Eurofighter Typhoon variants

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The Eurofighter Typhoon is in service with five nations: Britain, Germany, Italy, Spain and Austria. BAE Systems describe the Eurofighter as the World's most advanced multi role aircraft. The aircraft has also been ordered by Saudi Arabia. The aircraft has so far been delivered in a basic form, most of the major systems including the CAPTOR radar and the Defence Aids Sub-System (DASS) are expected to develop and mature over time. However BAE states that even these early aircraft will be much more capable than the Tornado F3 and that the development of the Typhoon will exceed the learning curve of pilots.^{[citation needed]}

Contents 1 Development Aircraft 2 Instrumented Production Aircraft 3 Series Production Aircraft 3.1 Tranche 1 3.2 Tranche 2 3.3 AMI aircraft 3.4 EdA aircraft 3.5 Luftwaffe aircraft 3.6 RAF Aircraft 3.6.1 Typhoon T1 3.6.2 Typhoon T1A 3.6.3 Typhoon F2 3.6.4 Typhoon T3 3.6.5 Typhoon FGR4 4 References 5 External links 6 See also

[edit] Development Aircraft

Seven Development aircraft (DA) aircraft were built with varying equipment fits and missions.

DA1  Germany

DA1's main role was handling characteristics and engine performance.

DA1 was assembled in 1992 and first flew on 27 March 1994 with Luftwaffe serial 98+29. The military evaluation phase commenced in 1996. In 1997 after 123 flights, DA1's RB199 engines were replaced by EJ200s, it also was refitted with the Martin Baker Mk.16A ejector seat and its full avionics fit. Following these modifications it rejoined the flight test programme in 1999. Following the loss of DA6, DA1 was transferred to Spain to undertake the remaining development work including IRIS-T trials.^[1]

The aircraft was retired on 2005-12-21, eleven years, eight months, and 24 days after its first flight.^[2]

DA2  United Kingdom

DA2 undertook envelope expansion, flight control assessment and load trials. The aircraft first flew on 6 April 1994 as ZH588. The flight control assessment included development of the Eurofighter's "carefree handling". On 23 December 1997 DA2 became the first Eurofighter to achieve Mach 2 and in January 1998 undertook refuelling trials with a RAF VC10. Like DA1, DA2 was upgraded in 1998 with new engines, ejector seat and avionics and rejoined the test programme in August. In 2000 the aircraft was covered with 490 pressure transducers; due to the fact that they were covered by black pads and had associated wiring the aircraft was painted in a gloss black scheme. The pressure transducers measured the effects of various weapons loads and external fuel tanks. In 2002 the aircraft undertook ASRAAM trials, completed carefree handling trials and commenced DASS decoy trials.^[1]

Now retired at RAF Coningsby and will eventually go to the RAF Museum at Hendon.

DA3  Italy

Weapons systems development

DA4  United Kingdom

Radar and avionics development, now retired at RAF Coningsby for use as a ground instruction airframe.

DA5  Germany

Radar and avionics development, being upgraded to Tranche 2 standard

DA6  Spain

Airframe development and handling. DA6 was lost in a crash in November 2002 after both engines failed.^[3] EADS Germany's DA1 was transferred to EADS-CASA.^[4]

DA7  Italy

Navigation, avionics and missile carriage

[edit] Instrumented Production Aircraft

The Instrumented Production Aircraft (IPA) are five production standard aircraft for further system development.

• IPA1 (UK) – 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 (UK) – Air-to-surface and air-to-air weapons integration
• IPA6 (UK) – Converted Series Production Aircraft (BS031) – Tranche 2 Computer Systems.^[5]
• IPA7 (Germany) – Converted Series Production Aircraft (GS029) – Full Tranche 2 Standard.^[5]

[edit] Series Production Aircraft

These are the operational and training aircraft. The Eurofighter is known as Typhoon in the United Kingdom and export markets and as EF-2000 in Germany, Italy and Spain. However all Italian aircraft carry the "Typhoon" logo on their tails.^[4]

[edit] Tranche 1

The Tranche 1 aircraft were produced from 2003 onwards and featured the Typhoon's initial capabilities.

Block 1

Initial Operational Capability, Basic Air Defence Capability

Block 2

Air-to-air capabilities

Block 5

Air-to-air and air-to-ground capabilities

[edit] Tranche 2

The Tranche 2 aircraft are currently in production

Block 8

New hardware-standard with new mission computer

Block 10

EOC 1, improved DASS, IFF Mode 5, Rangeless ACMI

Air/Air: AIM-120C-5 AMRAAM, IRIS-T digital

Air/Ground: GBU-24, GPS-guided weapons, ALARM, Paveway III & IV, Rafael Litening III

Block 15

EOC 2,

Air/Air: METEOR,

Air/Ground: TAURUS, Storm Shadow, Brimstone

Block 20

EOC 3,

[edit] AMI aircraft

As of July 2006 the Italian Air Force (Aeronautica Militare Italiana) had one EF-2000 wing, 4° Stormo (41st Wing), which received its first aircraft on 2004-02-19.^[4] When the two Groups of 4° Stormo receive their aircraft the next wing to convert to the EF-2000 will be 36° Stormo.

