2012_PD_193-2.JPG)
The Euroradar Captor is a mechanical multi-mode pulse Doppler radar designed for the Eurofighter Typhoon. The Eurofighter operates automatic Emission Controls (EMCON) to reduce the electro-magnetic emissions of the current CAPTOR mechanically scanned radar.
The Captor-M has three working channels, one intended for classification of jammer and for jamming suppression.
A succession of radar software upgrades have enhanced the air-to-air capability of the radar.
These upgrades have included the R2P programme (initially UK only, and known as T2P when 'ported' to the Tranche2 aircraft) which is being followed by R2Q/T2Q.
R2P was applied to eight German Typhoons deployed on Red Flag Alaska in 2012.
;Captor-E AESA variant
The
Captor-E is an
AESA
Aesa or Aisa ( grc, Αἶσα) was a town of ancient Macedonia. Aesa belonged to the Delian League since it appears on a tribute list to Athens in 434/3 BCE. The editors of the Barrington Atlas of the Greek and Roman World identify Aesa wi ...
derivative of the original Captor radar, also known as CAESAR (from Captor Active Electronically Scanned Array Radar) being developed by the Euroradar Consortium, led by Selex ES.
Synthetic Aperture Radar is expected to be fielded as part of the AESA radar upgrade which will give the Eurofighter an all-weather ground attack capability.
The conversion to AESA will also give the Eurofighter a
low probability of intercept radar
A low-probability-of-intercept radar (LPIR) is a radar employing measures to avoid detection by passive radar detection equipment (such as a radar warning receiver (RWR), or electronic support receiver) while it is searching for a target or enga ...
with improved jam resistance.
These include an innovative design with a gimbal to meet RAF requirements for a wider scan field than a fixed AESA.
The coverage of a fixed AESA is limited to 120° in azimuth and elevation.
A senior EADS radar expert has claimed that Captor-E is capable of detecting an
F-35 from roughly 59 km away.
The first flight of a Eurofighter equipped with a "mass model" of the Captor-E occurred in late February 2014, with flight tests of the actual radar beginning in July of that year.
On 19 November 2014 the contract to upgrade to the Captor-E was signed at the offices of EuroRadar lead Selex ES in Edinburgh, in a deal worth €1bn.
Kuwait became the launch customer for the Captor-E active electronically scanned array radar in April 2016.
Germany has announced the intention to integrate the AESA Captor-E into their Typhoons, beginning in 2022.
The AESA radar program for Eurofighter is now split into three European Common Radar System (ECRS) variants:
*ECRS Mk0: also called Radar One Plus, this is the baseline Captor-E model which was developed by Leonardo. Hardware development is complete and it is fitted to aircraft delivered to Kuwait and Qatar.
*ECRS Mk1: an upgrade of the Mk0 being developed by
Hensoldt
Hensoldt AG ''(HENSOLDT)'' is a multinational corporation headquartered in Germany which focuses on sensor technologies for protection and surveillance missions in the Military, defence, security and aerospace sectors. The main product areas are r ...
/
Indra
Indra (; Sanskrit: इन्द्र) is the king of the devas (god-like deities) and Svarga (heaven) in Hindu mythology. He is associated with the sky, lightning, weather, thunder, storms, rains, river flows, and war. volumes/ref> I ...
, for Germany and Spain.
It will be retrofitted to their Tranche 2 and 3 aircraft, and also fitted to both countries' new Tranche 4 models.
*ECRS Mk2: also known as Radar Two, a different version developed from the ARTS and Bright Adder demonstrators, and from the
Gripen
The Saab JAS 39 Gripen (; English: ''griffin'') is a light single-engine multirole fighter aircraft manufactured by the Swedish aerospace and defense company Saab AB. The Gripen has a delta wing and canard configuration with relaxed stabilit ...
E's ES-05 Raven radar.
With
electronic warfare
Electronic warfare (EW) is any action involving the use of the electromagnetic spectrum (EM spectrum) or directed energy to control the spectrum, attack an enemy, or impede enemy assaults. The purpose of electronic warfare is to deny the opponen ...
/attack capabilities, it is being developed by Leonardo for the RAF, and integrated by BAE Systems. It will initially be applied to Tranche 3 aircraft, but the RAF may upgrade Tranche 2 later.
Italy has joined development of the ECRS Mk2,
which was part of the Typhoon offer to Finland for its
HX Fighter Program
The HX Fighter Program is a fighter jet procurement program of the Finnish Ministry of Defence, aiming to acquire multirole fighters for Finland to replace the current Hornet fighters. If completed, the acquisition will be the most expensive sta ...
.
IRST
The Passive Infra-Red Airborne Track Equipment (PIRATE) system is an
infrared search and track (IRST) system mounted on the port side of the fuselage, forward of the windscreen. Selex ES is the lead contractor which, along with
Thales Optronics (system technical authority) and Tecnobit of Spain, make up the EUROFIRST consortium responsible for the system's design and development. Eurofighters starting with Tranche1 block5 have the PIRATE. The first Eurofighter Typhoon with PIRATE-IRST was delivered to the Italian
Aeronautica Militare
, colours =
, colours_label =
, march = (Ordinance March of the Air Force) by Alberto Di Miniello
, mascot =
, anniversaries = 28 March ...
in August 2007.
More advanced targeting capabilities can be provided with the addition of a targeting pod such as the
Litening
The AN/AAQ-28(V) Litening targeting pod is an advanced precision targeting pod system currently operational with a wide variety of aircraft worldwide. The research and development of the ''Litening'' was first undertaken by Rafael Advanced Defense ...
pod.
![Aeronautica Militare Typhoon IRST (27476944291)](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/3/30/Aeronautica_Militare_Typhoon_IRST_%2827476944291%29.jpg)
When used with the radar in an air-to-air role, it functions as an infrared search and track system, providing passive target detection and tracking. The system can detect variations in temperature at a long range.
It also provides a navigation and landing aid. PIRATE is linked to the pilot's
helmet-mounted display.
It allows the detection of both hot exhaust plumes of jet engines and surface heating caused by friction; processing techniques further enhance the output, giving a near-high resolution image of targets. The output can be directed to any of the Multi-function Head Down Displays, and can also be overlaid on both the Helmet Mounted Sight and the Head Up Display.
Up to 200 targets can be simultaneously tracked using one of several different modes; Multiple Target Track (MTT), Single Target Track (STT), Single Target Track Ident (STTI), Sector Acquisition and Slaved Acquisition. In MTT mode the system will scan a designated volume space looking for potential targets. In STT mode PIRATE will provide tracking of a single designated target. An addition to this mode, STT Ident allows for visual identification of the target, the resolution being superior to CAPTOR's. When in Sector Acquisition mode PIRATE will scan a volume of space under direction of another onboard sensor such as CAPTOR. In Slave Acquisition, off-board sensors are used with PIRATE being commanded by data obtained from an AWACS or other source. When a target is found in either of these modes, PIRATE will automatically designate it and switch to STT.
Once a target has been tracked and identified, PIRATE can be used to cue an appropriately equipped short range missile, i.e. a missile with a high off-boresight tracking capability such as ASRAAM. Additionally the data can be used to augment that of Captor or off-board sensor information via the AIS. This should enable the Typhoon to overcome severe ECM environments and still engage its targets.
PIRATE also has a passive ranging capability
although the system remains limited when providing passive firing solutions, as it does not have a
laser rangefinder
A laser rangefinder, also known as a laser telemeter, is a rangefinder that uses a laser beam to determine the distance to an object. The most common form of laser rangefinder operates on the time of flight principle by sending a laser pulse in ...
.
Engines
The Eurofighter Typhoon is fitted with two Eurojet EJ200 engines, each capable of providing up to 60 kN (13,500 lbf) of dry thrust and >90 kN (20,230 lbf) with afterburners. Using the "war" setting, dry thrust increases by 15% to 69 kN per engine and afterburners by 5% to 95 kN per engine and for a few seconds, up to 102 kN thrust without damaging the engine.
The EJ200 engine combines the leading technologies from each of the four European companies, using advanced
digital control and health monitoring;
wide chord
Wide chord fan refers to the fan blades on a modern turbofan jet engine having a ducted fan with a specific blade geometry - In layman's terms, they would be described as having wider blades than other jet engines. The technology was pioneered ...
aerofoils and
single crystal turbine blades; and a
convergent / divergent exhaust nozzle to give high thrust-to-weight ratio, multimission capability, supercruise performance, low fuel consumption, low cost of ownership, modular construction and growth potential.
