Eurofighter Typhoon

The Eurofighter Typhoon is a twin-engine, multi-role combat aircraft in a canard-delta configuration being built by Eurofighter Jagdflugzeug GmbH, a consortium of Airbus, BAE Systems and Leonardo. The procurement and management of the project is governed by the NATO Eurofighter and Tornado Management Agency. In Germany and Austria, the aircraft is often just called Eurofighter.

The joint development of the aircraft by the national defence industries of Germany, Italy, Spain and the United Kingdom began in 1983 as the European Fighter Aircraft (EFA). France was initially still part of the program, but later dropped out due to differences of opinion and developed the similar Dassault Rafale alone. Changing requirements, the end of the Cold War and discussions about the work shares of the participating nations delayed the development of the aircraft. The first examples were delivered to the Bundeswehr in 2003. In addition to the air forces of the four European manufacturing nations, users of the aircraft include the air forces of Austria and the four Arab Gulf states of Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Kuwait and Oman.

Originally developed as a highly agile air superiority fighter against the Warsaw Pact threat, the aircraft was adapted to its new role as a multi-role fighter after entering service.

History

Initial situation

Initially, the McDonnell F-4 Phantom was not equipped with an on-board gun, as it was assumed that in future air combat would only be fought at long range with guided missiles. During the Vietnam War it became apparent that the United States Air Force's (USAF) focus on this tactic was too optimistic. The rules of engagement in force there, together with the low hit rate of the AIM-7D/E Sparrow (7%) and AIM-9 Sidewinder (15%) air-to-air missiles, often led to precarious situations in air combat when North Vietnamese aircraft were in the sights of the F-4 pilots but could not be shot down because the range was too short.

In order to better estimate the cornering capability of a fighter aircraft, Colonel John Boyd developed the Energy Maneuverability Theory together with the mathematician Thomas Christie at the beginning of 1960. With its help, the maneuverability of a combat aircraft is determined on the basis of the specific power surplus. Parameters such as short turn rate, sustained turn rate, climb rate, acceleration and deceleration are used to assess the aeronautical performance of a fighter aircraft. This knowledge led to the Lightweight Fighter program, which resulted in the F-16 Fighting Falcon and F/A-18 Hornet.

These developments did not go unnoticed in the Soviet Union, so around 1970 the Central Aerohydrodynamic Institute (ZAGI) was tasked with developing the aerodynamics of a new fighter aircraft. For cost reasons, the original Perspektivni Frontovoi Istrebitel (PFI) design was split: Into a lighter LPFI for Mikoyan-Gurevich and a heavier TPFI by Sukhoi. The MiG-29 first entered the air forces of the Soviet Union in 1984. Although the aircraft can carry only a small weapons load, its wing loading and thrust-to-weight ratio are unspectacular, and as a point defense fighter it can carry relatively little fuel, the new MiG posed a serious threat to NATO aircraft. In addition to the higher specific power surplus, the sophisticated aerodynamics made it possible to achieve high maneuverability even without fly-by-wire technology, without electronic control. The U.S. increased the maximum load multiple of its fighters in the Lightweight Fighter Program to 9g, but the MiG-29 could be loaded to a load limit of about 10g. Serial production of the larger Su-27 began somewhat later. Although both aircraft were based on the same ZAGI design, their roles were different: The heavy Su-27 was intended to penetrate deep into NATO territory and was equipped for this purpose with large internal fuel tanks, twelve external load stations for weapons and a tail radar. Full maneuverability was achieved only with 60% internal fuel capacity, then the Su-27 can reach the maximum angle of attack and the highest load multiple of 9 g in a dogfight.

To compensate for the poor hit rate of air-to-air missiles, the salvo tactic was introduced: This involves firing two guided missiles at each air target at close intervals. To increase the hit rate, one guided missile is combined with semi-active radar guidance and one with infrared seeker. Air-to-air missiles with passive radar seekers have been introduced to counter electronic warfare fighters and AWACS. Since salvo tactics could not be used in close combat, the Soviet Union developed the Wympel R-73, an infrared-guided short-range air-to-air missile that was clearly superior to its Western counterpart of the time in all parameters. Another new feature was the Schlem helmet-mounted sight, which allowed the guided missile to be directed at targets up to 45° off the flight axis without the pilot having to get the enemy aircraft in the head-up display.

European cooperation

In 1971, the UK was engaged in the development of a successor to the F-4 Phantom to counter the Soviet threat. The AST 403 requirements, published in 1972, resulted in a conventional P.96 design in the late 1970s, but the design was dropped because of its similarity to the F/A-18 Hornet. Since the procurement of the American F-4 Phantom resulted in the loss of thousands of jobs in the British aerospace industry, the next fighter aircraft had to be an in-house development again for political reasons. Consequently, discussions began with Tornado partner countries Germany and Italy, as well as France, with whom the SEPECAT Jaguar had already been developed. The discussion was controversial. Although agreement was quickly reached on a delta-canard fighter, the priorities of this design, known as the European Combat Aircraft (ECA), differed fundamentally: while Britain sought an air superiority fighter with robust air-to-ground capabilities, France placed more emphasis on ground attack capabilities, with air-to-air missions as a secondary role. The most demanding requirements were set by Germany and could only be met by MBB's TKF-90 (Tactical Combat Aircraft 90) design: High acceleration at all altitudes, good supersonic maneuverability in the early stages of air combat, effective fire-and-forget air-to-air armament for medium ranges, extreme maneuverability in dogfights, and good range for aerial surveillance missions and escorts. Turn combat capability was to be achieved through high pitch rates and maintenance of flight stability even after a stall. Thrust vector control was to give the aircraft the ability to adjust its line of sight to the target. Ground attack capabilities were only intended as a secondary capability. After no agreement was reached on the ECA in 1981 and Germany lacked the money to develop the TKF-90 in-house, the following options were investigated at the Federal Ministry of Defense: First, a low-cost solution, such as the development of a Tornado variant or a small fighter with only one engine. Alternatively, the procurement of F/A-18 Hornets was discussed, but this was viewed sceptically by industry and politicians. A participation in the Advanced Tactical Fighter (ATF) of the USAF was also discussed. The German aerospace companies MBB and Dornier had already designed their own Eurofighter models, but also participated in other, including American, designs. At the time, German Defense Minister Manfred Wörner threatened a German-American solution if French involvement was not possible. While cooperation seemed possible on an industrial and military basis, and the timetables of Germany and the United States correlated well, the cost of the ATF was expected to at least match, if not exceed, that of the ECA, which also buried this option.

