The Eurofighter Typhoon is in service with nine nations: United Kingdom, Germany, Italy, Spain, Saudi Arabia, Oman, Qatar, Kuwait, and Austria, with orders for all nine customers still pending as of September 2017. The aircraft has, as of 2016, been provided in a basic air-defense form and has been upgraded to newer production standards which include internal IRST, air-to-ground precision strike capability (with Royal Air Force Typhoons participating in air strikes destroying tanks in Libya in 2011 as their combat debut),[1] and HMSS (helmet-mounted symbology system) helmets. Most of the major systems including the CAPTOR radar and the Defence Aids Sub-System (DASS) are expected to be improved and updated over time, with the radar being updated to an AESA, being the CAPTOR-E/CAESAR, of which the Kuwait Air Force will be the inaugural operator, with first deliveries of their 28 new-built aircraft to commence in 2019.[2]
DA1's main role was handling characteristics and engine performance.
DA1 was assembled in 1992 and first flew on 27 March 1994 with Luftwaffe serial 98+29. The military evaluation phase commenced in 1996. In 1997 after 123 flights, DA1's RB199 engines were replaced by EJ200s, it also was refitted with the Martin-Baker Mk.16A ejector seat and a full avionics fit. Following these modifications it rejoined the flight test programme in 1999. Following the loss of DA6, DA1 was transferred to Spain to undertake the remaining development work including IRIS-T trials.[3]
The aircraft was retired on 21 December 2005, eleven years, eight months, and 24 days after its first flight.[4]
It is on display at the Flugwerft Schleißheim (external site of the Deutsches Museum) near Munich, Germany.
DA2 undertook envelope expansion, flight control assessment and load trials. The aircraft first flew on 6April 1994 as ZH588. The flight control assessment included development of the Eurofighter's "carefree handling". On 23 December 1997 DA2 became the first Eurofighter to achieve Mach2 and in January 1998 undertook refuelling trials with a RAF VC10. Like DA1, DA2 was upgraded in 1998 with new engines, ejector seat and avionics and rejoined the test programme in August. In 2000 the aircraft was covered with 490 pressure transducers; due to the fact that they were covered by black pads and had associated wiring the aircraft was painted in a gloss black scheme. The pressure transducers measured the effects of various weapons loads and external fuel tanks. In 2002 the aircraft undertook ASRAAM trials, completed carefree handling trials and commenced DASS decoy trials.[3]
Now retired and on display in the Milestones of Flight Gallery at the RAF Museum at Hendon.
Radar and avionics development, being upgraded to Tranche 2 standard. German and Spanish contract involved upgrading 130 Eurofighter Typhoon tranche 2 to latest AESA radar and avionics.[6]
Twin-seat, airframe development and handling. DA6 was lost in a crash in Spain in November 2002 after both engines failed.[7] EADS Germany's DA1 was transferred to EADS-CASA.[8]
Navigation, avionics and missile carriage. Now retired in Cameri IAF.[citation needed]
Instrumented production aircraft
The instrumented production aircraft (IPA) are five production standard aircraft fitted with telemetry instruments for dedicated flight testing and further systems development.
E-Scan radar, enhanced weapon integration and improvements to mission equipment.[10]
Series production aircraft
These are the operational and training aircraft. The model is known as Typhoon in the United Kingdom and export markets and as EF-2000 in Germany, Italy and Spain. However, all Italian aircraft carry the "Typhoon" logo on their tails.[8]
Tranche 1
Initial Operational Capability, Basic Air Defence Capability
Block 2
Air-to-air capabilities
Block 5
Air-to-air and air-to-ground capabilities, Final Operational Capability (FOC) standard. All Tranche1 aircraft are being upgraded to Block5 capability through the Retrofit2(R2) programme.[11]
Incorporating EOC 3 and hardware support for EOC 4[12][13]
Conformal fuel tanks, fibre optic cabling and computer upgrade, defensive system upgrades. The variants actually installed with the Captor-M mechanically scanned array radar because Captor-EAESA radar was not ready for use at the time. This Captor-E radar will be gradually installed on many of these aircraft as it has come into service. Tranche 3A of Kuwait Air Force is the first serial production batch to receive Captor-E during manufacturing.[14] Captor-E equipped variants are more capable as a multirole combat aircraft.