![Eurojet EJ200 for Eurofighter Typhoon PAS 2013 01 free](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/c/ce/Eurojet_EJ200_for_Eurofighter_Typhoon_PAS_2013_01_free.jpg)
The Typhoon is capable of supersonic cruise without using
afterburner
An afterburner (or reheat in British English) is an additional combustion component used on some jet engines, mostly those on military supersonic aircraft. Its purpose is to increase thrust, usually for supersonic flight, takeoff, and comba ...
s (referred to as
supercruise). ''Air Forces Monthly'' gives a maximum supercruise speed of Mach 1.1 for the RAF FGR4 multirole version,
however in a Singaporean evaluation, a Typhoon managed to supercruise at Mach 1.21 on a hot day with a combat load.
Eurofighter states that the Typhoon can supercruise at Mach 1.5.
As with the F-22, the Eurofighter can launch weapons while under supercruise to extend their ranges via this "running start".
In 2007, the EJ200 engine had accumulated 50,000 Engine Flying Hours in service with the four Nation Air Forces (Germany, UK, Spain and Italy).
![EJ200-Eurofighter-Turbine-apel](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/6/63/EJ200-Eurofighter-Turbine-apel.JPG)
The EJ200 engine has the potential to be fitted with a thrust vectoring control (TVC) nozzle, which the Eurofighter and Eurojet consortium have been actively developing and testing, primarily for export but also for future upgrades of the fleet. TVC could reduce fuel burn on a typical Typhoon mission by up to 5%, as well as increase available thrust in supercruise by up to 7% and take-off thrust by 2%.
Clemens Linden, Eurojet TURBO GmbH CEO, speaking at the 2018 Farnborough International Air Show, said "15 per cent more thrust would allow pilots to operate with a heavily loaded aircraft in the battlespace with the same performance levels as they have today. The technology insertion also provides more persistence – giving aircraft longer range or longer loitering time. To achieve more thrust we would increase the airflow and pressure ratios of the high and low pressure compressors and run higher temperatures in the turbines by using the latest generation single crystal turbine blade materials. And with higher aerodynamic efficiencies we can achieve a lower fuel burn. A third area of improvement would be the engine exhaust nozzle which would be upgraded with the installation of a 2-parametric version allowing independent and optimized adjustment of the throat and exit area at all flight conditions, providing fuel burn advantages. The technologies for the different components are at a
Technology readiness level
Technology readiness levels (TRLs) are a method for estimating the maturity of technologies during the acquisition phase of a program. TRLs enable consistent and uniform discussions of technical maturity across different types of technology. TR ...
of between 7and 9. The nozzle has been at
ITP in Spain on a test bed for 400 hours."
Performance
The Typhoon's combat performance, compared to the
F-22 Raptor and F-35 Lightning II fighters and the French Dassault Rafale, has been the subject of much discussion.
In March 2005,
United States Air Force
The United States Air Force (USAF) is the air service branch of the United States Armed Forces, and is one of the eight uniformed services of the United States. Originally created on 1 August 1907, as a part of the United States Army Signal ...
Chief of Staff General
John P. Jumper
John Phillip Jumper (born February 4, 1945) is a retired United States Air Force general, who served as 17th Chief of Staff of the United States Air Force from September 6, 2001 to September 2, 2005. He retired from the Air Force on November ...
, then the only person to have flown both the Eurofighter Typhoon and the Raptor, said:
![German eurofighter](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/8/85/German_eurofighter.JPG)
In the 2005 Singapore evaluation, the Typhoon won all three combat tests, including one in which a single Typhoon defeated three RSAF F-16s, and reliably completed all planned flight tests. In July 2009, Former Chief of Air Staff for the RAF, Air Chief Marshal Sir Glenn Torpy, said that "The Eurofighter Typhoon is an excellent aircraft. It will be the backbone of the Royal Air Force along with the JSF."
In July 2007, Indian Air Force
Su-30MKI fighters participated in the ''Indra-Dhanush'' exercise with the RAF's Typhoon. This was the first time the two fighters had taken part in such an exercise.
The IAF did not allow their pilots to use the MKI's radar during the exercise to protect the highly classified Russian
N011M Bars.
The IAF pilots were impressed by the Typhoon's agility.
In 2015, Indian Air Force Su-30MKIs again participated in a ''Indra-Dhanush'' exercise with RAF Typhoons.
Armament
![Eurofighter Typhoon in Madrid (Spain) 01](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/3/38/Eurofighter_Typhoon_in_Madrid_%28Spain%29_01.jpg)
The Typhoon is a multi-role fighter with maturing air-to-ground capabilities. The initial absence of air-to-ground capability is believed to have been a factor in the type's rejection from Singapore's fighter competition in 2005. At the time it was claimed that Singapore was concerned about the delivery timescale and the ability of the Eurofighter partner nations to fund the required capability packages.
Tranche1 aircraft could drop laser-guided bombs in conjunction with third-party designators but the anticipated deployment of Typhoon to Afghanistan meant that the UK required self-contained bombing capabilities before the other partners.
In 2006 the UK embarked on the £73m Change Proposal 193 (CP193) to give an "austere" air-to-surface capability using
GBU-16 Paveway II
The GBU-16 Paveway II is an American Paveway-series laser-guided bomb, based on the Mk 83 general-purpose bomb, but with laser seeker and wings for guidance. The GBU-16 was introduced into service around 1976 and is used by the U.S. Air Force, ...
and
Rafael
Rafael may refer to:
* Rafael (given name) or Raphael, a name of Hebrew origin
* Rafael, California
* Rafael Advanced Defense Systems, Israeli manufacturer of weapons and military technology
* Hurricane Rafael, a 2012 hurricane
Fiction
* ''R ...
/
Ultra Electronics Litening III laser designator for Tranche1 Block5 aircraft.
Aircraft with this upgrade were designated Typhoon FGR4 by the RAF.
![Eurofighter hardpoints](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/2/25/Eurofighter_hardpoints.png)
Similar capability was added to Tranche 2 aircraft on the main development pathway as part of the Phase1 Enhancements. P1Ea (SRP10) entered service in 2013 Q1 and added the use of Paveway IV, EGBU16 and the cannon against surface targets.
P1Eb (SRP12) added full integration with GPS bombs such as
GBU-10 Paveway II
The GBU-10 Paveway II is an American Paveway-series laser-guided bomb, based on the Mk 84 general-purpose bomb, but with laser seeker and wings for guidance. Introduced into service c. 1976. Used by USAF, US Navy, US Marine Corps, Royal Australia ...
, GBU-16 Paveway II,
Paveway IV
Paveway IV is a dual mode GPS/INS and laser-guided bomb manufactured by Raytheon UK (formerly Raytheon Systems Limited). It is the latest iteration of the Paveway series.
The weapon is a guidance kit based on the existing Enhanced Paveway II E ...
and a new real-time operating system that allows multiple targets to be attacked in a single run.
This new system will form the basis for future weapons integration by individual countries under the Phase2 Enhancements. The Storm Shadow and
KEPD 350 (Taurus) cruise missiles, together with the Meteor Beyond Visual Range Air-to-Air missile flight trials had been successfully completed by January 2016.
The
Storm Shadow and Meteor firings are part of the Phase2 Enhancement (P2E) programme which introduced a range of new and improved long range attack capabilities to Typhoon. In addition to Meteor and Storm Shadow, the first live firing of MBDA's Brimstone air-to-surface missile, part of the Phase3 Enhancements (P3E) programme, was successfully completed in July 2017.
German aircraft can carry four
GBU-48 1000 lb bombs.
An anti-ship capability has been studied but has not yet been contracted. Weapon options for this role could include
Boeing Harpoon,
MBDA Marte, "Sea Brimstone", and
RBS-15
The RBS 15 (Robotsystem 15) is a long-range fire-and-forget surface-to-surface and air-to-surface anti-ship missile. The later version Mk. III has the ability to attack land targets as well. The missile was developed by the Swedish company Saab ...
.
The Typhoon also carries a specially developed variant of the
Mauser BK-27
The BK 27 (also BK27 or BK-27) (German abbreviation for ''Bordkanone'', "on-board cannon") is a caliber revolver cannon manufactured by Mauser (now part of Rheinmetall) of Germany. It was developed in the late 1960s for the MRCA (Multi Role Com ...
27 mm cannon that was developed originally for the Panavia Tornado. This is a single-barrel, electrically fired, gas-operated revolver cannon with a new linkless feed system is located in the starboard wing root, and is capable of firing up to 1700 rounds per minute. There was a proposal on cost grounds in 1999 to limit UK gun-armament fit to the first 53 batch-1 aircraft and not used operationally, but this decision was reversed in 2006.