To resolve the stalemate, British Aerospace instead joined Messerschmitt-Bölkow-Blohm's Tactical Combat Fighter 90 (TKF-90) design. Both published a proposal called the European Collaborative Fighter or European Combat Fighter, while France continued to rely on an in-house development. Eventually Aeritalia also joined the design, and so in April 1982 the Panavia partner companies launched the Agile Combat Aircraft (ACA) program, which later led to the Experimental Aircraft Program (EAP). In 1983, the final attempt to bring together the United Kingdom, France, Germany and Italy, began in the cooperative program known as the Future European Fighter Aircraft (FEFA). France insisted on an aircraft carrier version, 50 percent of the work share, and system leadership from Dassault. The aircraft was to be lighter and simpler, as Dassault expected better export opportunities. These demands were unacceptable for the other manufacturing states and incompatible with their own requirements. Because of these completely different performance requirements of the French, the other states withdrew from the program in 1984. On August 1, 1985, Great Britain, Germany and Italy agreed to build the European Fighter Aircraft (EFA). In September, Spain also joined in, as this was seen as a strategic decision and was expected to have industrial advantages.

Start of development

To manage the project, Eurofighter Jagdflugzeug GmbH was founded in Munich in 1986. The development and cost shares were split 33% DASA (Germany) and BAE Systems (Great Britain) and 21% Alenia Aeronautica (Italy) and 13% CASA (Spain). At the time the development contracts were signed, the four partner states intended to procure 765 aircraft - 250 each for Germany and Great Britain, 165 for Italy and 100 for Spain. In August 1986, under the umbrella of the NATO Eurofighter and Tornado Management Agency (NETMA), Eurojet Turbo GmbH was founded in Hallbergmoos, northeast of Munich, for the development, production, maintenance, service and export of the future Eurofighter's EJ200 engines, with Rolls-Royce (UK), MTU Aero Engines (Germany), ITP (Spain) and Fiat Avio [now Avio Aero] (Italy) as shareholders.

Already in 1983 the German Martin Friemer of MBB was appointed Technical Director of the Eurofighter project, he already worked with the British on the Tornado project. Gerry Willox of British Aerospace became Managing Director. Already on 26 May 1983 BAe and Italian and German companies agreed to build a demonstrator. The first flight of the resulting British Aerospace EAP took place in 1986 and laid the technological foundation for the Eurofighter project. The EAP tested many new technologies that were later used in the Eurofighter. For example, the wings were made entirely of carbon fibre reinforced plastic and glued together from individual parts. The EAP tested the suitability of lightweight materials such as CFRP and Al-Li alloys for sustained supersonic flight and new, low-cost manufacturing processes for titanium and CFRP semi-finished products and individual parts. The aerodynamic instability and thus the manoeuvrability of the aircraft could be further increased and the control logic implemented as software in the flight control computers. Like the Eurofighter, the EAP possessed the ability to override in order to exceed the standard G-limit. Load measurements on the EAP made it possible to estimate the structural load for the EFA much better, which allowed a lighter design. Aerodynamics were tested as well as the air intake. A modern cockpit and avionics architecture based on the USAF's Pave Pillar concept were implemented. The cost of the EAP was partly borne by industry, with the UK contributing £80 million. Since the Federal Republic of Germany did not participate in the financing, only one aircraft could be built.

Rockwell and Messerschmitt-Bölkow-Blohm conducted self-financed studies on thrust vector technology from 1981 to 1984. MBB presented the concept to the German Air Force in 1983. The Air Force decided not to include the technology in the EFA because of its technical immaturity. In return, the governments of Germany and the USA signed a contract in May 1986 for the construction of two experimental aircraft based on the TKF-90, the Rockwell-MBB X-31 Enhanced Fighter Maneuverability (EFM). The first flight took place on 11 October 1990. Starting in August 1993, simulated air combat missions were flown against various fighter aircraft. In the following test series, which was funded by the JAST program, the usefulness of thrust vector control in air-to-ground operations was tested. It was also investigated to what extent thrust vector control could replace the vertical stabilizer. In the subsequent VECTOR program, automatic landings were flown at angles of attack of up to 24° to reduce the landing distance required. In addition to controlled steering after a stall, the EFM program also tested avionics such as the Helmet-Mounted Visual and Audio Display System (HMVAD). This was able to display information not only graphically on the helmet display, but also through a 3D audio system. Furthermore, augmented reality was tested by flying dogfights against a virtual fighter aircraft. Efforts were made, together with Spain, to incorporate the Eurojet EJ200 engine with thrust vector control into the X-31 experimental aircraft to pave the way for the Eurofighter. However, for various reasons this did not materialise.