Latest production standard with unspecified upgrades building upon Tranche 3A specifications.[15]
Tranche 4 is a multirole combat aircraft with latest CAPTOR EAESA radar.[16][14] According to Dirk Hoke, CEO Airbus Defence and Space, "The new Tranche 4 Eurofighter is currently the most modern European-built combat aircraft with a service life well beyond 2060."[17] Germany ordered 30 single-seater and 8 twin-seater Tranche 4 Eurofighters in late 2020 with cost of 5.4 billion euro.[16] The latest order from Germany secures production of Eurofighter Typhoon until 2030.[17] As part of German Eurofighter Typhoon contract, Hensoldt will produce AESA radar for Luftwaffe Eurofighter.[18]
Spain ordered 20 Tranche 4 in June 2022 and the upgrading of its existing Tranche 3 aircraft to the new standard.[19]
Operators
Italian Air Force aircraft
As of July 2006 the Italian Air Force (Aeronautica Militare Italiana) had one EF-2000 wing, 4º Stormo (4th Wing), which received its first aircraft on 19 February 2004.[8] The 36º Stormo received its first Typhoon on 1October 2007. By 2018 the Italian Air Force had three Eurofighter wings.
Qatar Emiri Air Force aircraft
On 25 August 2022 three newly built Eurofighter Typhoons jets destined to the QEAF (Qatar Emiri Air Force) departed the BAE Systems factory at Warton, UK, to Qatar on their delivery flight to Tamim Airbase, near Dukhan, approximately 80 kilometres west of Doha via Athens. [20]
Spanish Air Force aircraft
As of December 2006 the Spanish Air Force (Ejército del Aire) has one squadron of aircraft. The first aircraft was delivered to Wing 11 in October 2003 at Moron airbase, Spain.[21] In Spanish service, the aircraft is designated the C.16 Typhoon.[22]
Luftwaffe aircraft
As of October 2006 Germany had two active EF-2000 fighter wings, Jagdgeschwader 73 and Jagdgeschwader 74. JG 73 began converting to the Eurofighter in April 2004.[23] JG 74 received its first aircraft on 25 June 2006.[24]
Royal Air Force aircraft
Typhoons representing the RAF Typhoon squadrons—1Sqn, 2Sqn, 3Sqn, 6Sqn, 29Sqn, 11Sqn, 41Sqn, 1435Flight, and BOB75 in the centre to commemorate the Battle of Britain
The Typhoon T1 is a Tranche 1, batch 1 two-seat trainer.
The first Typhoon T1 is one of the Instrumented Production Aircraft (IPA1) and remains part of the BAE fleet. The aircraft's maiden flight was on 15 April 2002. The official in service date for the first RAF Typhoon T1, serial ZJ803, was 30 June 2003.[25][unreliable source?] Formal delivery occurred on 18 December at which point 17 Sqn began a full flying programme.
The first squadrons, No. 17OEU and No. 29OCU Sqns, moved to RAF Coningsby in 2005 to begin establishing an initial operational capability (IOC).
In 2001, it was announced that the Royal Air Force (RAF) would not use the aircraft's internal 27mm Mauser cannon. This was due to a desire to save money by removing gun support costs, ammunition stocks, training costs, etc. The gun was also deemed unnecessary since the missile armament was believed to be adequate in the Typhoon's fighter role. However, because removal of the cannon would affect the aircraft's flight characteristics, requiring modification of the aircraft's flight software the RAF decided all its Typhoons would be fitted with the cannon but that it would not be used or supported. The service argued that this would save money by reducing the requirement for ground equipment, removing training costs and avoiding the fatigue effects of firing the cannon. The RAF maintained the option to activate the cannons at very short notice were operational requirements to change.[26] However, in a third change of policy, The Daily Telegraph reported on 3October 2006 that the RAF will fully utilise the cannon.[27]
Typhoon T1A
Typhoon T1As are Tranche 1, batch 2 two-seat trainers. There would not normally be a different designation for a different aircraft batch; however, the Batch2 aircraft has a fuel system modification to fix a fuel gauge problem identified in the development aircraft fleet.[28]
Typhoon F2
The F2 is the single-seat fighter variant. The first F2 is IPA5 and also remains with BAE, its first flight was 6 June 2002.
The first operational squadron, No. 3, formed at RAF Cottesmore on 31 March 2006 and moved to its new base RAF Coningsby the following day.[29]No. 11 squadron, the second operational squadron received its first aircraft (ZJ931) on 9 October 2006.[30]
As of June 2018, the RAF had bought 53 Tranche 1 Typhoons.[31] The UK agreed to approve production of "Tranche 2" in December 2004, this tranche will see the RAF receive a further 89 aircraft, bringing its Typhoon inventory to 144. This followed protracted negotiations regarding the early introduction of ground attack capabilities of the aircraft and hence its swing-role capability. While this was always planned it was intended to come at a much later date.