In addition to its air to ground armament; the Typhoon can carry a mixture of air to air weaponry to fulfill its role as an
air superiority fighter. This includes the
ASRAAM,
IRIS-T, and the
AIM-9 Sidewinder heat seeking missiles; and the
AIM-120 AMRAAM
The AIM-120 Advanced Medium-Range Air-to-Air Missile, or AMRAAM (pronounced ), is an American beyond-visual-range air-to-air missile (BVRAAM) capable of all-weather day-and-night operations. It is 7 inches (18 cm) in diameter, and employs ...
and the
MBDA Meteor
The Meteor is a European active radar guided beyond-visual-range air-to-air missile (BVRAAM) developed and manufactured by MBDA. It offers a multi-shot capability (multiple launches against multiple targets), and has the ability to engage high ...
beyond visual range radar guided missiles. Under Tranche 2, Block 15 EOC (Enhanced Operational Capability) 2; the
Meteor
A meteoroid () is a small rocky or metallic body in outer space.
Meteoroids are defined as objects significantly smaller than asteroids, ranging in size from grains to objects up to a meter wide. Objects smaller than this are classified as micr ...
was integrated into the Typhoon's arsenal. This similar capability was achieved in the RAF under "Project Centurion"; with 107 Tranche 2 and 3 Typhoons modified to be capable to use the Meteor along with
Brimstone and
Storm Shadow air to ground missiles.
Operational history
Austrian Air Force (''Luftstreitkräfte'')
![Eurofighter Typhoon AUT](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/c/c2/Eurofighter_Typhoon_AUT.jpg)
In 2002, Austria selected the Typhoon as its new air defence aircraft, it having beaten the F-16 and the Saab Gripen in competition.
The purchase of 18 Typhoons was agreed on 1 July 2003, however this was reduced to 15 in June 2007.
The first aircraft (''7L-WA'') was delivered on 12 July 2007 to
Zeltweg Air Base and formally entered service with the
Austrian Air Force
The Austrian Air Force (german: Österreichische Luftstreitkräfte, , Austrian Air Combat Force) is a component part of the Austrian Armed Forces.
History
The Austrian Air Force in its current form was created in May 1955 by the victorious Al ...
.
A 2008 report by the Austrian government oversight office, the
Rechnungshof, calculated that instead of getting 18 Tranche2 jets at a price of €109million each, as stipulated by the original contract, the revised deal agreed by Minister Darabos meant that Austria was paying an increased unit price of €114million for 15 partially used, Tranche1 jets.
In July 2008, the Luftstreitkräfte assigned the Eurofighter to
Quick Reaction Alert
Quick Reaction Alert (QRA) is state of readiness and '' modus operandi'' of air defence maintained at all hours of the day by NATO air forces. The United States usually refers to Quick Reaction Alert as 'Airspace Control Alert'.
Some non-NATO c ...
(QRA) duties, by the end of the year they had been scrambled 73 times.
Austrian prosecutors are investigating allegations that up to €100million was made available to lobbyists to influence the original purchase decision in favour of the Eurofighter.
By October 2013, all Typhoons in service with Austria had been upgraded to the latest ''Tranche1'' standard.
In 2014, due to defence budget restrictions, there were only 12 pilots available to fly the 15 aircraft in Austria's Air Force.
In February 2017, Austrian Defence Minister
Hans Peter Doskozil
Hans Peter Doskozil (born 21 June 1970) is an Austrian politician, member of the Social Democratic Party of Austria. He has previously served in cabinet and is currently the governor (''Landeshauptmann'') of Burgenland since 28 February 2019. In ...
accused Airbus of fraudulent intent following a probe that allegedly unveiled corruption linked to the order of Typhoon jets.
In July 2017, the Austria Defence Ministry announced that it would be replacing all its Typhoon aircraft by 2020. The ministry said continued use of its Typhoons over their 30-year life span would cost about €5billion with the bulk being for maintenance. By comparison it is estimated that buying and operating a new fleet of 15 single-seat and three twin-seat fighters would save €2billion over that period. Austria plans to explore a government-to-government sale or lease agreement to avoid a lengthy and costly tender process with a manufacturer. Possible replacements include the Gripen and the F-16.
On 20 July 2020, a letter written by Indonesia's defence minister,
Prabowo Subianto
Prabowo Subianto Djojohadikusumo (born 17 October 1951) is an Indonesian politician, businessman and former army lieutenant general who is the currently-appointed Minister of Defense of the Republic of Indonesia. He is the son of Sumitro Djojoh ...
, was published by Indonesian news outlets expressing interest in acquiring Austria's entire fleet of Typhoon jets.
German Air Force (''Luftwaffe'')
![Typhoon - RIAT 2019 (49218554186)](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/5/5b/Typhoon_-_RIAT_2019_%2849218554186%29.jpg)
On 4 August 2003, the German Air Force accepted its first series production Eurofighter (''30+03'') starting the replacement process of the
Mikoyan MiG-29s inherited from the
East German Air Force.
The first Luftwaffe Wing to accept the Eurofighter was ''
Jagdgeschwader 73
''Taktisches Luftwaffengeschwader'' (Tactical Air Force Wing) 73 " Steinhoff", formerly known as ''Jagdgeschwader 73'' (Fighter Wing 73), is a fighter wing of the German Air Force. The wing is based in north-eastern Germany at Rostock-Laage Airp ...
'' "Steinhoff" on 30 April 2004 at
Rostock–Laage Airport
Rostock Airport, German: ''Flughafen Rostock-Laage'' , is the airport of Rostock, the largest city in the German state Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, and is named after Laage, within the boundary of which it is located. Laage is a town in the Rostock dis ...
.
The second Wing was ''
Jagdgeschwader 74
Taktisches Luftwaffengeschwader 74 (74th Tactical Air Force Wing), formerly known as Jagdgeschwader 74 (JG 74) (74th Fighter Wing), is an aviation unit of the German Air Force, based on Neuburg Air Base in Bavaria since 1961. On 1 October 2013, t ...
'' (JG74) on 25 July 2006, with four Eurofighters arriving at
Neuburg Air Base
Neuburg Air Base is a military air base in Germany. It is located in the district of Neuburg on the Danube, approximately 20 km west-southwest of Ingolstadt. Its primary user is Jagdgeschwader 74 (JG 74 for short, Fighter Wing 74 in Englis ...
, beginning the replacement of JG74's
McDonnell Douglas F-4F Phantom IIs.
The ''Luftwaffe'' assigned their Eurofighters to QRA on 3 June 2008, taking over from the F-4F Phantom II.
On 28 October 2014, while deployed to
Ämari Air Base
Ämari Air Base is a military airbase in Harjumaa, Estonia located south of Lake Klooga and southwest of Tallinn.
History
Ämari Air Base was built between 1940–1952 under an agreement signed by the Estonian SSR and the Soviet Union. In 19 ...
in Estonia as part of the NATO
Baltic Air Policing mission, German Eurofighters scrambled and intercepted seven
Russian Air Force
" Air March"
, mascot =
, anniversaries = 12 August
, equipment =
, equipment_label =
, battles =
, decorations =
, bat ...
aircraft over the
Baltic Sea
The Baltic Sea is an arm of the Atlantic Ocean that is enclosed by Denmark, Estonia, Finland, Germany, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland, Russia, Sweden and the North and Central European Plain.
The sea stretches from 53°N to 66°N latitude and from ...
.
The Luftwaffe once again provided Baltic Air Policing at Ämari Air Base between 31 August 2020 and April 2021, having taken over from
Dassault Mirage 2000-5Fs of the
French Air and Space Force
The French Air and Space Force (AAE) (french: Armée de l'air et de l'espace, ) is the air and space force of the French Armed Forces. It was the first military aviation force in history, formed in 1909 as the , a service arm of the French Army; ...
.
Italian Air Force (''Aeronautica Militare'')
On 16 December 2005, the F-2000 Typhoon reached initial operational capability (IOC) with the
Italian Air Force
, colours =
, colours_label =
, march = (Ordinance March of the Air Force) by Alberto Di Miniello
, mascot =
, anniversaries = 28 March ...
(''Aeronautica Militare''). Its F-2000 Typhoons were put into service as air defence fighters at the
Grosseto Air Base, and immediately assigned to QRA at the same base.
On 17 July 2009, Italian Air Force F-2000A Typhoons were deployed to protect Albania's airspace.
On 29 March 2011, Italian Air Force Eurofighter Typhoons began flying combat air patrol missions in support of NATO's
Operation Unified Protector in
Libya
Libya (; ar, ليبيا, Lībiyā), officially the State of Libya ( ar, دولة ليبيا, Dawlat Lībiyā), is a country in the Maghreb region in North Africa. It is bordered by the Mediterranean Sea to the north, Egypt to Egypt–Libya bo ...