At the same time, the USAF's requirements for the Advanced Tactical Fighter changed fundamentally: a few months before the demonstration and validation phase in 1985, the USAF changed the original Request for Information (RFI) in favor of higher stealth requirements. Albert C. Piccirillo, head of the ATF program feared that the USAF could not justify procurement of the ATF unless stealth technology was used as in the F-117 and B-2 programs. Companies such as Lockheed, which was competing with a Delta-Canard fighter with a wedge-shaped belly inlet and four semi-stealthy air-to-air missiles, were therefore forced to completely revise their designs.

The Soviet Union also started the development of a new fighter aircraft with the Eleventh Five-Year Plan. In 1983, Mikoyan-Gurevich was tasked with the MFI project, which was based on the EFA and ATF. France, in the meantime, built an airworthy demonstrator, which was named Rafale A and made its maiden flight on July 4, 1986, at the Istres Air Force Base. At the same time, the development of the MICA was started in order to adopt the Soviet salvo tactics with seeker mix. In the late 1980s, a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on future air-to-air guided weapons was signed in NATO. In it, the U.S. and European countries agreed to develop the longer-range infrared-guided ASRAAM, compared to the AIM-9, to complement the active radar-guided AMRAAM.

End of the Cold War

With the end of the Cold War and the dissolution of the Warsaw Pact, the Eurofighter project came into crisis in 1992. In view of the expected high costs of German reunification, the German government under Helmut Kohl promised to pull out of the project. The German Defence Minister at the time, Volker Rühe, now promoted a cheaper aircraft to be built based on Eurofighter technology, dubbed the "EFA-light" or "Jäger 90". Seven studies examined various configurations. Five of these would have been more expensive to redesign. The two single-engine configurations would have been cheaper, but had no better performance than the potentially adversarial Su-27 Flanker and MiG-29 Fulcrum aircraft. None of the configurations studied could match the combat capability of the revised Eurofighter designated as the New EFA (NEFA). As an alternative, the procurement of the French Dassault Rafale was considered by the German side. The political considerations were not shared by the Air Force. The Air Force Inspector at the time, Jörg Kuebart, said that the only alternative to the EFA was fewer EFAs.

The procurement of an alternative fighter aircraft was also being considered in the UK. However, a good price-performance ratio with high performance was required. In the process, a possible procurement of the YF-22 under development was also discussed. Therefore, British Aerospace and the Defence Research Agency (DRA) were commissioned to conduct a performance study to evaluate the combat capability of various modern fighter aircraft. Only air combat beyond the pilot's line of sight was examined, as this is where the YF-22's stealth and supercruise advantages are greatest. The comparison was based on known data on these aircraft; a modified Su-27 Flanker (comparable to the Su-35 Super Flanker) was assumed to be the opposing aircraft. The study concluded that the Eurofighter would win about 80% of all dogfights, while the chances of a YF-22 would be about 90%. As the cost of the YF-22 was estimated to be 60-100% higher than that of the EFA, Jonathan Aitken, the Minister of State responsible for defence procurement - who had previously opposed the EFA - concluded that the Eurofighter was the most cost-effective solution. The procurement of the Eurofighter was then pursued by the British side.

Meanwhile, Italy was on the verge of financial collapse and, like the German government, wanted out of the Eurofighter program. However, a diplomatic intervention by the British government led to a change of mood again, leaving Germany politically isolated. Since Germany would have had to compensate the other countries financially if it pulled out, German Defense Minister Volker Rühe and his British counterpart Malcolm Rifkind agreed to continue the project at the 1992 NATO meeting in Gleneagles. While the EFA with an empty mass of 9750 kg was supposed to carry a weapon load of 6500 kg, the requirements were adjusted in a revision of the contracts in 1992. For the new EFA, the airframe life was doubled from 3000 hours to 6000 hours and the weapons load was increased from 6500 kg to 7500 kg, increasing the empty mass of the aircraft from 9750 kg to 11,000 kg. Presumably it was also agreed to throttle the EJ200 engines in peacetime to 60 kN dry and 90 kN wet to double their life as well. The EFA/Fighter 90 project was then renamed "Eurofighter 2000". Germany wanted to integrate the AN/APG-65 for cost reasons and to do without the self-protection system, Great Britain did not want to install an on-board gun. In the end, these special requests were also abandoned, so that the new EFA corresponded to the old EFA, except for the change in masses and service life. Martin Friemer (MBB, Technical Director of the Eurofighter project) described the behaviour of the German government in retrospect as unhelpful. Independent defence analyst Paul Beaver believes that all attempts by German Defence Minister Volker Rühe to make the aircraft cheaper were never substantiated by facts and estimates that the cost of Eurofighter has been increased by 40-50% due to the delays and redesign.

After the continuation of the project seemed assured, Rühe wanted to reduce the number of German orders to 140 aircraft, but leave the German work share in the project unchanged at 33%. After a further marathon of negotiations, it was possible to agree on 232 aircraft for Great Britain, 180 for Germany, 121 for Italy and 87 for Spain when the final production contract was signed in 1997. The share of work was redistributed between British Aerospace (37.42%), DASA (29.03%), Aeritalia (19.52%) and CASA (14.03%). The UK now took the lead position in the project and the aircraft was renamed Eurofighter Typhoon.

