Eurofighter Typhoon

The Eurofighter Typhoon is a fighter multi-roles of last generation developed by the the United Kingdom, the Germany, the Italy and the Spain. These countries received their first standard appliances in 2004, while the Austria and the Saudi Arabia also became purchasers from there, which should make pass the total production to more than 700 specimens.

Design

Agreements

It is in December 1983 which talks in order to define a European plane multi-roles began between the staffs French, German, Italy N, Spanish and British. The feasibility study was started in July 1984, but of the divergences between France, which preferred a plane multirôle, and the other nations, which wished a hunter intended for the air superiority (in a context of cold war) appeared. Thus the French state withdraws program as of July 1985 to develop its own project, the Dassault Rafale. The other countries shared the budget of the program at a rate of 33% for Germany and the United Kingdom, 21% for Italy and 13% for Spain.

The final concept, adoptee with the end of the year 1987, took again certain characteristics of demonstrator EAP ( Experimental Aircraft Programme ) built by British Aerospace and whose first flight proceeded the August 8th 1986. The contracts concerning the development of the engine Eurojet EJ200 (9190 kg of thorough) were signed the November 23rd 1988, the first two prototypes receiving while waiting for Turbo-Union RB 199 (7264 kp of thorough).

At this time, the first flight was planned for 1991 and the deliveries for 1996. In fact, at the request of Germany, which wished to reduce the cost of the apparatus and to examine various other technical options, the program was re-examined. Seven different configurations for the future EFA ( European Fighter Aircraft ) were compared, while Italy and Spain froze temporarily their studies in October 1992. The held international ministerial conference the December 10th of the same year allowed the revival of the program under name Eurofighter Typhoon , the startup being then planned for 1999. In addition, Germany intended to reduce the unit costs by 30% while cutting down on the military capacities of the apparatus.

The prototype took various names in turn, initially EFA ( Fighter plan European or European Fighter Aircraft ) then Eurofighter then Eurofighter 2000 , today, it is called Eurofighter Typhoon .

Tests

In 1996, the searchs for economies were given up and the firm Eurofighter GMBH had the authorization to develop the model initially envisaged. It was hoped whereas the first deliveries of series would take place to the four air forces concerned in 2001, RAF wanting to lay out of a first operational unit in 2005. In the beginning, eight apparatuses of development, called DA, were to be built, but one of them was removed at the beginning of 1991 by preoccupation with an economy.

The seven planes of tests are:

the DA1 (coded 98+29), built by the German firm DASA with Ottobrun was a single-seater and was to take off of Manching the May 11th 1992. But, because of problem of orders of flight, it could leave the ground only the March 27th 1994. In 1997, its engines RB199-122 were replaced by EJ200.
the DA2 (coded ZH 588), left the factory of the Bae of Warton, also single-seater, carried out its first point fixes the August 30th 1992 but only the April 6th 1994 stole. It also received, in 1997, engines EJ200. This plane was lost in November 2002 following a driving problem.
the DA3 (coded MMX602), manufactured by Alenia Aeronautica with Turin, equipped at the beginning with EJ200, stole the June 4th 1995.
the DA4 (coded ZH 590), British, is the first two-seater and the first apparatus comprising the whole of the radar system. Left factory the May 4th 1994, it accomplished its initial flight the March 14th 1997.
the DA5 (coded 98+30), single-seater, intended for the tests of armament, stole the February 24th 1997. In May 2007 this apparatus will have been first Typhoon to be flown equipped with new radar CAESAR (CAPTOR Active Electronically Scanned Array Radar - antenna Radar with active electronic sweeping).
the DA6 (coded XCE.16-01), left the factory CASA Seville, second two-seater, achieved its first flight the February 24th 1997.
Lastly, the DA7 (coded MMX603), Italian, stole the January 27th 1997.

Production, orders, Deliveries

The October 9th 1997, the German government decided to finance the production of 180 deliverable specimens starting from 2002. The United Kingdom will buy of them at least 232 specimens, Italy 121 and Spain 87, of the figures in Net withdrawal compared to the first intentions. The first specimens of series, of the two-seaters intended for the training of the pilots, were delivered in 2004. The first single-seat specimens arrived in 2005.

With export, the Austria and the Saudi Arabia announced in 2006 the intention to acquire this plane, 18, then 15 for the first and 72 for the second. On the other hand the Greece, which had also announced the purchase of Typhoon, retracted. The Japan announced in 2007 qu ' it would be interested by the acquisition of Eurofighter Typhoon in order to replace its F-4EJ Phantom.

The first apparatuses in service are stationed on air bases of Seville - Moron for Spain, of Grosseto - Corrado Baccarini for Italy, and of Rostock - Laage for Germany.

First Austrian Eurofighter coded 7L-WA landed on July 12th, 2007 with 10:45 on the air base of the Bundesheer of Zeltweg in Styrie (Land). 3 other machines will be delivered this year, one in August, one in October, and an in December. The delivery of the 11 other apparatuses will spread out until medium 2008. The 7L-WA is the 125ème Eurofighter delivered to an air force.

Engagements

This plane does not have for the moment taken part in any combat.

The units which will be equipped with Eurofighter Typhoon

the United Kingdom: No 17 (Reserve) Squadron, No 29 (Reserve) Squadron, No 3 Squadron, No 11 Squadron, No 43 Squadron, No 111 Squadron, No 6 Squadron, No 54 Squadron, No 41 Squadron

Germany: Jagdgeschwader 73, Jagdgeschwader 74, Jagdbombergeschwader 31, Jagdgeschwader 71, Jagdbombergeschwader 33

Italy: 9° Gruppo and 20 Gruppo of the 4° Stormo, 12° Gruppo of the 36° Stormo

Spain: Went 11, Ala 14

Austria: Luftraumüberwachungsgeschwader

Saudi Arabia: ?

sources

Österreich: Der Darabos-Deal, weniger Quantität, weniger Qualität

http://www.airpower.at

http://www.eurofighter.com

Japan narrows fighter next-generation requirement choice

Luftwaffe - Waffen und Technik - Eurofighter

Video presentation - YouTube

See too

List of the military aircrafts

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