.
Between January and August 2015, four ''Aeronautica Militare'' F-2000A Typhoons (from 36º and 37º ''Stormo'') were deployed to
Šiauliai Air Base in northern Lithuania as part of the Baltic Air Policing mission.
Kuwait Air Force
On 11 September 2015, Eurofighter confirmed that an agreement had been reached to supply Kuwait with 28 aircraft.
On 1March 2016, the
Kuwaiti National Assembly approved the procurement of 22 single-seat and six twin-seat Typhoons.
On 5April 2016, Kuwait signed a contract with Leonardo valued at €7.957billion ($9.062billion) for the supply of the 28 aircraft, all to tranche 3 standard.
The Kuwaiti aircraft will be the first Typhoons to receive the Captor-E AESA radar, with two instrumented production aircraft from the UK and Germany currently undergoing ground-based integration trials. The Typhoons will be fitted with Leonardo's Praetorian defensive aids suite and PIRATE infrared search and track system. The contract involves the production of aircraft in Italy and covers logistics, operational support and the training of flight crews and ground personnel. It also encompasses infrastructure work at the
Ali Al Salem Air Base
Ali Al Salem Air Base is a military air base situated in Kuwait, approximately 23 miles (37 km) from the Iraqi border, and roughly 15 km west of Al Jahra. The airfield is owned by the Government of Kuwait, and during Operation Souther ...
, where the Typhoons will be based. Aircraft deliveries will begin in 2020.
Qatar Emiri Air Force
From January 2011 the
Qatar Emiri Air Force (QEAF) evaluated the Typhoon, alongside the Boeing F/A-18E/F Super Hornet, the
McDonnell Douglas F-15E Strike Eagle
The McDonnell Douglas (now Boeing) F-15E Strike Eagle is an American all-weather multirole strike fighter derived from the McDonnell Douglas F-15 Eagle. The F-15E was designed in the 1980s for long-range, high-speed interdiction without relyi ...
, the Dassault Rafale, and the Lockheed Martin F-35 Lightning II, to replace its then inventory of
Dassault Mirage 2000-5s. On 30 April 2015 Qatar announced that it would order 24 Rafales.
In December 2017 a deal for Qatar to buy 24 jets and a support and training package from BAE was announced, scheduled to begin in 2022.
In September 2018, Qatar made the first payment for the procurement of 24 Eurofighter Typhoons and nine
BAE Systems Hawk
The BAE Systems Hawk is a British single-engine, jet-powered advanced trainer aircraft. It was first flown at Dunsfold, Surrey, in 1974 as the Hawker Siddeley Hawk, and subsequently produced by its successor companies, British Aerospace and B ...
aircraft to BAE.
Royal Air Force
![Eurofighter EF-2000 Typhoon T1, UK - Air Force AN0616796](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/f/f2/Eurofighter_EF-2000_Typhoon_T1%2C_UK_-_Air_Force_AN0616796.jpg)
The UK's first Typhoon Development Aircraft (DA-2) ''ZH588'' made its maiden flight on 6April 1994 from Warton.
On 1September 2002,
No. XVII (Reserve) Squadron was reformed at Warton as the Typhoon Operational Evaluation Unit (TOEU), receiving its first aircraft on 18 December 2003.
The first RAF production aircraft to take to the air was ''ZJ800'' (BT001) on 14 February 2003, completing a 21-minute flight.
The next Typhoon squadron to be formed was
No. 29 (R) Squadron which formed as the Typhoon Operational Conversion Unit (OCU).
The first operational RAF Typhoon squadron to be formed was
No.3 (Fighter) Squadron on 31 March 2006, when it moved to RAF Coningsby.
No. 3 (F) Squadron Typhoon F2s took over QRA responsibilities from the
Panavia Tornado F3
The Panavia Tornado Air Defence Variant (ADV) was a long-range, twin-engine interceptor version of the swing-wing Panavia Tornado. The aircraft's first flight was on 27 October 1979, and it entered service with the Royal Air Force (RAF) in 1986 ...
on 29 June 2007, initially alternating with the Tornado F3 every month.
On 9August 2007, the UK's MoD reported that
No. XI (F) Squadron of the RAF, which stood up as a Typhoon squadron on 29 March 2007,
had taken delivery of its first two multi-role Typhoons.
Two of No. XI (F) Squadron's Typhoons were sent to intercept a Russian
Tupolev Tu-95
The Tupolev Tu-95 (russian: Туполев Ту-95; NATO reporting name: "Bear") is a large, four-engine turboprop-powered strategic bomber and missile platform. First flown in 1952, the Tu-95 entered service with the Long-Range Aviation of the ...
approaching British airspace on 17 August 2007.
The RAF Typhoons were declared combat ready in the air-to-ground role by 1July 2008.
The RAF Typhoons were projected to be ready to deploy for operations by mid-2008.
In late 2009, four RAF Typhoon FGR4s were deployed to
RAF Mount Pleasant, replacing the Tornado F3s of
No. 1435 Flight defending the
Falkland Islands
The Falkland Islands (; es, Islas Malvinas, link=no ) is an archipelago in the South Atlantic Ocean on the Patagonian Shelf. The principal islands are about east of South America's southern Patagonian coast and about from Cape Dubouzet ...
.
No.6 Squadron stood up at
RAF Leuchars
Royal Air Force Leuchars or RAF Leuchars was a Royal Air Force (RAF) station located in Leuchars, Fife, on the east coast of Scotland. Throughout the Cold War and beyond, the station was home to fighter aircraft which policed northern UK airspac ...
on 6September 2010, making Leuchars the second RAF base to operate the Typhoon.
![RAF Tyhoon Russian Intercept](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/a/ad/RAF_Tyhoon_Russian_Intercept.jpg)
On 20 March, ten Typhoons from RAF Coningsby and RAF Leuchars arrived at the
Gioia del Colle airbase in southern Italy to enforce a
no-fly zone in Libya alongside Panavia Tornado GR4s.
On 21 March, RAF Typhoons flew their first-ever combat mission while patrolling the no-fly zone.
On 29 March, it was revealed that the RAF was having to divert personnel from Typhoon training to meet the shortfall in pilots available to fly the required number of sorties over Libya.
On 12 April 2011, a RAF Typhoon and a Tornado GR4 dropped
precision-guided bomb
A guided bomb (also known as a smart bomb, guided bomb unit, or GBU) is a precision-guided munition designed to achieve a smaller circular error probable (CEP).
The creation of precision-guided munitions resulted in the retroactive renaming of ...
s on ground vehicles operated by Gaddafi forces.
The RAF said that each aircraft dropped one GBU-16 Paveway II 454 kg (1,000 lb) laser-guided bomb which struck "very successfully and very accurately
nd thisrepresented] a significant milestone in the delivery of multi-role Typhoon."
Target designation was provided by the Tornados with their Litening III targeting pods due to the lack of Typhoon pilots trained in air-to-ground missions.
The National Audit Office observed in 2011 that the distribution of the Eurofighter's parts supply and repairs over several countries has led to parts shortages, long timescales for repairs, and the
Cannibalization (parts), cannibalisation of some aircraft to keep others flying.
The UK's then Defence Secretary
Liam Fox
Liam Fox (born 22 September 1961) is a British politician who served as Secretary of State for International Trade from 2016 to 2019 and Secretary of State for Defence from 2010 to 2011. A member of the Conservative Party, Fox has served as th ...
admitted on 14 April 2011 that Britain's Eurofighter Typhoon jets were grounded in 2010 due to shortage of spare parts. The RAF "cannibalised" aircraft for spare parts in a bid to keep the maximum number of Typhoons operational on any given day. The MoD warned that the problems were likely to continue until 2015.
On 15 September 2012,
No.1 (F) Squadron stood up at RAF Leuchars, joining No.6 Squadron as the second Typhoon unit to operate in Scotland.
On 22 April 2013,
No. 41 (R) Test and Evaluation Squadron (TES) began operating the Typhoon from RAF Coningbsy.
By July 2014, a dozen RAF Tranche 2 Typhoons had been upgraded with Phase1 Enhancement (P1E) capability to enable them to use the Paveway IV guided bomb; the Tranche1 version had used the
GBU-12 Paveway II
The GBU-12 Paveway II is an American aerial laser-guided bomb, based on the Mk 82 500-pound (227 kg) general-purpose bomb, but with the addition of a nose-mounted laser seeker and fins for guidance. A member of the Paveway series of weapons, ...
in combat over Libya, but the Paveway IV can be set to explode above or beneath a target and to hit at a set angle.