Delivery and further development

During the political negotiations, the development of the Eurofighter was further advanced by industry and the military, and the year 2002 was targeted as the delivery date. On 27 March 1994, the first prototype DA1 took off for its maiden flight in Germany. The flights of the prototypes DA1 and DA2 still took place with the RB199 engines of the Tornado fighter, because the Eurojet EJ200 engine was not yet operational. On June 4, 1995, DA3 took off from Caselle near Turin for a maiden flight with the new Eurojet EJ200 engine, and in March 1997 the two-seater version flew for the first time in Great Britain. On 21 November 2002, during the 323rd test flight with pre-production engines, the prototype DA6 crashed about 100 kilometres south of Madrid. When the afterburners were ignited, the thrust nozzles of both engines were not yet fully open, and the resulting backpressure caused a flameout. Due to the resulting failure of the hydraulics, the aircraft was no longer controllable and crashed. It was completely destroyed, the two-man crew was able to save themselves with the ejection seats. In 2002, it was foreseeable that the targeted date for delivery of the first production aircraft could not be met, nor was it foreseeable at the end of the year when this would be the case. In addition, a total of 1400 components were changed between 2000 and 2002. In the cockpit, for example, the CRTs were replaced by liquid crystal displays, a g/AoA override switch was installed to enable higher angles of attack, load multiples and speeds to be flown, and a panic button was integrated which aligns the aircraft with the horizon in the event of loss of orientation and places it in a gentle climb. The possibility of dropping active radar jammers - specifically the Texas Instruments GEN-X was evaluated - via the dispensers was dropped.

In 1994, the UK began the Future Offensive Air System (FOAS) studies, which were intended to produce a successor to the Panavia Tornado. In the course of the studies it was determined that a mix of manned combat aircraft, combat drones (UCAV) and cruise missiles would be the best solution. European cooperation was sought and realized with France. Germany showed interest in joining. France later dropped out of the project, which was subsequently terminated in 2005. A variant of the Eurofighter was considered by the British as the main platform for FOAS, so that in the future findings from the FOAS studies such as a synthetic cockpit, more powerful engines for Mach 2 cruise, conformal fuel tanks, "signature control", weapons bay, voice control of drones, energy weapons and powerful data links will be incorporated into the Eurofighter project.

In 1999, DA4 and DA5 flew for the first time with the production version of the CAPTOR radar, and software development of the sensors began. For this purpose, the radar was installed in a One-Eleven, which was used as a (O-Ton) "hack" aircraft. Close combat modes involving aircraft dynamics were tested with the DAs. The hack flights of PIRATE with a Dassault Falcon were supposed to take place at the end of 1999, but were postponed to 2001. In this year the DASS and Link 16 were also available, so that by 2004 the sensor fusion could be programmed.

On 13 June 2003, the first series-produced Eurofighter was finally presented to the public. The Bundeswehr took delivery of the aircraft on 4 August 2003. The official introduction of the aircraft into the German Air Force took place on April 30, 2004, when seven two-seater Eurofighters entered service as a training squadron at Fighter Wing 73 "Steinhoff" in Laage. In February 2005, the first operational tests in cold weather zones took place in Sweden, followed by heat tests in Morón de la Frontera, Spain, the following summer. At the same time, construction of the simulators began at the German sites in Laage, Neuburg and Nörvenich as well as in the other Eurofighter user countries. These will be used to train and retrain pilots on the Eurofighter and to develop and test operational tactics and scenarios. Since air combat with guided weapons cannot be trained, simulators are the only way to do so. By networking cockpit and mission simulators, it is also possible to practise missions with several participants in a formation or against each other.

In part because technologies or funding were not available, weapons systems were integrated, the flight envelope expanded and full avionics scaffolded in subsequent years. For example, the full Praetorian Self-Defence System (DASS) is only available from Tranche 1 Block 2B and the first PIRATE sensor was delivered to Aeronautica Militare on 2 August 2007 in a Tranche 1 Block 5 aircraft. The Helmet Mounted Symbology System (HMSS) has only been available since January 2011. The first Combat Enhancement Phase 1 Enhancement (P1E) was carried out in late 2013 for Tranche 2 aircraft.

Stakes

In addition to air surveillance missions, such as escorting Russian bombers over the North Sea and Atlantic Ocean, British Typhoons had their first combat mission on 21 March 2011 during military operations in Libya in 2011. 24 Typhoons from No. XI Squadron were deployed to the Italian airbase of Gioia del Colle in "Operation Ellamy". Within the first 24 hours of arrival, Eurofighters began enforcing the no-fly zone over Libya. From 31 March to 6 April, Eurofighters were flown in a configuration of four each short-range AIM-132 ASRAAM air-to-air missiles and four longer-range AIM-120 AMRAAM air-to-air missiles, after which fewer air-to-air weapons were carried in favour of target illumination pods and two to six GBU-16/48 (Guided Bomb Unit) laser-guided bombs. On the first day a four-man flock was used to hunt enemy helicopters by means of EuroRADAR CAPTOR, which "jumped", i.e. landed every 15 to 20 minutes to avoid radar detection. Shoot-downs could not be achieved. Enemy fighter aircraft were not detected during the entire operation.

Ground operations began on 31 March 2011. The Typhoons attacked targets both as pure Eurofighter squadrons and in mixed formations together with Tornados. In the mixed formations, either the target reconnaissance was carried out by the Eurofighters and the attack by the Tornados, or vice versa, using hunter-killer tactics. In some cases, pilots flew with a tablet computer on their thighs to compare images of the target area. The generation of sonic booms by the Eurofighters - which happened quite frequently - was also seen as useful to show presence. The cooperation with the Tornados increased their combat value, as they do not have a multifunctional information distribution system (MIDS). Through this system, all friendly units as well as their call signs are displayed. In the case of aircraft, the system also shows the type, altitude, heading and fuel level of other aircraft involved in the mission. In the case of ships, the type and name are also displayed in addition to the position. If a JSTARS or ASTOR is in range, detected ground targets are also displayed in real time. Since the Tornados did not have this system, the data was sent to the Eurofighters, which passed the information on to the Tornados via voice radio and carried out the mission together as a squadron. These were sometimes quite complex; on one mission 14 bombs were in the air at the same time to hit the target area simultaneously. In total, over 400 bombs were dropped by the Eurofighters.