[edit] EdA aircraft

As of December 2006 the Spanish Air Force (Ejército del Aire) has one Squadron of aircraft. The first aircraft was delivered to Wing 11 in October 2003 at Moron airbase, Spain.^[6] In Spanish service, the aircraft is designated the C.16 Typhoon^[7].

[edit] Luftwaffe aircraft

As of October 2006 Germany had two active EF-2000 fighter wings, Jagdgeschwader 73 and Jagdgeschwader 74. JG 73 began converting to the Eurofighter in April 2004.^[8] JG 74 received its first aircraft on 2006-06-25.^[9]

[edit] RAF Aircraft

[edit] Typhoon T1

The Typhoon will replace the RAF's Tornado F3 (fighter) and Jaguar (ground attack) forces. If the total purchase reaches the planned 232 aircraft the Typhoon will equip seven front-line squadrons as well as the Operational Conversion Unit (OCU) and the Operational Evaluation Unit (OEU). These units will operate 137 Typhoons with the remaining 95 kept in reserve as attrition replacements and to share flight hours across the fleet.

Early RAF Typhoons were based at BAE Systems Warton, where the aircraft was assembled. This arrangement, dubbed "Case White" was intended to provide a smooth entry into service, with the close proximity of BAE staff allowing easy solutions to any technical issues which arise. The first squadrons, No. 17 OEU and No. 29 OCU Sqns, moved to RAF Coningsby in 2005 to begin establishing an initial operational capability (IOC).

The first Typhoon T1 is one of the Instrumented Production Aircraft (IPA1) and remains part of the BAE fleet. The aircraft's maiden flight was on April 15 2002. The official in service date for the first RAF Typhoon T1, serial ZJ803, was June 30 2003. Formal delivery occurred on December 18 at which point 17 Sqn began a full flying programme.

On June 27 2004 two RAF T1s left Warton bound for Singapore. This is the longest deployment of the Typhoon and the first outside Europe. While the Eurofighter development fleet was exhaustively tested for operations in extreme climates this provided operational experience of such deployments.

[edit] Typhoon T1A

The Typhoon T1A is a Tranche 1, Batch 2 two-seat trainer. There would not normally be a different designation for a different aircraft batch, however the Batch 2 aircraft have a fuel system modification to fix a fuel gauge problem identified in the development aircraft fleet.^[10]

[edit] Typhoon F2

The F2 is the single seat fighter variant. The first F2 is IPA5 and also remains with BAE, its first flight was June 6 2002.

The first operational squadron, No. 3, formed at RAF Cottesmore on March 31, 2006 and moved to its new base RAF Coningsby the following day.^[11] No. 11 squadron, the second operational squadron received its first aircraft (ZJ931) on October 9, 2006.^[12]

The UK agreed to approve production of "Tranche 2" in December 2004, this tranche will see the RAF receive a further 89 aircraft, bringing its Typhoon inventory to 144. This followed protracted negotiations regarding the early introduction of ground attack capabilities of the aircraft and hence its swing-role capability. While this was always planned it was intended to come at a much later date.

In 2001, it was announced that the Royal Air Force (RAF) would not use the aircraft's internal 27 mm Mauser cannon. This was due to a desire to save money by removing gun support costs, ammunition stocks, training costs, etc. The gun was also deemed unnecessary since the missile armament was believed to be adequate in the Typhoon's fighter role. However, because removal of the cannon would affect the aircraft's flight characteristics, requiring modification of the aircraft's flight software the RAF decided that all of its Typhoons would be fitted with the cannon but that it would not be used or supported. The service argued that this would save money by reducing the requirement for ground equipment, removing training costs and avoiding the fatigue effects of firing the cannon. The RAF maintained the option to activate the cannons at very short notice were operational requirements to change. ^[13] However in a third change of policy, the Daily Telegraph reported on 3 October 2006 that the RAF will fully utilise the cannon.^[14]

[edit] Typhoon T3

Two-seat Block 5 or later aircraft (built or upgraded from T1) are known as Typhoon T3s.^[15]

[edit] Typhoon FGR4

Single-seat Block 5 or later aircraft (built or upgraded from F2) are known as Typhoon FGR4s.^[15] The new mark number represents the increased capabilties of the Block 5 aircraft (fighter/ground attack/reconnaissance).

RAF Typhoon squadrons

Squadron	Current role	Current aircraft	Conversion date	Typhoon base
No. 17 Squadron	Operational Evaluation Unit	Typhoon T1/T1A/F2	2003	RAF Coningsby
No. 29 Squadron	Operational Conversion Unit	Typhoon T1/T1A/F2	2003	RAF Coningsby
No. 3 Squadron	Air Defence	Typhoon F2/T1A	2006	RAF Coningsby
No. 11 Squadron	Air Defence/ground attack	Typhoon F2	2007	RAF Coningsby
No. 6 Squadron	(disbanded)	(none)	2008	RAF Leuchars after initially forming at Coningsby

[edit] References

[edit] External links

• Official Eurofighter website
• RAF Eurofighter page

[edit] See also

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