No. II (AC) Squadron became the fifth RAF Typhoon squadron on 12 January 2015 at RAF Lossiemouth.
In July 2015, it was reported that Typhoons from No. II (AC) Squadron were training with
Type 45 destroyers in an Air-Maritime Integration (AMI) role, conceding that the service had recently neglected the role following the decommissioning of the
Nimrod
Nimrod (; ; arc, ܢܡܪܘܕ; ar, نُمْرُود, Numrūd) is a biblical figure mentioned in the Book of Genesis and Books of Chronicles. The son of Cush and therefore a great-grandson of Noah, Nimrod was described as a king in the land of ...
Maritime Patrol aircraft.
In the
2015 Strategic Defence and Security Review The National Security Strategy and Strategic Defence and Security Review 2015 was published by the Government of the United Kingdom, British government during the second Cameron ministry on 23 November 2015 to outline the United Kingdom's defence st ...
(SDSR), the UK decided to retain some of the Tranche1 aircraft to increase the number of front-line squadrons from five to seven and to extend the out-of-service date from 2030 to 2040 as well as implementing the Captor-E AESA radar in later tranches.
In 2015 Typhoons were deployed to Malta as security for the
Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting
The Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM; or) is a biennial summit meeting of the governmental leaders from all Commonwealth nations. Despite the name, the head of state may be present in the meeting instead of the head of go ...
.
On 3December 2015, six Typhoon FGR4s deployed to
RAF Akrotiri
RAF Akrotiri ( el, Βασιλική Πολεμική Αεροπορία Ακρωτηρίου) is a large Royal Air Force base on the Mediterranean island of Cyprus. It is located in the Western Sovereign Base Area, one of two areas which compr ...
to support operations against ISIL. The following evening the Typhoons, accompanied by Tornados, attacked targets in Syria.
In October 2016, four Typhoon FGR4s from No. II (AC) Squadron, supported by an
Airbus Voyager KC3 aerial tanker and a
Boeing C-17 Globemaster III
The McDonnell Douglas/Boeing C-17 Globemaster III is a large military transport aircraft that was developed for the United States Air Force (USAF) from the 1980s to the early 1990s by McDonnell Douglas. The C-17 carries forward the name of two ...
, deployed to
Misawa Air Base in Japan for the first bilateral exercises with non-US forces hosted by the JASDF.
![RAF Eurofighter Typhoon ZK439 - 49935269173](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/f/f2/RAF_Eurofighter_Typhoon_ZK439_-_49935269173.jpg)
On 14 December 2017, it was announced No. 12 (B) Squadron would stand as a joint RAF/Qatari Air Force squadron, with the Qatari crew temporarily operating Typhoons to prepare them for their own Typhoon deliveries in 2022.
On 29 January 2018, the RAF announced that 16 twin-seat Typhoons would undergo the Return to Produce (RTP) process in an effort to save £800million, with each airframe producing £50m of spare parts.
This move also reflected the switch from two-seat trainer to single-seat pilot training and greater use of training simulators. In addition, the two-seat airframes were primarily from Tranche1 and could not be equipped with Tranche3 and later upgrades such as Captor-E.
On 1 April 2019,
No. IX (B) Squadron officially converted from the Tornado GR4 to the Typhoon FGR4, becoming an aggressor and air defence squadron at Lossiemouth.
In April, four Typhoons of No. XI (F) Squadron deployed from RAF Coningsby to Ämari Airbase, Estonia, to undergo a four month long NATO Baltic policing mission (Op AZOTIZE).
Five Typhoons of No.6 Squadron participated in the Arctic Challenge Exercise (ACE) in Sweden from 22 May to 4June.
No. 12 Squadron were assigned their first Typhoon FGR4 in July 2019.
The 160th, and last, Typhoon (''ZK437'') was delivered to the RAF on 27 September 2019.
Between April and September 2020, No. 6 Squadron deployed to
Šiauliai Air Base, Lithuania, as part of Operation Azotize.
While deployed the squadron participated in Exercise BALTOPs 2020.
In July 2020, No. 12 Squadron began operating as a joint RAF-QEAF unit at RAF Coningsby.
On 22 March 2021, the
2021 Defence Command Paper announced the retirement of all Tranche 1 Typhoons by 2025, with the remaining fleet being upgraded.
Also in 2021, the UK launched the P3Ec package, due for delivery in 2024, including several upgrades, including replacing the
MFDs with a Large Area Display (LAD).
On 14 December 2021, the RAF executed its first operational air-to-air engagement with a Typhoon, shooting down a small hostile drone with an
ASRAAM near the
Al-Tanf
Al-Waleed border crossing ( ar, نقطة الوليد الحدودية العراقية, also spelled al-Walid), known in Syria as al-Tanf, is one of three official border crossings between Iraq and Syria. It is located in the Ar-Rutba District ...
coalition base in Syria.
On 7 September 2022 during the joint UK/US
SinkEx 'Atlantic Thunder' a 41 Squadron Typhoon successfully hit the ex-
USS Boone
USS ''Boone'' (FFG-28) was the twentieth ship in the United States Navy's of guided missile frigates.
The frigate was named for Vice Admiral Joel Thompson Boone, M.D. (1889–1974). FFG-28, the first U.S. ship to bear the admiral's name, ...
with Paveway IVs, becoming the first RAF Typhoon to strike a naval target with live ordnance.
Royal Air Force of Oman
During the 2008 Farnborough Airshow it was announced that
Oman
Oman ( ; ar, عُمَان ' ), officially the Sultanate of Oman ( ar, سلْطنةُ عُمان ), is an Arabian country located in southwestern Asia. It is situated on the southeastern coast of the Arabian Peninsula, and spans the mouth of t ...
was in an "advanced stage" of discussions to order Typhoons as a replacement for its
SEPECAT Jaguar
The SEPECAT Jaguar is an Anglo-French jet attack aircraft originally used by the British Royal Air Force and the French Air Force in the close air support and nuclear strike role. It is still in service with the Indian Air Force.
Originall ...
aircraft.
On 21 December 2012, the
Royal Air Force of Oman
The Royal Air Force of Oman ( ar, سلاح الجو السلطاني عمان, Silāḥ al-Jaww as-Sulṭāniy ‘Umān or RAFO) is the air arm of the Armed Forces of Oman.
History Sultan of Oman's Air Force era
The Sultan of Oman's Air Force ...
(RAFO) became the Typhoon's seventh customer when BAE and Oman announced an order for 12 Typhoons to enter service in 2017.
The first of the Typhoons (plus Hawk Mk 166) ordered by Oman were "formally presented to the customer" on 15 May 2017. This included a flypast by a RAFO Typhoon.
Royal Saudi Air Force
![Saudi Arabia - Eurofighter EF-2000 Typhoon](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/9/9e/Saudi_Arabia_-_Eurofighter_EF-2000_Typhoon.jpg)
In August 2006, Saudi Arabia confirmed it had agreed to purchase 72 Typhoons for The
Royal Saudi Air Force (RSAF).
In December 2006, it was reported in ''The Guardian'' that Saudi Arabia had threatened to buy Rafales because of a UK
Serious Fraud Office (SFO) investigation into the
Al Yamamah defence deals which commenced in the 1980s.
On 14 December 2006, Britain's attorney general,
Lord Goldsmith, ordered that the SFO discontinue its investigation into BAE Systems' alleged bribery of senior Saudi officials in the Al-Yamamah contracts, citing "the need to safeguard national and international security".
''The Times'' raised the possibility that RAF production aircraft would be diverted as early Saudi Arabian aircraft, with the RAF forced to wait for its full complement of aircraft.
This arrangement would mirror the diversion of RAF Tornados to the RSAF. ''The Times'' also reported that such an arrangement would make the UK purchase of its Tranche3 commitments more likely.
On 17 September 2007, Saudi Arabia confirmed it had signed a GB£4.43 billion contract for 72 aircraft.
24 aircraft would be at the Tranche2 build standard, previously destined for the UK RAF, the first being delivered in 2008. The remaining 48 aircraft were to be assembled in Saudi Arabia and delivered from 2011, however following contract renegotiations in 2011, it was agreed that all 72 aircraft would be assembled by BAE Systems in the UK, with the last 24 aircraft being built to Tranche3 capability.
On 29 September 2008, the United States
Department of State
The United States Department of State (DOS), or State Department, is an executive department of the U.S. federal government responsible for the country's foreign policy and relations. Equivalent to the ministry of foreign affairs of other nati ...
approved the Typhoon sale, required because of a certain technology governed by the
ITAR
International Traffic in Arms Regulations (ITAR) is a United States regulatory regime to restrict and control the export of defense and military related technologies to safeguard U.S. national security and further U.S. foreign policy objective ...
process which was incorporated into the MIDS of the Eurofighter.