The main threat was the enemy air defense in the form of anti-aircraft guns (Flak) and shoulder-launched one-man surface-to-air missiles (MANPADS), which, however, could be flown over every time without taking damage. The flak fire was without consequence. The longest mission lasted 8 hours and 45 minutes and required five air refuelings. Three were originally planned to supply the Typhoons shuttling back and forth between the eastern and western borders on the north coast. The average mission time was six hours. The feared information overload failed to materialize; only taking mission orders and entering them into the computer while in contact with a tanker proved challenging. In a total of 600 missions, 3000 flight hours were flown. Within 24 hours of the end of the mission, the aircraft were redeployed.

In February 2015, Saudi Air Force Eurofighters attacked IS targets with Paveway 4 bombs for the first time.

On 3 December 2015, British Typhoon aircraft were deployed to Akrotiri airbase in Cyprus as part of Operation Inherent Resolve. The very next evening, Eurofighters accompanied by Panavia Tornados attacked IS targets in Syria.

Typhoons in Gioia del Colle after the first combat mission


RAF Typhoon escorts a Tu-95 over the North Sea (2008)


DA2 during acceptance test, 1999


YF-22 Lightning II


Results of the "DERA" study; details of the various studies in the Annex


Alternative to the Eurofighter: Dassault Rafale


X-31 EFM at the Paris Air Show 1995


BAe EAP at the Farnborough Airshow 1986


An F/A-18A of the USMC in the 1980s


Sukhoi Su-27


Soviet multi-purpose fighter aircraft Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-29UB Fulcrum-B (two-seat training version, first flight: 1981) on landing

Versions

Development aircraft

A total of seven Development Aircraft (DA) were built to bring the Eurofighter Typhoon to production readiness:

