Eurofighter Typhoon timeline

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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.

Contents 1 1970s 2 1980s 3 1990s 4 2000s 5 References

[edit] 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.^[1]
• 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)

[edit] 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.
  • October 27 - EAP demonstrator rolled out at BAe Warton.
• 1986
  • June - Eurofighter GmbH established.
  • August 8 - 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
  • November 23 - Contracts signed for production of demonstrator engines and airframes.

[edit] 1990s

• 1990
  • EuroRADAR formed for development of ECR-90 (CAPTOR) radar (right).
• 1991
  • May 1 - 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
  • March 27 - Maiden flight of first development aircraft, DA1 from DASA at Manching with RB199 engines.
  • April 6 - Maiden flight of second development aircraft, DA2 from BAe Warton. DA2 also flew with RB199s.
• 1995
  • June 4 - Maiden flight of Italian DA3, the first with EJ200 engines.
• 1996
  • August 31 - Spanish DA6 becomes the first two-seater to fly.
• 1997
  • January 27 - First flight of DA7 from Turin.
  • February 24 - Maiden flight of German DA5, first aircraft to be fitted with ECR-90.
  • March 14 - 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.
  • 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.^[2]
  • December 18 - Tranche 1 contract signed.
• 1999
  • Eurofighter International established as single contracting/management company to handle all export sales.

[edit] 2000s

• 2000
  • March 8 - First export sale, 60 ordered and 30 options by Greece (but delayed, maybe cancelled).
  • 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.
• 2002
  • 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 - DA6, flying out of Getafe crashes. Twin engine failure is blamed. .^[3]
• 2003
  • February 13 - First Series Production Aircraft, GT001 flies from Manching. This is the first of Germany's 180 aircraft.
  • February 14 - In the space of just over an hour Italy's IT001 and Britain's BT001 make their maiden flights.
  • February 17 - Spain's ST001 flies from EADS Military Aircraft, Getafe, Spain.
  • June 30 - "Type Acceptance" signed, marking formal delivery of aircraft to the partner nations.
  • October - Integration of Meteor begins
• 2004
  • June 27 - Two RAF Typhoon T1s depart UK for Singapore for marketing and training
  • December 15 - 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.
  • 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 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
  • March 31 - First RAF operational squadron formed ^[4]
  • August 18 - Announcement of Saudi Arabia signing a contract to buy 72 planes from the UK. ^[5]
  • October 03 - 100th production aircraft delivered. ^[6]
• 2007
  • July 12 - The first Eurofighter for Austria is delivered to the Austrian Air Force ^[7]

• 2008
  • January 16 - The first Tranche 2 Eurofighter Typhoon has made its first flight. ^[8]

[edit] References