On 22 October 2008, the first RSAF Typhoon made its maiden flight at Warton.
Since 2010, BAE has been training Saudi Arabian personnel at Warton.
By 2011, 24 Tranche 2 Eurofighter Typhoons had been delivered to Saudi Arabia, consisting of 18 single-seat and six two-seat aircraft. After that, BAE and Riyadh entered into discussions over configurations and price of the rest of the 72-plane order. On 19 February 2014, BAE announced that the Saudis had agreed to a price increase.
BAE announced that the last of the original 72 Typhoons had been delivered to Saudi Arabia in June 2017.
RSAF Typhoons are playing a central role in the Saudi-led
bombing campaign in Yemen.
In February 2015, Saudi Typhoons attacked ISIS targets over Syria using Paveway IV bombs for the first time.
On 9March 2018, a memorandum of intent for the additional 48 Typhoons was signed during Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman's visit to the United Kingdom,
however the deal has not been completed due to German arms sanctions implemented in November 2018 in response to the
assassination of Jamal Khashoggi
On 2 October 2018, Jamal Khashoggi, a Saudi dissident journalist was assassinated by agents of the Saudi government at the Saudi consulate in Istanbul, Turkey. Khashoggi was ambushed and strangled by a 15-member squad of Saudi assassins. His body ...
.
Spanish Air and Space Force
The first Spanish production Eurofighter Tifón to fly was ''CE.16-01'' (ST001) on 17 February 2003, flying from
Getafe Air Base
Getafe Air Base is a military airbase located in Getafe, 14 km south of Madrid, Spain. The air base, at an altitude of 620 m above sea level, has a single runway with a length of 3.06 km. It was one of the first military air bases ...
.
The Spanish Air and Space Force assigned their Typhoons to QRA responsibilities in July 2008.
A Spanish Air and Space Force Typhoon, on a training exercise near
Otepää in Estonia, released an AMRAAM missile by mistake on 7August 2018. There were no casualties, but the ten-day search operation for missile remains was unsuccessful and the unknown status of the missile, whether it self-destructed in the air or landed unexploded, left a hazardous situation for the public. The pilot was disciplined for negligence, but received only the minimum penalty in the light of undisclosed mitigating circumstances.
Sales and marketing
Belgium
The Eurofighter Typhoon was one of the contenders to replace Belgium's fleet of ageing F-16A/B MLU's by 2023. Other contenders include the SAAB Gripen-E/F, Dassault Rafale, F/A-18E/F Super Hornet and F-35A Lightning II.
On 25 October 2018, Belgium officially selected the offer for 34 F-35As to replace the current fleet of around 54 F-16s. Government officials said the decision to select the F-35 over the Eurofighter Typhoon came down to price, stating that "The offer from the Americans was the best in all our seven valuation criteria." The total purchasing price for the aircraft and its support until 2030 totaled €4billion, €600million cheaper than the initially budgeted €4.6billion.
Denmark
The
Royal Danish Air Force held a competition to replace its ageing fleet of F-16s in which the Eurofighter Typhoon, Boeing F/A-18F Super Hornet and the F-35 Lightning II were assessed. Denmark is a level-3 partner in the
Joint Strike Fighter program
Joint Strike Fighter (JSF) is a development and acquisition program intended to replace a wide range of existing fighter, strike, and ground attack aircraft for the United States, the United Kingdom, Italy, Canada, Australia, the Netherlands ...
me, and had already invested $200million. On 12 May 2016 the Danish government recommended that 27 F-35A fighters, instead of 34 Typhoons, should be procured.
Singapore
In 2005 the Eurofighter was a contender for Singapore's next generation fighter requirement competing with the
Boeing F-15SG and the Dassault Rafale. The Eurofighter was eliminated from the competition in June 2005.
South Korea
In 2002, the
Republic of Korea Air Force (ROKAF) chose the
F-15K Slam Eagle over the Dassault Rafale, Eurofighter Typhoon and Sukhoi Su-35 for its 40 aircraft F-X Phase I fighter competition. During 2012–13, the Typhoon competed with the
Boeing F-15SE Silent Eagle
The McDonnell Douglas (now Boeing) F-15E Strike Eagle is an American all-weather multirole strike fighter derived from the McDonnell Douglas F-15 Eagle. The F-15E was designed in the 1980s for long-range, high-speed interdiction without relyin ...
and the F-35 for the ROKAF's F-X Phase III fighter competition. In November 2013, it was announced that the ROKAF will purchase 40 F-35As.
Others
According to ''Eurofighter World'' magazine,
Bangladesh
Bangladesh (}, ), officially the People's Republic of Bangladesh, is a country in South Asia. It is the eighth-most populous country in the world, with a population exceeding 165 million people in an area of . Bangladesh is among the mos ...
,
Egypt
Egypt ( ar, مصر , ), officially the Arab Republic of Egypt, is a transcontinental country spanning the northeast corner of Africa and southwest corner of Asia via a land bridge formed by the Sinai Peninsula. It is bordered by the Mediter ...
,
Finland
Finland ( fi, Suomi ; sv, Finland ), officially the Republic of Finland (; ), is a Nordic country in Northern Europe. It shares land borders with Sweden to the northwest, Norway to the north, and Russia to the east, with the Gulf of B ...
and
Switzerland
). Swiss law does not designate a ''capital'' as such, but the federal parliament and government are installed in Bern, while other federal institutions, such as the federal courts, are in other cities (Bellinzona, Lausanne, Luzern, Neuchâtel ...
were among countries interested in acquiring the Eurofighter Typhoon. In mid-2021, it was reported that the Lockheed Martin F-35 was selected in Switzerland's $6.5 billion fighter competition, beating bids from Eurofighter, Dassault, and Boeing.
Finland was offered partner status in the Eurofighter Typhoon programme as part of the consortium's bid for Finland's
HX Fighter Program
The HX Fighter Program is a fighter jet procurement program of the Finnish Ministry of Defence, aiming to acquire multirole fighters for Finland to replace the current Hornet fighters. If completed, the acquisition will be the most expensive sta ...
competition, reported British magazine ''
Janes
Janes is an English patronymic family name. Its root is believed to be from the possessive of the given name ''Jan'' (see ''Jayne''), ''John'' or ''Ian''. In England, the name appears to have its densest roots in Bedfordshire and Gloucestershire ...
'' on 6 July 2021. As part of Finland's HX offering, BAE Systems proposed a new Large Area Display (LAD) to replace the three multi-function head-down displays (MHDDs). On 10 December 2021 Finland officially selected the F-35A as the country's next fighter.
Serbia
Serbia (, ; Serbian language, Serbian: , , ), officially the Republic of Serbia (Serbian language, Serbian: , , ), is a landlocked country in Southeast Europe, Southeastern and Central Europe, situated at the crossroads of the Pannonian Bas ...
is also interested in the Eurofighter.
Ukraine
Ukraine ( uk, Україна, Ukraïna, ) is a country in Eastern Europe. It is the second-largest European country after Russia, which it borders to the east and northeast. Ukraine covers approximately . Prior to the ongoing Russian inv ...
has expressed interest in the Eurofighter.
Turkiye has also expressed interest on Eurofighter Typhoon and started negotiations with UK.
Variants
The Eurofighter is produced in single-seat and twin-seat variants. The twin-seat variant is not used operationally, but only for training, though it is combat capable. The aircraft has been manufactured in three major standards; seven Development Aircraft (DA), seven production standard Instrumented Production Aircraft (IPA) for further system development
and a continuing number of Series Production Aircraft. The production aircraft are now operational with the partner nation's air forces.
The Tranche 1 aircraft were produced from 2000 onwards. Aircraft capabilities are being increased incrementally, with each software upgrade resulting in a different standard, known as blocks.
With the introduction of the block5 standard, the R2 retrofit programme began to bring all Tranche1 aircraft to that standard.
Operators
![Eurofighter operators](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/9/9a/Eurofighter_operators.png)
;
*
Austrian Air Force
The Austrian Air Force (german: Österreichische Luftstreitkräfte, , Austrian Air Combat Force) is a component part of the Austrian Armed Forces.
History
The Austrian Air Force in its current form was created in May 1955 by the victorious Al ...
– 15 delivered
and 3 more ordered as of October 2022.