• Germany DA1: Was built by DASA, the first flight took place on 27 March 1994 with Phase 0 software, flown by test pilot Peter Weger. Nine test flights were completed by June 1994, after which an update of the flight control system to Phase 2 was made. The resumption of test flights started on September 18, 1995, followed by the first flight of a German Air Force pilot (Lieutenant Colonel Heinz Spolgen) in March 1996, so the military evaluation could be completed by April 24, 1996. After that, conversion to EJ200 series 03Z engines began, as well as avionics update to STANAG 3910 and installation of a Martin-Baker ejection seat Mk.16 by November 1998. Test flights resumed in the third quarter of 1999 and continued until September 11, 2000. This was followed by a flight control system (FCS) update and a two-week test series on the North Sea ACMI range at Fighter-Bomber Squadron 38 on 3 July 2001, and a buddy-buddy aerial refueling with the Panavia Tornado in August 2001. From 8 April 2003, DA1 was transferred to Spain as a replacement for DA6. First flight with IRIS-T dummy on 27 August 2003, followed by voice input (DVI) tests. DA1 was the first Eurofighter to fly with IRIS-T on 27 August 2003. Finally, data was collected until October 2004 to improve flight control. The last flight took place on 21 December 2005. DA1 is on display at the German Museum in Oberschleissheim next to the Rockwell-MBB X-31.
• United Kingdom DA2: Built by BAE at Warton, first flight was on 6 April 1994 by Christopher J. Yeo. Nine test flights were then completed by June 1994, followed by an update of the flight control system to Phase 2. Resumption of test flights began on 17 May 1995. First flight with RAF pilot (Squadron Leader Simon Dyde) on 9 November 1995. Demonstrated capability for flights at angles of attack up to 25° in May 1997. Tests then took place at RAF Leeming base, including to check shelter compatibility. This was followed by radar jamming tests and the start of flight tests for carefree handling. DA2 became the first Eurofighter Typhoon to reach Mach 2 on 23 December 1997, with the first aerial refuelling on a VC10 taking place on 14 January 1998. The aircraft was then fitted with the EJ200 engines as well as new avionics and the Martin-Baker ejection seat Mk.16. Test flights resumed at the end of August 1998 with flutter tests. Equipped for payload tests from mid 1999. First flight with 2B2 software standard on 7 July 2000 with all black paint and over 500 pressure sensors for airflow measurement. At the end of the year an update of the fuel system was installed. Tests with in-flight engine launches followed in 2001, and the first dual in-flight refuelling of DA2 and DA4 in January 2002. ASRAAM compatibility tests were then carried out, and carefree handling was fully developed by mid-2002. This was followed by DASS tests and ALSR (Auto Low-Speed Recovery) tests were completed in July 2004. The first flight with new FCS software took place in February 2005 and lasted until 13 November 2006. DA2 was decommissioned on 29 January 2007 and is now in the RAF Museum at Hendon.
• Italy DA3: Was built by Alenia and equipped with EJ200 engines from the beginning. First flight was on 4 June 1995 with Phase 1 software by Napoleone Bragagnolo. Upgrade with EJ200-01C engines in 1996, in December of that year engine start was also tested in flight. First flight with two 1000-litre underwing tanks on 5 December 1997. Upgraded to EJ200-03A engines in spring 1998. Reached Mach 1.6 with two 1000-litre underwing tanks in March 1999. Weapon drop tests also began in 1999. DA3 reached Mach 1.6 with three 1000-liter underwing tanks in December 1999. Began upgrading onboard cannon and ejection seat on March 31, 2000 and first firing of onboard cannon on March 13, 2002. In flight, the onboard cannon was first fired in March 2004. Beginning air-to-air shipboard cannon testing in March 2005. Was used for flutter tests at Decimomannu military airfield until August 2005. From September test flights with GBU-10 took place. In early 2006, flight performance measurements (e.g. glide ratio) and air-to-ground munitions drops were conducted. On 7 February 2006 the last flight took place, the aircraft is stored in Caselle.
• United Kingdom DA4: Was built by BAE Systems and was the first two-seater. The first flight took place 14 March 1997 by Derek Reeh, and supercruise flights were completed for the first time on 20 February 1998. Lightning tests followed at Warton from May to June 1998, and autopilot and auto-thrust were activated on 28 April 1999. The first flight with the helmet-sight system occurred on June 17, 1999, and the first flight with the missile altitude warning (MAW) systems occurred after 2000. First night flight of a two-seater. Ground tests of the DASS began in 2001. This was followed by an upgrade of the on-board power generation and avionics and a resumption of flight tests in November 2001. First in-flight dual refuelling of DA2 and DA4 in January 2002. This was followed by weapons integration tests with deployment of the first AMRAAM against a drone on 9 April 2002. Further milestones were achieved when the first air refuelling of a two-seater, the first air refuelling with external tanks and the first air refuelling at night were demonstrated. Finally, the longest Eurofighter flight to date followed at 4 hours 22 minutes. ESM tests took place from 2002, and flights with Direct Voice Input (DVI) from March 2004. In September 2004, an improved flight control system was scaffolded. This was followed by the launch of a drone using an AMRAAM in February 2005. The aircraft was transferred to RAF Coningsby on 13 December 2006 where the airframe was used for instructional and training purposes. Was then moved to the Imperial War Museum's AirSpace hangar where DA4 can be viewed today.
• Germany DA5: Built by EADS Germany in Manching, the first flight took place on 24 February 1997 with pilot Wolfgang Schirdewahn. DA5 was the first Eurofighter with ECR-90 radar and also the first with full avionics equipment. Radar software upgrade to DS-C1 and upgrade to EJ200-03A engines in June 1997, followed by testing of radar absorbing material. First visit to a potential export customer in Rygge/Norway in June 1998 as well as the flight of a Norwegian test pilot on December 15, 1998. First flight with new software standard Phase 2B1 with autopilot and auto thrust on April 1, 1999. Radar tests with four simulated targets followed in mid 1999. Icing flight tests took place in February 2000 and integration of AMRAAM and AIM-9L was completed in May 2001. By mid-2000, 90% of the flight envelope had been flown. Regular supercruise flying, air-to-air missile firing, and high mission rates and agility were demonstrated. Radar testing was completed by March 29, 2001 with various tests with 20 targets each. Avionics upgrade to production standard in spring 2003 and first flight with active IRIS-T in May 2004, followed by first flight with six fully integrated AMRAAM including simulated missile deployment. Was later upgraded to Tranche 2 standard. Flew with CAESAR radar from 8 May 2007. Was withdrawn from service on 30 October 2007 and used as exhibit 31+30.
• Spain DA6: Was built by EADS Spain in Seville as a second two-seater, intended for expansion of the flight performance range, the air conditioning and ventilation systems, the MIDS data link and the helmet visor system. The first flight took place on 31 August 1996 with Alf de Miguel Gonzalez. This was followed by high-temperature tests in Moròn (Spain) from 20 July 1998 and flight tests with a pilot's cooling vest in June 1999. Icing tests in the climate hangar at the Boscombe Down test site were completed in January 2000. This was followed by environmental systems testing jointly with DA1 at Boscombe Down. These were completed in May 2000. Voice command trials commenced in 2001. Crashed after engine failure on 21 November 2002 100 km south of Madrid with 326 flight hours during 362 sorties.
• Italy DA7: Was built by Alenia, the first flight took place on 27 January 1997 by Napoleone Bragagnolo. Second jet with EJ200 engines. First take-off of an AIM-9L on 15 December 1997, and first drop of an AIM-120 on 17 December 1997, followed by the first drop of 1000-litre underwing tanks on 17 June 1998. From April 2001, take-off tests of AMRAAM and AIM-9L were carried out from Decimomannu military airfield, followed by tests with the PIRATE sensor. A second series of AMRAAM and AIM-9L launch tests at Decimomannu followed in December 2001. First aerial refueling from Italian Boeing-707T/T tanker in July 2002. Successful AMRAAM launch test from outer wing station in November 2003. First PIRATE tracking test took place in January 2004. This was followed by IRIS-T launch tests from the outer wing station in March 2004. In early 2007, DA7 was used to develop the PIRATE (IRST/FLIR), to test the new Striker helmet and for further air-to-ground tests (e.g. laser target container). On 10 September 2007, the aircraft was mothballed at Cameri.

Pre-series models

The Instrumented Production Aircraft (IPA) are eight production standard aircraft that have been equipped with instrumentation for telemetry. All aircraft are built to Tranche 1 standard, with avionics upgraded to Tranche 2 standard on all but IPA1 and IPA3. IPA7 is the only full Tranche 2 aircraft, IPA8 the only Tranche 3. The IPAs are owned by NATO EF 2000 and Tornado Development, Production & Logistics Management Agency:

