Timeline of the Eurofighter Typhoon

Two-seat Development Aircraft (DA4).

This is a timeline of the development of the Eurofighter Typhoon, a multirole fighter aircraft manufactured by a consortium of European aerospace manufacturers, Eurofighter GmbH, formed in 1983.

1970s

• 1972
  • Royal Air Force (RAF) issues Air Staff Target 396 (AST-396), a requirement for a STOVL aircraft to replace the Harrier and Jaguar fleets.
  • AST-403, specification revised for an air superiority fighter. STOVL requirement dropped and AST-409 lead to the development of Harrier GR5.
• Mid-1970s
  • France, Germany and UK initiate the European Combat Aircraft programme (ECA).
• 1979
  • Following differing requirements (particularly French requirement for carrier compatibility,) BAe and MBB propose the European Combat Fighter (ECF)

1980s

• 1981
  • Development of different national prototypes and continued differences over specification lead to cancellation of ECF programme.
  • Panavia partners (Germany, Italy and UK) launch Agile Combat Aircraft (ACA) programme. Following failure of Germany and Italy to fund development the UK MoD pays £80m prototype, the Experimental Aircraft Programme (EAP).
• 1983
  • May - Contract for production of EAP prototype signed.
  • The UK, France, Germany, Italy and Spain launch Future European Fighter Aircraft (F/EFA) programme. Aircraft to have Short Take Off and Landing (STOL) and Beyond Visual Range (BVR) capabilities.
• 1984
  • France reiterates requirement for carrier capable version. The UK, Germany and Italy opt out and establish new EFA programme.
• 1985
  • France officially withdraws, commences ACX project.
  • 27 October - EAP demonstrator rolled out at BAe Warton.
• 1986
  • June - Eurofighter GmbH established.
  • 8 August - EAP makes its first flight. Configuration closely matches final Eurofighter design.
  • Rolls-Royce, MTU Aero Engines, FiatAvio (now Avio) and ITP form EuroJet Turbo GmbH for development of EJ200.
• 1988
  • 23 November - Contracts signed for production of demonstrator engines and airframes.

1990s

• 1990
  • EuroRADAR formed for development of ECR-90 (CAPTOR) radar (right).
• 1991
  • 1 May - Last flight of EAP demonstrator.
• 1992
  • EuroDASS formed for development of Defensive Aids Sub System (DASS.) Initially only UK and Italy participate. When Eurofighter enters service only RAF aircraft will exploit all capabilities of DASS.
  • July - Germany announces intention to withdraw from the DASS element. Negotiations begin to reduce costs. As a single engine aircraft is ruled out Germany decides to fit cheaper systems, e.g., F/A-18's APG-65 in place of ECR-90, and delay its service entry by two years. Germany eventually participates in all systems.
  • December - Renamed Eurofighter 2000.
• 1994
  • 27 March - Maiden flight of first development aircraft, DA1 from DASA at Manching with RB199 engines.
  • 6 April - Maiden flight of second development aircraft, DA2 from BAe Warton. DA2 also flew with RB199s.
• 1995
  • 4 June - Maiden flight of Italian DA3, the first with EJ200 engines.
• 1996
  • 31 August - Spanish DA6 becomes the first two-seater to fly.
• 1997
  • 27 January - First flight of DA7 from Turin.
  • 24 February - Maiden flight of German DA5, first aircraft to be fitted with ECR-90.
  • 14 March - Maiden flight of UK's DA4, the second two-seater and last of the seven development aircraft.
• 1998
  • January - First aerial refuelling trials, involving DA2 and an RAF VC10 tanker.
  • 30 January - NETMA and Eurofighter GmbH sign production and support contracts for 620 aircraft.
  • September - Typhoon name adopted, announced as strictly for export contracts. There is some controversy as the last aircraft to bear the name was the Hawker Typhoon, a World War II aircraft.
  • 18 December - Tranche 1 contract signed.
• 1999
  • Eurofighter International established as single contracting/management company to handle all export sales.

2000s

• 2000
  • 8 March - First export sale, 60 ordered and 30 options by Greece (but delayed, maybe cancelled).
  • 16 May - UK commits to MBDA Meteor BVRAAM, leading to significant benefits for export prospects.
  • 7 July - DA2 emerges from ten month stand down with latest avionics. Finished in black (see below) to reduce cosmetic effect of 490 pressure transducers applied to airframe.
• 2002
  • 5 April - Instrumented Production Aircraft (IPA2) makes maiden flight from Turin.
  • 11 April - IPA 3 makes maiden flight from EADS Military Aircraft, Manching, Germany.
  • 15 April - IPA 1 makes maiden flight from BAE Warton.
  • 2 July - Austria announces acquisition of 24 Typhoon's, later reduced to 18.
  • 23 July - "Typhoon" name officially adopted as in-service name by four partner nations.
  • 21 November - DA6, flying out of Getafe crashes. Twin engine failure is blamed. .
• 2003
  • 13 February - First Series Production Aircraft, GT001 flies from Manching. This is the first of Germany's 180 aircraft.
  • 14 February - In the space of just over an hour Italy's IT001 and Britain's BT001 make their maiden flights.
  • 17 February - Spain's ST001 flies from EADS Military Aircraft, Getafe, Spain.
  • 30 June - "Type Acceptance" signed, marking formal delivery of aircraft to the partner nations.
  • October - Integration of Meteor begins
• 2004
  • 27 June - Two RAF Typhoon T1s depart UK for Singapore for marketing and training
  • 15 December - UK confirms purchase of second batch of 89 aircraft, the last nation to commit to "Tranche 2" production of 236 aircraft.
• 2005
  • April - Singapore drops the Typhoon from its shortlist to supply the country's next generation fighter.
  • 16 December - The Aeronautica Militare Italiana (Italian Air Force) declares the Typhoon's Initial Operational Capability and sets it on Quick Reaction Alert from Grosseto Air Base.
  • 21 December - Saudi Arabia agrees a purchase of an unspecified number of Typhoons with the UK Ministry of Defence.
• 2006
  • January - First AMI operational squadron formed
  • February - First operational mission undertaken by the Italian Air Force as Eurofighter Typhoon defends the airspace over Turin during the 2006 Winter Olympics
  • 31 March - First RAF operational squadron formed
  • August 18 - Announcement of Saudi Arabia signing a contract to buy 72 planes from the UK.
  • October 03 - 100th production aircraft delivered.
• 2007
  • 12 July - The first Eurofighter for Austria is delivered to the Austrian Air Force

• 2008
  • January 16 - The first Tranche 2 Eurofighter Typhoon has made its first flight.
  • October 22 - First flight of Typhoon in Royal Saudi Air Force livery.

• 2009
  • June 12 - First Saudi Typhoons delivered.
  • November 25 - 200th Typhoon delivered.

2010s

• 2010
  • August 24 - A Spanish Eurofighter crashes in Spain, killing a Saudi pilot
  • December 22 - 250th Typhoon delivered.