**
Überwachungsgeschwader, at
Zeltweg Air Base
;
*
German Air Force
The German Air Force (german: Luftwaffe, lit=air weapon or air arm, ) is the aerial warfare branch of the , the armed forces of Germany. The German Air Force (as part of the ''Bundeswehr'') was founded in 1956 during the era of the Cold War a ...
– 143 Tranche 1 to Tranche 3 aircraft ordered, and all delivered.
Two lost in a collision.
In November 2020, Germany ordered 38 new
Tranche 4 fighters. The latest order from Germany secures production of the Typhoon until 2030.
In March 2022, Germany announced its intention to order 15 Typhoon ECR/SEAD equipped for electronic warfare purposes becoming the first customer of the new subtype.
**
Taktisches Luftwaffengeschwader 71 ''"Richthofen"'', at
Wittmundhafen Air Base
Wittmundhafen Air Base (german: link=yes, Fliegerhorst Wittmundhafen, ) is a military air base in Germany. It is home to Tactical Air Force Wing 71 (''Taktisches Luftwaffengeschwader 71'') of the German Air Force (''Luftwaffe''). Since May 197 ...
**
Taktisches Luftwaffengeschwader 73
''Taktisches Luftwaffengeschwader'' (Tactical Air Force Wing) 73 " Steinhoff", formerly known as ''Jagdgeschwader 73'' (Fighter Wing 73), is a fighter wing of the German Air Force. The wing is based in north-eastern Germany at Rostock-Laage Airp ...
''"Steinhoff"'', at
Laage Air Base
Laage () is a town and a municipality in the Rostock district, in Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, Germany. It is situated on the river Recknitz, 23 kilometres southeast of Rostock. Rostock Laage Airport is located a few kilometres west of Laage. The for ...
, OCU formation
**
Taktisches Luftwaffengeschwader 74
Taktisches Luftwaffengeschwader 74 (74th Tactical Air Force Wing), formerly known as Jagdgeschwader 74 (JG 74) (74th Fighter Wing), is an aviation unit of the German Air Force, based on Neuburg Air Base in Bavaria since 1961. On 1 October 2013, ...
, at
Neuburg Air Base
Neuburg Air Base is a military air base in Germany. It is located in the district of Neuburg on the Danube, approximately 20 km west-southwest of Ingolstadt. Its primary user is Jagdgeschwader 74 (JG 74 for short, Fighter Wing 74 in Englis ...
**
Taktisches Luftwaffengeschwader 31 ''"Boelcke"'', at
Nörvenich Air Base
Nörvenich Air Base (Fliegerhorst Nörvenich) is a German Air Force air base in Germany .
It is the home of Taktisches Luftwaffengeschwader 31 "Boelcke". The squadron flies the Eurofighter Typhoon.
History
It was built for the RAF Germany in 19 ...
;
*
Italian Air Force
, colours =
, colours_label =
, march = (Ordinance March of the Air Force) by Alberto Di Miniello
, mascot =
, anniversaries = 28 March ...
– 96 ordered with 96 delivered and 95 in operation as of June 2020 (one lost in a demonstration flight crash).
**
4º Stormo ''"
Amedeo d'Aosta"'' (4th Wing), at
Grosseto Air Base
*** 9° Gruppo Caccia (9th Fighter Squadron)
*** 20° Gruppo OCU Caccia (20th Fighter Operational Conversion Squadron)
** 36° Stormo ''"Riccardo Hellmuth Seidl"'' (36th Wing), at
Gioia del Colle Air Base
Gioia del Colle Air Base is an Italian Air Force ( Aeronautica Militare) base located in the province of Bari, Apulia, Italy, located approximately 1 km south-southeast of Gioia del Colle.
World War II
During World War II the air base was ...
*** 10° Gruppo Caccia (10th Fighter Squadron)
*** 12° Gruppo Caccia (12th Fighter Squadron)
** 37° Stormo ''"Cesare Toschi"'' (37th Wing), at
Trapani Air Base
*** 18° Gruppo Caccia (18th Fighter Squadron)
** 51° Stormo ''"Ferruccio Serafini"'' (51st Wing), at
Istrana Air Base
*** 132° Gruppo Caccia (132nd Fighter Squadron)
;
*
Kuwait Air Force
The Kuwait Air Force ( ar, القوات الجوية الكويتية , al-Quwwat al-Jawwiya al-Kuwaitiya) is the air arm of the Armed Forces of Kuwait. The Air Force headquarters is located at Abdullah Al-Mubarak Air Base, with the remaining f ...
– 28 ordered
with 6 delivered as of 29 September 2022.
;
*
Royal Air Force of Oman
The Royal Air Force of Oman ( ar, سلاح الجو السلطاني عمان, Silāḥ al-Jaww as-Sulṭāniy ‘Umān or RAFO) is the air arm of the Armed Forces of Oman.
History Sultan of Oman's Air Force era
The Sultan of Oman's Air Force ...
– 12 ordered in December 2012
with all delivered by June 2018.
**No. 8 Squadron at RAFO Adam
;
*
Qatar Emiri Air Force – 24 ordered
**
RAF Coningsby
Royal Air Force Coningsby or RAF Coningsby , is a Royal Air Force (RAF) station located south-west of Horncastle, and north-west of Boston, in the East Lindsey district of Lincolnshire, England. It is a Main Operating Base of the RAF and hom ...
, Lincolnshire, United Kingdom (from July 2020)
***
No. 12 Squadron RAF
Number 12 Squadron, also known as No. 12 (Bomber) Squadron and occasionally as No. XII Squadron, is a flying squadron of the Royal Air Force (RAF). The squadron reformed in July 2018 as a joint RAF/Qatar Emiri Air Force squadron. It is currently ...
, joint RAF/Qatar Emiri Air Force squadron
;
*
Royal Saudi Air Force – 71 aircraft in operation as of June 2018 from 72 delivered.
**
King Fahad Air Base
King Fahad Air Base (Arabic: قاعدة الملك فهد الجوية) ( ICAO: OETF) (KFAB) is a Royal Saudi Air Force military base located in Taif, Saudi Arabia.
Overview
Operational Aircraft:
Eurofighter Typhoon
The Eurofighter Typhoo ...
, Taif
***
No. 3 Squadron
***
No. 10 Squadron
***
No. 80 Squadron
;
*
Spanish Air and Space Force
, colours =
, colours_label =
, march = Spanish Air and Space Force Anthem
, mascot =
, anniversaries = 10 December
, equipment ...
– 73 ordered, all of which have been delivered by October 2020 with 70 in operation as of October 2020.
Spain is planning to order 40 more Tranche 3+ and Tranche 4 Eurofighters to replace its F-18 Hornets.
In June 2022, it ordered 20 Tranche 4.
** Ala 11, at
Seville-Morón Air Base
*** 111 Escuadrón
*** 113 Escuadrón, OCU Tactical pilot training and evaluation
** Ala 14, at
Albacete-Los Llanos Air Base
*** 142 Escuadrón
;
*
Royal Air Force
The Royal Air Force (RAF) is the United Kingdom's air and space force. It was formed towards the end of the First World War on 1 April 1918, becoming the first independent air force in the world, by regrouping the Royal Flying Corps (RFC) and ...
– 160 ordered, all of which had been delivered by September 2019.
As of 1 April 2020, the RAF had 139 aircraft with 101 in service.
**
RAF Coningsby
Royal Air Force Coningsby or RAF Coningsby , is a Royal Air Force (RAF) station located south-west of Horncastle, and north-west of Boston, in the East Lindsey district of Lincolnshire, England. It is a Main Operating Base of the RAF and hom ...
, Lincolnshire, England
***
No. 3 (F) Squadron
***
No. XI (F) Squadron
***
No. 12 Squadron, joint RAF/Qatar Air Force squadron
***
No. 29 Squadron, OCU Tactical pilot training and evaluation
***
No. 41 Test and Evaluation Squadron
**
RAF Lossiemouth, Moray, Scotland
***
No. 1 (F) Squadron
***
No. II (AC) Squadron
***
No. 6 Squadron
***
No. IX (B) Squadron
**
RAF Mount Pleasant,
East Falkland, Falkland Islands
***
No. 1435 Flight
**Past Units
***
No. 17 (R) Test & Evaluation Squadron, Operational Evaluation Unit (Operated between 2003 and 2013)
Accidents
*On 21 November 2002, the Spanish twin-seat Typhoon prototype DA-6 crashed due to a double engine
flameout caused by surges of the two engines at 45,000 ft. The two crew members escaped unhurt and the aircraft crashed in a military test range near
Toledo
Toledo most commonly refers to:
* Toledo, Spain, a city in Spain
* Province of Toledo, Spain
* Toledo, Ohio, a city in the United States
Toledo may also refer to:
Places Belize
* Toledo District
* Toledo Settlement
Bolivia
* Toledo, Orur ...