• United Kingdom IPA1: The two-seater was built by BAE Systems in Warton, the first flight was on 15 April 2002 with Keith Hartley at the controls. IPA1 was the first Typhoon to be produced in series. Later air refuelling nozzles, test flight instruments and paint were added. Served to test the Defensive Aids Sub System (DASS). The first drop of a "Paveway II" took place on 29 June 2006. In June 2009, drop tests were conducted with the "Paveway IV". From the beginning of 2011, drop tests with Meteor prototypes followed on the Aberporth Range, and the first test firings at the end of 2012.
• Italy IPA2: The two-seater was built by Alenia, the first flight was on 5 April 2002 by Maurizio Cheli. Intended for tests of air-to-ground weaponry and sensor fusion. Used in 2003 to test Tactical Air Navigation. First aerial refueling at night on November 19, 2004. In 2005, tests were undertaken with the GBU-16. On 14 September 2007, the first flight with the EJ200-Mk-101 engines of tranche 2 took place. Supersonic flights and maneuvers were tested. Initially, only the right engine was replaced by the Mk 101, and from December onwards both. This was to investigate the compatibility of the engines. In November 2008, aerial refuelling tests were conducted with a KC-130J Hercules. Night refueling was also tested. Has been used for Paveway IV testing since late 2008. Since late 2012, the aircraft has been used for software testing. Tests with Storm Shadow began at the end of 2013.
• Germany IPA3: Built by EADS Germany, also a two-seater. First flight on 8 April 2002 by Chris Worning. In 2005, load tests and loading tests took place. "Paveway II" was carried for the first time on 21 February, and the "Litening III" target lighting tank for aerodynamic testing in November. Carrying tests continued in 2013.
• Spain IPA4: The single-seater was built by EADS Spain. The first flight was piloted by Alfonso de Castro on 27 February 2004. This was followed in December 2004 by a flight to the Vidsel rocket test site for cold weather tests, which were completed on 8 March 2005. As it was not always cold enough for the cold weather tests, unplanned taxiing on the snowy and icy runway was also tested. This was followed by transfer to Morón (Spain) for hot weather tests in the summer of 2005. For networked operations, tests of the MIDS together with Typhoon production aircraft were also conducted in Morón. For this purpose, the aircraft was upgraded to Block 2B and PIRATE and DASS were installed. In 2006, tests were conducted with the GBU-16 on electromagnetic compatibility (EMC), flutter and vibration. Test flights on the Meteor program took place in 2007. On 31 March 2009, IPA4 fired an AMRAAM at a Mirach drone using the MIDS, with target data sent by IPA5. In mid-2009, the aircraft was upgraded to Tranche 2 standard. Has been used for environmental and communications systems testing and MIDS and meteor testing. Since late 2012, the aircraft has been used for software testing.
• United Kingdom IPA5: The single-seater was built by BAE Systems in Warton. First flight on 7 June 2004 by Mark Bowman. Served to integrate air-to-air and air-to-ground weapons, including AMRAAM, ASRAAM, 1000-pound bombs, BL755 cluster munitions, and the ALARM anti-radar guided missile. On 12 March 2009, IPA5 flew to Moron to carry out the MIDS firing over southern Spain on 31 March with IPA4. Was then used for avionics testing. A prototype CAPTOR-E was then fitted and flew for the first time in early March 2014, several months ahead of schedule. As it is a Tranche 1 airframe, the installation of the CAPTOR-E in Tranche 1 aircraft was also to be demonstrated.
• United Kingdom IPA6: Took off for the first time on November 1, 2007 with Mark Bowman at the controls. Although it was a Tranche 1 aircraft, it was the first aircraft with Tranche 2 hardware and software. Engine testing took place in October 2007. From 2008, DASS test flights were completed and the new Helmet Equipment Assembly (HEA) and Forward Looking Infra-Red (FLIR) were tested. Since the end of 2012, the aircraft has been used for software testing.
• Germany IPA7: Flew on 16 January 2008 as the first and only aircraft with full Tranche 2 standard. Pilot was Chris Worning. Tests with the 500-pound Paveway began around June 2008. Tests with the Missile Alert Wings (MAW) were also undertaken over the North Sea that year, along with Air Force F-4 Phantoms and Panavia Tornados. The series of tests continued in 2009. Since late 2012, the aircraft has been used for software testing. Tests with Taurus cruise missiles followed from the end of 2013. On 15 January 2014, the first test flight with two KEPD 350s took place. In mid-2014, tests will take place with additional strakes over the canards and larger rudders to better manage the pitch-up moment when flying with conformal fuel tanks. Furthermore, it should also be possible to pull over a stall (aka cobra maneuver) and improve the roll rates there.
• Germany IPA8: The two-seater is currently (04/2014) in production, and meets the Tranche 3 standard. Receives a prototype of the on-board radar CAPTOR-E.

There are also Instrumented Series Production Aircraft (ISPA). Like the IPAs, these are branched off the production line and carry less telemetry than the IPA machines. In these models, which can also be converted back to series, the space of the on-board gun has been used for avionics, which are connected to the fiber optic bus. Legally, the ISPAs are the property of the user states and are only borrowed from industry:

• United Kingdom ISPA1: The Tranche 1 two-seater was built by BAE Systems at Warton, first flight on 11 May 2004. Flew to Naval Air Weapons Station China Lake on 3 February 2005 with a BAE Systems and RAF test pilot via Lajes, Bangor, Little Rock and Cannon airbases. This included Harrier GR7s and Tornado GR4s from RAF Coningsby. After the completion of exercise "High Rider 10" the redeployment began. Has since served as a test aircraft for DASS, Striker helmet and laser targeting integration. Was retrofitted and handed over to the RAF in June 2009.
• Italy ISPA2: Tranche 1 single-seater from Alenia. First flight on 9 July 2004 by Maurizio Cheli. Was handed over to the Italian Air Force in December 2004 after successful tests.
• Spain ISPA3: Was delivered in June 2011 as a Tranche 2 aircraft. Handed over to the Spanish Air Force in February 2014 after tests (including with Litening-LDP).
• Italy ISPA4: Used in May 2011 as a T2 aircraft for testing PIRATE and the inertial navigation system. Was handed over to the Italian Air Force in January 2014.
• United Kingdom ISPA5: Manufactured in March 2011 as a Tranche 2 aircraft and handed over to the Royal Air Force in January 2014 after test flights.