Typhoon FGR4
Single-seat Block 5 or later aircraft (built or upgraded from F2) are known as Typhoon FGR4s.[32][33] The new mark number represents the increased capabilities of the Block 5 aircraft (fighter/ground attack/reconnaissance). The FGR4 has from June 2008 achieved the required standard for multi-role operations.[34]
Typhoon T3
Two-seat Block 5 or later aircraft (built or upgraded from T1) are known as Typhoon T3s.[32][33]
As of June 2018, the RAF has 67 Tranche 2 Typhoons and has contracted to purchase 40 Tranche3 Typhoons.[31] 107 Tranche2 and3 Typhoons will be modified via "Project Centurion", allowing them to utilise Meteor missiles, Brimstone and Storm Shadow missiles. 24 Tranche1 Typhoons will be retained for UK Quick Reaction Alert purposes, and will not be modified under Centurion. No. IX Squadron, based at RAF Lossiemouth, retains the Tranche1 Typhoon for QRA purposes but also serves the purpose of acting as an aggressor aircraft, similar to that of the USAF Lockheed Martin F-16 Fighting Falcon. These aircraft worked in conjunction with the 100 Squadron BAe Hawk T.1 aircraft based at RAF Leeming, providing air combat training and dogfight training to RAF and Royal Navy pilots.[35]
In December 2021, the Ministry of Defence stated RAF Typhoons had shot down a drone in Syria, making this their first operational air-to-air engagement and the RAF's first operational kill since 1982.[36]
Proposed versions
Navalised Typhoon
Owing to the withdrawal of France from the Eurofighter 2000 project, in part due to France's desire to have a greater role in the development and marketing of the aircraft, the pursuit of a naval Typhoon has never seriously been considered. However, a navalised variant of the aircraft was first proposed in the late 1990s as a potential solution to the UK Royal Navy's need for a Future Carrier-Borne Aircraft (FCBA) for its new (Queen Elizabeth-class) aircraft carriers.[37][38][39]
In January 2001, the UK Ministry of Defence formally discounted the option of a navalised Eurofighter for its new aircraft carriers, in favour of the Joint Strike Fighter, which promised to be a more capable, versatile, low-cost and stealthy aircraft that would enter into service circa 2012—a date that tied in well with the in-service date for the new UK aircraft carriers as it stood at that time. The Typhoon, as well as the F/A-18E, Rafale M and an advanced variant of the Harrier were rejected by the United Kingdom on "cost effectiveness grounds", selecting the Short Take Off & Vertical Landing (STOVL) variant of the Joint Strike Fighter in 2002 as the primary option for Fleet Air Arm usage. The STOVL variant of the JSF would later be designated the F-35B Lightning II, entering service with the Fleet Air Arm in 2018.[40]
While the navalised version of the Typhoon was ruled out by the MoD by 2011,[41][42] there has been limited interest expressed by other nations, such as India, in adapting the Typhoon for aircraft carrier operations.[43]
The proposed variant design would enable the Typhoon to operate from carriers on a Short Take-Off, Barrier Arrested Recovery (STOBAR) basis, using a 'ski jump' ramp for aircraft launch and arresting gear for conventional landing.[38]
In February 2011, BAE debuted a navalised Typhoon in response to the Indian tender. The model offered is STOBAR capable, corresponding to the Indian Navy's future aircraft carrier, INSVikrant. The changes needed to enable the Typhoon to launch by ski-jump and recover by arrestor hook added about 500kg to the airframe, however this is now thought to be substantially more given the Typhoon's "unfriendly" design in terms of adapting the airframe to suit sustained naval operations. If the Indian Navy pursues a catapult launch carrier, the Typhoon is completely uncompetitive against tender rivals (e.g. Rafale and Super Hornet) since meeting "...catapult requirements would add too much weight to the aircraft, blunt performance and add substantially to modification costs".[44]
Typhoon EK
On 5 November 2019, Kurt Rossner, Head of Combat Aircraft Systems at Airbus, proposed an Electronic Combat Role (ECR)/Suppression of Enemy Air Defenses (SEAD) capability for the aircraft. The Typhoon ECR/SEAD would be configured with two Escort Jammer pods under the wings and two Emitter Location Systems built into the wingtips. Armament configuration would include four MBDA Meteor, two IRIS-T and six SPEAR-EW in addition to three drop tanks. The plane would be a two-seat variant carrying a mission specialist with access to dedicated electronic warfare and mission control screens.[45][46]
On 14 March 2022, Christine Lambrecht, German Defense Minister announced that the German government would fund development of the Eurofighter ECR version.[47]
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