, some from its base at
Getafe Air Base
Getafe Air Base is a military airbase located in Getafe, 14 km south of Madrid, Spain. The air base, at an altitude of 620 m above sea level, has a single runway with a length of 3.06 km. It was one of the first military air bases ...
.
*On 23 April 2008, a RAF Typhoon FGR4 from 17 Squadron at RAF Coningsby (ZJ943), made a
wheels–up landing at the US Navy's
NAWS China Lake
Naval Air Weapons Station (NAWS) China Lake is a large military installation in California that supports the research, testing and evaluation programs of the United States Navy. It is part of Navy Region Southwest under Commander, Navy Installat ...
, in the United States.
The aircraft was severely damaged however the pilot from
17 Squadron did not sustain any significant injury. It is thought the pilot may have forgotten to deploy the
undercarriage
Undercarriage is the part of a moving vehicle that is underneath the main body of the vehicle. The term originally applied to this part of a horse-drawn carriage, and usage has since broadened to include:
*The landing gear of an aircraft.
*The ch ...
or that for some reason he was not alerted to the undercarriage having not been deployed.
*On 24 August 2010, a Spanish twin-seat Typhoon crashed at Spain's
Morón Air Base moments after take-off for a routine training flight. It was being piloted by a RSAF pilot, who was killed, and a Spanish Air Force Major, who ejected safely.
In September 2010 the German Air Force grounded its 55 planes and the RAF temporarily grounded all Typhoon training flights amidst concerns that after ejecting successfully the pilot had fallen to his death.
On 21 September, the RAF announced that the harness system had been sufficiently modified to enable routine flying from RAF Coningsby. The Austrian Air Force also said all its aircraft had been cleared for flight.
On 24 August 2010, the ejection seat manufacturer Martin Baker commented: "...under certain conditions, the quick release fitting could be unlocked using the palm of the hand, rather than the thumb and fingers, and that this posed a risk of inadvertent release", adding that a modification had been rapidly developed and approved "to eliminate this risk" and was being fitted to all Typhoon seats.
*On 9 June 2014, the
Spanish Air Force
, colours =
, colours_label =
, march = Spanish Air and Space Force Anthem
, mascot =
, anniversaries = 10 December
, equipment ...
announced that a Typhoon had crashed at Spain's Morón Air Base on landing after a routine training flight. The sole pilot, Captain Fernando Lluna Carrascosa of the Spanish Air Force, who had over 600 Eurofighter flying hours, died in the crash.
*On 23 June 2014, a Typhoon of the German Air Force suffered
a mid-air collision with a
Learjet 35A
The Learjet Model 35 and Model 36 are a series of American multi-role business jets and military transport aircraft manufactured by Learjet. When used by the United States Air Force they carry the designation C-21A.
The aircraft are powered by ...
, which crashed near
Olsberg, Germany. The severely damaged Eurofighter made a safe landing at
Nörvenich Air Base
Nörvenich Air Base (Fliegerhorst Nörvenich) is a German Air Force air base in Germany .
It is the home of Taktisches Luftwaffengeschwader 31 "Boelcke". The squadron flies the Eurofighter Typhoon.
History
It was built for the RAF Germany in 19 ...
, while the Learjet crashed with the two onboard killed.
*On 1 September 2017, a RAF Typhoon
overran the runway on landing at
Pardubice Airport
Pardubice Airport ( cs, Letiště Pardubice) is both military and civilian international airport in the city of Pardubice, Czech Republic. Apart from the military purpose, it is used for scheduled services, charter flights to Southern Europe d ...
, Czech Republic, after diverting for bad weather.
*On 14 September 2017, a RSAF aircraft crashed on a combat mission in
Yemen
Yemen (; ar, ٱلْيَمَن, al-Yaman), officially the Republic of Yemen,, ) is a country in Western Asia. It is situated on the southern end of the Arabian Peninsula, and borders Saudi Arabia to the Saudi Arabia–Yemen border, north and ...
's
Abhyan province, killing its pilot. According to the
Saudi Government, the aircraft crashed due to technical reasons and the pilot did not survive.
*On 24 September 2017, an Italian Air Force aircraft crashed during an airshow in
Terracina
Terracina is an Italian city and ''comune'' of the province of Latina, located on the coast southeast of Rome on the Via Appia ( by rail). The site has been continuously occupied since antiquity.
History Ancient times
Terracina appears in anci ...
, Lazio, Italy. The pilot did not eject and died in the accident.
The Italian Air Force said the jet completed a loop but then failed to get enough lift as it approached sea level and hit the water just a few hundred metres offshore.
*On 12 October 2017, a Spanish Air Force Typhoon crashed near its base at
Los Llanos Albacete
Albacete (, also , ; ar, ﭐَلبَسِيط, Al-Basīṭ) is a city and municipality in the Spanish autonomous communities of Spain, autonomous community of Castilla–La Mancha, and capital of the province of Albacete.
Lying in the south-ea ...
, Spain, when returning from the military parade for the
Spanish National Day. The pilot was killed.
*On 24 June 2019, two German Air Force aircraft collided mid-air during an exercise in the region of Müritz in
Mecklenburg-Vorpommern
Mecklenburg-Vorpommern (MV; ; nds, Mäkelborg-Vörpommern), also known by its anglicized name Mecklenburg–Western Pomerania, is a state in the north-east of Germany. Of the country's sixteen states, Mecklenburg-Vorpommern ranks 14th in po ...
in northern Germany. Both aircraft were lost while the pilots ejected. The two planes were based at
Laage, home to the "Steinhoff"
Tactical Air Force Wing 73. Neither plane was carrying weapons. One of the pilots died.
Aircraft on display
;Germany
*''98+29'' EF2000 Prototype DA-1 on display at the
Deutsches Museum Flugwerft Schleissheim
Flugwerft Schleissheim is an aviation museum located in the German town of Oberschleißheim near Munich, it forms part of the Deutsches Museum collection and complements the aviation exhibits on display at the main site. The museum was opened on ...
, Munich.
;Italy
*''MMX603'' EF2000 Prototype DA-7 on display at Cameri Air Base,
Cameri.
;United Kingdom
*''ZH588'' EF2000 Prototype DA-2 on display at the
Royal Air Force Museum London, Hendon, England.
*''ZH590'' EF2000(T) Prototype DA-4 on display at the
Newark Air Museum, Nottinghamshire, England.
"Eurofighter Typhoon DA4 arrives at Newark."
/ref>
Specifications
See also
References
Notes
Citations
Bibliography
*Boot, Roy. ''From Spitfire to Eurofighter: 45 years of Combat Aircraft Design''. Shrewsbury, UK: AirLife Publishing Ltd., 1990. .
*Buttler, Tony. ''British Secret Projects: Jet Fighters Since 1950''. Hinckley, UK: Midland Publishing, 2000. .
*
*Harkins, Hugh. ''Eurofighter 2000, Europe's Fighter for the New Millennium (Aerofax 6)''. Earl Shilton, UK: Midland Publishing, 2006, First edition 1997. .
*Matthews, Henry. ''Prelude to Eurofighter: EAP (Experimental Aircraft Programme)'' (X-Planes Profile-1). Beirut, Lebanon: HPM (Henry Paul Matthews) Publications, 2000.
*Richardson, Doug. ''Stealth Warplanes: Deception, Evasion and Concealment in the Air''. London: Salamander, 2001. .
*Spick, Mike. "Eurofighter EF 2000 Typhoon". ''Brassey's Modern Fighters: The Ultimate Guide to In-Flight Tactics, Technology, Weapons, and Equipment''. Washington, DC: Potomac Books Inc, 2002. .
*Spick, Mike. "Eurofighter Typhoon". ''The Great Book of Modern Warplanes''. St. Paul, Minnesota USA: MBI Publishing Company, 2000. .
*Williams, Mel, ed. "Dassault Rafale". ''Superfighters, The Next Generation of Combat Aircraft''. London: AIRtime, 2002. .
External links
*
Typhoon FGR4 on the Royal Air Force website
Luftwaffe Eurofighter
*
{{Authority control
Typhoon
A typhoon is a mature tropical cyclone that develops between 180° and 100°E in the Northern Hemisphere. This region is referred to as the Northwestern Pacific Basin, and is the most active tropical cyclone basin on Earth, accounting for a ...
Delta-wing aircraft
Canard aircraft
Relaxed-stability aircraft
Twinjets
1990s international fighter aircraft
Articles containing video clips
Aircraft first flown in 1994