Serial models

Tranche 1

The Tranche 1 aircraft were delivered from 2003 and provide the basic capabilities. All Tranche 1 aircraft were upgraded to Block 5 under the R1 and R2 programmes by early 2012. Germany, Italy and Spain were still developing the "Drop 1", an avionics software update to improve LRU swaps (from 2011). Germany and the UK then developed the "Drop 2" update. It is available for all Tranche 1 aircraft as of March 2013. The display of targets is more intuitive; furthermore, it now displays which sensors contribute to the merged track. The target illumination bin operating capabilities via HOTAS have also been enhanced, as well as improvements to the DASS software. "Drop 3" is expected to be available in late 2014 and should affect all core programs. "Drop 4," which will follow, will improve MIDS and AIS. Tranche 1 aircraft have software limitations due to limited computing power: for example, during a bombing mission it is possible to locate an air target using ESM/ECM and strafe it using AMRAAM (details), but it is then no longer possible to switch to air-to-ground mode. This was only fixed in tranche 2 due to higher computing power.

• Block 1: Hardware series standard and test flight instrumentation, basic skills
• Block 2: Sensor fusion and limited DASS (Chaff/Flare), PIRATE only as FLIR, DVI voice control, basic autopilot. New weapons: AIM-9L, ASRAAM-digital, AIM-120B AMRAAM, cannon.
• Block 2B: Software update flight control system (full air combat capability and basic multi-role capability), Striker data helmet, MIDS data link, more radar modes, full DASS, PIRATE, ground collision warning system. New weapons: IRIS-T analog
• Block 5: Night vision for Striker helmet, software update flight control system, full autopilot, full PIRATE, full ground collision warning system. New Weapons: Paveway II (GBU-16, GBU-48), Rafael Litening III, ground mode cannon.

Tranche 2

The Tranche 2 aircraft were delivered starting in October 2008, eliminating obsolescence and enhancing basic air-to-air and ground combat capabilities. Phase 1 Enhancement (P1E) was contracted in 2007. Was later split into Phase A (P1EA) and Phase B (P1EB). IPA4 and IPA7 completed test flights for this on 28 October 2013, with the software update available at the end of 2013. In the course of the Tranche 3 contract, the Common Obsolescence Removal Programme (CORP) was co-financed, which is intended to eliminate obsolescence in some avionics boxes from Tranche 2 and 3.

• Block 8: New hardware standard according to STANAG 4626 for all computers.
• Block 10: Corresponds to Phase A. Software update for IFF Mode 5 Level 2, MIDS Data Link 16. DGPS with predictive capability, alerts pilot when GPS weapons attack could break link. New weapons: IRIS-T digital, Paveway IV with supersonic drop capability, more features for laser targeting pods. Helmet Mounted Symbology System (HMSS) also provides ground targets and the laser target container can be instructed on targets through the helmet visor. Ability to hit two different targets simultaneously with laser guided bombs. New low-band antennas for ESM and ECM with polarization diversity, ECM with extended frequency range and more radiated power, improved DRFM and EloGM techniques are possible. Frequency lower limit of Ariel towed jammer now 4 GHz and more effective radiated power.
• Block 15: Corresponds to Phase B, but the split between A and B is unclear. DASS missile warners can identify threats through database matching and trigger flares and chaffs as appropriate. Target signatures must be uploaded prior to launch. Auto-Combat Air Patrol and Auto-Attack modes for the autopilot; allows the Eurofighter to fly autonomously on the CAP route, or to perform a homing approach to a ground target. Improved voice control with now 90 commands, including the ability to request information on any target or waypoint, control the laser target illumination bin by voice and create waypoints. Paveway IV impact angle and firing mode can be programmed by the pilot. Ability to hit up to six targets with laser-guided bombs, with the laser automatically switching to the next target after the splash.

Tranche 3

The first single-seater of Tranche 3 should be delivered in mid-2014. These aircraft have reinforced backs, with adapters for Conformal Fuel Tanks (CFT). The adapters are clearly visible as small bumps. In addition, the nose has been reinforced to carry the heavier CAPTOR-E. The fuel dumping system is now located under the wings. A total of 350 parts were reworked to have more computing, cooling, data transfer and electrical power capacity. The Tranche 3 contract also co-funded the Common Obsolescence Removal Program (CORP), which is designed to eliminate obsolescence on some Tranche 2 and 3 avionics boxes. On the software side, Tranche 2 and 3 are identical, so Tranche 3 aircraft will fly with the P1EA and P1EB respectively.

On 30 October 2013, the contract was signed between NETMA and Eurofighter Jagdflugzeug GmbH for Evolution Package 2, which forms the basis for P2E. P2E is divided into Phase A (P2EA) and Phase B (P2EB), which should be available by the end of 2015 and early 2017 respectively. On February 23, 2015, the contract for Phase 3 Enhancement (P3E) was signed by the four partner countries. In addition to the introduction of Brimstone 2, the integration of Storm Shadow, Meteor, Paveway IV and ASRAAM is also to be improved.

The scaffolding is scheduled for completion in 2017.

• Block 20: Capability to carry two CFTs with additional fuel. In February 2013, there was talk of 4500 lbs (2041 kg) of additional kerosene, and in new wind tunnel tests as of April 2014, there was talk of 2 × 1500 litres (about 2400 kg).
• Block 25: Corresponds to Phase A. Meteor missile, Storm Shadow cruise missile, option for Taurus. Expected to be CAPTOR-E, two-way data link for Meteor with ability to reprogram weapon in flight, high-speed radar-to-radar communications, use of E-Scan as jammer.
• Block 30: Corresponds to Phase B. Under negotiation, with emphasis on Suppression of Enemy Air Defences, sea target missiles, glide bombs and reconnaissance pods. The containers under consideration are UTC Aerospace Systems' DB-110 and Thales' AREOS. Brimstone II will also be scaffolded by P3E.

White painted DA2 in flight, 1999


DA4 in the Imperial War Museum .


DA1 at the Schleißheim airfield, next to the X-31