Eurofighter Typhoon

Originally called the European Fighter Aircraft (EFA), the Typhoon was conceived in the
mid-1970s out of German and British designs for a fourth-generation fighter to combat and surpass some of the best aircraft that the Soviet Union and the Warsaw Pact could offer. Despite the end of the Cold War in the early 1990s, the projects partners of Germany, Italy, Spain and the UK continued the programme later renaming it the Eurofighter 2000 (EF 2000) to reflect its planned entry date into service. France was one of the original partners in the project when the aircraft was in its early design stages, but due to different operational requirements and cost, it later decided to develop alone its design for a new and lighter fighter, the Rafale, which first flew in 1991.

	Photo: BAE Systems

The EF-2000 was later renamed the Typhoon (Germany still calls it the EF-2000) and the prototype first flew in 1994. The aircraft is an advanced Mach 2 delta-wing fighter powered by two Eurojet EJ200 turbofans (90 kN in reheat, 60 kN dry). Deliveries to the project partners began in 2003. At the present, the aircraft is only configured for air defence, but it will be capable of undertaking a wide range of roles by 2012, including strike and Suppression of Enemy Defences (SEAD).

The Typhoon involves a complicated and currently unmatched level of co-operation, similar to what was involved in the development and production of the Tornado during the 1970s and 1980s. This project involving the UK, Germany and Italy saw the formation of the prime contractor Panavia Aircraft GmbH, which is owned by BAE Systems (42.5%), EADS (42.5%) and Alenia Aeronautica (15%), to manage and produce four different Tornado variants (air defence, strike/reconnaissance, electronic warfare, SEAD). Work share of the production of about 857 aircraft was divided between the project partners (UK 47.6%, Germany 40%, Italy 12.4%). The company Turbo-Union was formed by Rolls- Royce (40%), MTU (40%) and Avio (20%) to manage the development and production of the RB199 turbofan used to power the Tornado. With an end to Tornado production in the 1980s, Panavia Aircraft is now responsible for overseeing any upgrades to the remaining 600+ aircraft still operational with the UK, Germany, Italy and Saudi Arabia (only export customer) that will keep them in service for at least another twenty years.

With the Typhoon, Eurofighter Jagdflugzeug GmbH was formed to manage the project (EADS 46%, BAE Systems 33%, Alenia Aeronautica 21%) while the NATO Eurofighter and Tornado Management Agency (NETMA) handles purchases of the aircraft on behalf of the partner nations. Eurojet represents the companies building the EJ200 turbofan used to power the Typhoon, comprising MTU Aero Engines (33%), Rolls-Royce (33%), Italy's Avio (21%) and ITP (13%). Euroradar was formed to develop the aircraft’s ECR-90 Captor multi-mode pulse doppler radar. It is owned by EADS Defence Electronics, Galileo Avionica (FIAR), Indra and Selex S&AS.

Individual parts of the aircraft are made in a different country and shipped to the project partner to assemble the complete Typhoon for their own national air forces. Work share is based on the size of each order led by the UK (37.5 per cent), Germany (30 per cent), Italy (19.5 per cent) and Spain (13 per cent). EADS Deutschland at Manching constructs the centre fuselage, while EADS Casa builds the right wing and leading-edge slats at its Getafe plant near Madrid. BAE Systems at Warton builds the front and parts of the rear fuselage, canopy, dorsal spine and tail fin. Alenia Aeronautica at Caselle near Turin builds the left wing and parts of the rear fuselage. It has been estimated that about 100,000 people are directly and 150,000 indirectly employed in the programme, which involves more than 200 companies.

