#{{note|order}} Not offical, widely quoted. [http://www.forbes.com/afxnewslimited/feeds/afx/2005/12/22/afx2409446.html] Some RAF deliveries may by diverted to fulfill this order, with the UK's full allocation delivered later. [http://business.timesonline.co.uk/article/0,,9067-1953223,00.html]
#{{note|options}} Potential options for a total of 72; not official, widely quoted. [http://business.timesonline.co.uk/article/0,,9067-1953223,00.html]
#{{note|total}} N.B. 710 includes unconfirmed Saudi Arbaian total. Total excluding RSAF aircraft is 638
The Eurofighter Typhoon is a twin-engine multi-role canard-delta strike fighter aircraft, designed and built by a consortium of European aerospace manufacturers, Eurofighter GmbH, formed in 1983.
After some delays full production is now underway and the aircraft has formally entered service with the Italian Air Force. An Initial Operational Capability is expected to be declared by Germany, Spain and the United Kingdom in 2006. Export sales as of December 2005 are Austria (18) and Saudi Arabia.
Development
Its combination of agility, performance, stealth features and advanced avionics suggest it is one of the most capable fighter aircraft currently in service. Compared to its older rivals, Typhoon's cockpit and man/machine interface are claimed to be significantly more advanced, resulting in a lower pilot workload.
The origins of the Eurofighter Typhoon lie in a private venture by British Aerospace called the the Advanced Combat Aircraft (ACA). The British government committed to funding development of an advanced aircraft and together with funding from commercial partners this gave rise to the BAe Experimental Aircraft Programme resulting in a single aircraft which first flew in August, 1986. The Eurofighter bears a strong resemblance to the EAP.
Eurofighter Typhoon T.1 of the Royal Air Force. The dark patch in the centre of the fuselage is the exhaust of the Auxillary Power Unit
The initial members of the Eurofighter consortium were the United Kingdom, France, Germany, Italy, and Spain. In 1985 France withdrew in favour of its own Avion de Combat Expérimental (ACX) project (which later became the Dassault Rafale). 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 - British Aerospace (33%), Daimler-Benz (33%), Aeritalia (21%), and Construcciones Aeronáuticas SA (CASA) (13%).
The maiden flight of the Eurofighter prototype took place on March 27, 1994 (then just known as the Eurofighter EF 2000). Messerschmitt-Bölkow-Blohm chief test pilot Peter Weger took the prototype on a test flight around Bavaria. The 1990s saw significant arguments over work share, the specification of the aircraft and even participation in the project.
When the final production contract was signed, the revised procurement totals were as follows: UK 232, Germany 180, Italy 121, and Spain 87. Production was again allotted according to procurement: British Aerospace (37%), DASA (29%), Aeritalia (19.5%), and CASA (14%).
On July 2, 2002, the Austrian government announced the decision to buy the Typhoon as its new air defence aircraft. The purchase of 18 Typhoons was finalized on July 1, 2003. The cost was €1,959,000,000 and included 18 aircraft, training for pilots and ground crew, logistics, maintenance, and a simulator. The full, "fly-away" price of a single Typhoon works out to €62,900,000.
The project has been named and renamed a number of times since its inception, having been known as EFA (European Fighter Aircraft), Eurofighter, EF2000 (Eurofighter 2000), and most recently Typhoon.
Production
The Eurofighter Typhoon is unique in modern combat aircraft in that there are four separate assembly lines (the F-16 Fighting Falcon was only produced internationally under limited licences). Each partner company assembles its own national aircraft, but builds the same parts of all 620 aircraft.
Alenia
Left wing, outboard flaperons, rear fuselage sections
Production is divided into three "tranches" (see table below) with an incremental increase in capability with each tranche. Tranches are further divided up into batches, for example of the RAF's Tranche one twin seaters T1s are batch 1 and T1As are batch 2.
^ Not offical, widely quoted. [4] Some RAF deliveries may by diverted to fulfill this order, with the UK's full allocation delivered later. [5]
^ Potential options for a total of 72; not official, widely quoted. [6]
^ N.B. 710 includes unconfirmed Saudi Arbaian total. Total excluding RSAF aircraft is 638
Inventory
Despite many delays and controversies over cost, the Typhoon is now in series production.
In British service, the aircraft is supposed to replace the TornadoF3 interceptor and the Jaguar GR3A ground attack aircraft
The Tornados will be replaced from 2010, and the Jaguars from 2006. Initial deliveries of the Typhoon to the RAF have begun. The first unit to form was an Operational Evaluation Unit, No. 17 Sqn in 2003, followed by the Operational Conversion Unit, 29 Sqn at BAE Warton in 2004. The aircraft are expected to move to RAF Coningsby in 2005. The initial designations for the RAF aircraft are T1 for the two-seater trainer, and F1* for the single-seater operational fighter.
The Typhoon is set to be based at RAF Coningsby, RAF Leuchars and RAF Leeming comprised of 7 squadrons of which four will be primarily air defence, two will be multi role squadrons and one will be a fighter bomber squadron.
(*Some confusion exists over the fighter variant's designation. Information from the RAF remains slightly contradictory at present but the actual designation of the fighter variant appears to be F2).
An extensive overseas sales effort has so far yielded an order from Austria for 18 units, Saudi Arabia 48 with an option for up to 24 more and an initial interest from Greece for 60 aircraft. Norway has also expressed interest, but has yet to buy any Eurofighters. Other countries expressing interest include South Africa, Chile, Brazil and Turkey.
The Typhoon could possibly meet the requirements of the UK's Future Offensive Air System programme, which is seeking to replace the deep-strike capability provided by the Tornado GR4. If selected, the Typhoon would likely be modified for internal weapons carriage and increased internal fuel capacity.