The original requirement for each programme partner has been slightly revised as a result of the end of the Cold War and due to the aircraft going over-budget. The programme partners are due to take delivery of 620 aircraft by 2015. The UK will be the biggest operator (232), followed by Germany (180), Italy (121) and then Spain (87). To date, however, the partner countries have only ordered two tranches of the aircraft, totalling 384 aircraft. About 131 Typhoons have been delivered that are limited to the air-to-air role. Approximately 115 aircraft are due to undergo a Retrofit 2 (R2) Block 5 upgrade that will provide the Typhoon with the full capability to undertake air defence or interception roles and a limited air-to-ground capability. The upgrade includes the activation of basic air-to-ground search modes in the Captor radar and the addition of the Pirate (Passive Infra-Red Airborne Track Equipment) IRST (Infrared Search and Track System) located mounted above the radome just in front of the windscreen. Pirate was developed by the EuroFirst consortium, comprising Selex Galileo, Thales and Spain's Tecnobit. Other additions to the R2 Block 5 Typhoons include the introduction of a Defensive Aids Sub-System (DASS) countermeasures suite and the integration of the 1,000lb Enhanced Paveway (EPW) III LGB and the 500lb Paveway IV Precision Guided Bomb (PGB). Deliveries of the upgraded aircraft began in mid-2007. The UK’s R2 fleet will include the use of 20 Litening EF (Gen III) laser targeting pods ahead of the Typhoon’s first operational deployment in Afghanistan during 2008. These have been supplied by the UK’s Ultra Electronics, built under licence from Israel’s Rafael Armament Development Authority Ltd. Tranche two deliveries are due to begin in 2008. The third tranche is due to be ordered by 2009, although budgetary restraints among some partner nations, including the UK, could lead to a delay, reduction in aircraft numbers or even cancellation of the contract. In December 2006, the UK warned that it would not proceed with the order unless the project is significantly reformed by making production and management of the programme more efficient to reduce overall costs.

The Typhoon presently has two other customers. Austria is currently taking delivery of 15 aircraft, while Saudi Arabia ordered 72 Typhoons in September 2007 to be delivered in 2009. These will be assembled at BAE Systems' Warton plant in the UK and in Saudi Arabia, and will be some of the aircraft that were originally destined for the Royal Air Force (RAF) as part of its tranche two order. Efforts are currently being made to develop the facilities necessary for the Alsalam Aircraft Company to undertake some assembly work. In December 2007, Eurofighter signed a contractual agreement to manage production and support of the Saudi Typhoons on behalf of BAE Systems.

Photo: BAE Systems

There are several other potential export customers. Greece cancelled an order for 60 Typhoons in 2004 and has opted to purchase further F-16 Fighting Falcons, but could purchase the aircraft at a later date. Romania is looking for 24 to 48 new fighters with a decision due in 2008. If Romania proceeds with its full requirement of 48 aircraft and selects the Eurofighter Typhoon, the order could include some offset work, including assembly. Japan has expressed an interest the aircraft, while the Typhoon is being offered to Switzerland to replace its F-5 Tiger II fleet. The aircraft is also being offered to meet India's Medium Multi-Role Combat Aircraft (MMRCA) requirement for up to 126 new fighters. Australia has now decided to reassess its plans to acquire 24 F/A-18 Super Hornets as a stop-gap until the F-35 Lightning II is available. Possible contenders include the F-22 Raptor, F-15 Eagle, Typhoon, Rafale and the Gripen. A decision is due end-2008. The Typhoon was also in the running to replace the F-16 Fighting Falcon fleets of Denmark and Norway, but in December 2007 it was reported that Eurofighter had suspended attempts to sell the aircraft to Copenhagen and Oslo due to both countries continued interest in the F-35 Lightning II programme.

Data

Specifications
Overall length: 15.96 m
Wing span: 10.95 m
Wing area: 50 m²
Overall height: 5.28 m

Weights
Max take-off weight: 51,809 lb (23,000 kg)
Max payload: 14,300 lb (6,500 kg)

Performance
Powerplant: 2 x Eurojet EJ200 turbofans (each rated at 13,500 lbf (60 kN) dry
and 20,250 lbf (90 kN) with reheat).
Max speed: Mach 2.0
Range: 1,390 km
Climb rate: 315 m/s (1,033 ft/sec)
Max operating altitude: 19,812 m (65,000 ft)

General data
Crew: 1-2
G-limits: +9g to -3g
Armament: 1 x 27 mm Mauser BK-27 cannon, 13 hardpoints to carry a variety of weapons and drop tanks depending on mission. Weapons include AIM-9 Sidewinder, AIM-120 AMRAAM, IRIS-T, Meteor BVRAAM (from 2013) in the air-to-air role. In the air-to-ground role, the Typhoon will initially armed with the 1,000lb Enhanced Paveway (EPW) III LGB or the 500lb Paveway IV PGB. Will later be able to carry weapons like the AGM-84 Harpoon, AGM-88 HARM, ALARM, Storm Shadow, Scalp EG, Brimstone, Taurus KEPD 350.
Radar: Euroradar ECR-90 Captor
First flight: March 1994; entered service in 2003
Status: in production; deliveries continuing until 2015 Operators: 135 currently in-service. Austria (15 on order), Germany (112 ordered; total requirement 180), Italy (75 ordered; total requirement 121), Saudi Arabia (72 on order), Spain (53 ordered; total requirement 87), UK (144 on order; total requirement 232)

Eurofighter Typhoon main workshare

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