The Typhoon's combat performance, particularly compared to the new F-22A Raptor and the upcoming F-35 fighter under development in the United States and the Dassault Rafale developed in France, has been the subject of some speculation. While making a complete assessment is impossible on publicly available information, there is a study by the UK's DERA comparing the Typhoon to other contemporary fighters; in it, the Typhoon was second only to the F-22A in combat performance.
In March 2005, United_States_Air_Force Chief of Staff General John P. Jumper, then the only person to have flown both the Typhoon and the Raptor, talked to Air Force Print News about these two aircraft. He said that "the Eurofighter is both agile and sophisticated, but is still difficult to compare to the F/A-22 Raptor". (the F-22A's designation was "F/A-22A," by analogy to the F/A-18 Hornet strike fighter from 2003 to December 2005)
In June 2005, The Scotsmanreported that, in a mock confrontation with two American F-15C Eagle fighter aircraft, a Eurofighter pilot was able to avoid his pursuers and outmaneuver them to get into shooting position. Unattributed statements indicate that the success of the craft came as a surprise to both the Americans and the RAF.
While the Typhoon lacks the all-aspect stealth technology of the F-22A, the design does incorporate many low-observable features, resulting in a much smaller radar cross-section than earlier fighters. It is also capable of sustained supersonic cruise without using afterburners. The F-22A and the Rafale (in the latter case only when lightly-armed and flying in favourable atmospheric conditions; the F-22 by comparison can supercruise with a full internal weapons load) are the only other current fighters with supercruise capabilities.
The Typhoon is a highly maneuverable aircraft. This is achieved because the Typhoon is inherently unstable, a quadruplex digital control system provides artificial stability by constantly adjusting the control surfaces (Fly-by-wire).
According to EADS, the maximum speed possible without reheat is Mach 1.5 (although this drops to Mach 1.3 with an air-to-air weapons load).
The MBDA Meteor, the planned long-range air-to-air armament, will probably be the world's most advanced long-range air-to-air missile when it is completed, with a longer range and greater manoeuverability than any current American missile. This should prove a major advantage over fighters with less advanced missiles, particularly ones without the benefit of stealth and thus easily detectable on radar.
Problems
As German newspapers reported in 2004, the few Eurofighters in service with the Luftwaffe did not meet specifications at that time. Because of technical difficulties, the aircraft is only allowed to take off without cannon ammunition and at moderate temperatures. However, it is important to note that early aircraft are delivered at a baseline state, with capability to be increased incrementally; indeed, BAE has stated that the capability of the aircraft will increase at a faster rate than the training of pilots.
In 2001, it was announced that the RAF would not use the aircraft's internal cannon. This is not due to a perceived inadequacy in the cannon, but to it being deemed unnecessary since the missile armament is believed adequate in the Typhoon's fighter role.[7] However, removal of the cannon would affect the aircraft's flight characteristics, requiring modification of the aircraft's flight software at expense. As a consequence of this, the RAF has announced that all its Typhoons will be fitted with the cannon but it will not be used. The service argues this will save money by reducing the requirement for ground equipment and avoiding the fatigue effects of firing the cannon. The RAF maintains the option to activate the cannons at very short notice should operational requirements change. [8]
Versions
Development aircraft (DA)- Seven aircraft with varying equipment fits and missions
DA1 (Germany) - Airframe, engine and Flight Control Software (FCS)
DA2 (Britain) - FCS development and envelope expansion
DA3 (Italy) - Weapons systems development
DA4 (Britain) - Radar and avionics development, being upgraded to Tranche 2 standard
DA5 (Germany) - Radar and avionics development, being upgraded to Tranche 2 standard
DA6 (Spain) - Airframe development and handling
DA7 (Italy) - Navigation, avionics and missile carriage
Instrumented Production Aircraft (IPA) - Five production standard aircraft for further system development
IPA1 (Britain) - Defensive Aids Sub System (DASS)
IPA2 (Italy) - Air-to-surface weapons integration
IPA3 (Germany) - Air-to-air weapons integration
IPA4 (Spain) - Air-to-surface weapons integration and environmental development
IPA5 (Britain) - Air-to-surface and air-to-air weapons integration
Series Production Aircraft (SPA) - Production aircraft for partner nations.
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 European Aircraft Programme (EAP).
May - Contract for production of EAP prototype signed.
Britain, 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.
France reiterates requirement for carrier capable version and demands 50% workshare. Britain, Germany and Italy opt out and establish new EFA programme
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.
January 30 - 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.
March 8 - First export sale, 60 ordered and 30 options by Greece.
May 16 - UK commits to MBDA Meteor BVRAAM, leading to significant benefits for export prospects.
July 7 - 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.
April 5 - Instrumented Production Aircraft (IPA2) makes maiden flight from Turin.
April 11 - IPA 3 makes maiden flight from EADS Military Aircraft, Manching, Germany.
April 15 - IPA 1 makes maiden flight from BAE Warton.
July 2 - Austria announces acquisition of 24 Typhoon's, later reduced to 18.
July 23 - "Typhoon" name officially adopted as in-service name by four partner nations.
November 21 - Spain's DA6 crashes about 110 kilometres (70 miles) south-west of Madrid. The problem is later attributed to an early development model of the EJ200 powerplant, a problem which the manufacturer insists cannot occur in production engines.
December 16 - 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.
December 21 - Saudi Arabia agrees a purchase of an unspecified number of Typhoons(A recent ArabNews article quotes the Crown Prince Sultan as numbering the order at over 200) with the UK Ministry of Defence and BAE Systems.
