n the late 1970s BAe's project team at A The all-British Aircraft'. the all-British P.110, a twin The Jaguar FBW/ACT Warton began working on the fighter P110, a twin engined delta with canards and a twin-fin. As part of its preparation for the to replace the Lightning and the engined delta with This led to a design jointly produced by all Lightning/Phantom replacement British Phantom. Their objective was to canards and a the Panavia partners - the Agile Combat Aerospace Warton had already been produce an aircraft equal to the General twin-fin mock-up Aircraft (ACA) which was publicly researching into the benefits of'Fly by was a BAe proposal Dynamics F-16 Fighting Falcon . In 1979 displayed for the first time as a full-scale wire' (FBW) technology and relaxed for an aircraft to BAe and Messerschmitt-Bolkow-Blohm mock-up at Farnborough 1982. The ACA replace the stability. To trial these the MoD funded (MBB) agreed to work together on a new Lightning and the was relatively light, highly-manoeuvrable the conversion of a Sepecat Jaguar to fighter design and devised the 'European Phantom. and capable of Mach 2. There was no prove them in flight. Originally built at Combat Fighter'. Then Dassault joined (BAE SYSTEMS North official support for the ACA but on 26 May Warton, Jaguar XX765 first flew in June BAe and MBB and the project was West Heritage) 1983 the Ministry of Defence placed a 1975 and after brief service with the RAF renamed the 'European Combat Aircraft'. contract with BAe Warton to produce to was put into store at Abingdon twelve This fell by the wayside but Warton's produce a single experimental aircraft months after its maiden flight. It was project engineers continued working on serial led ZF534 based on the ACA. It was reactivated and flown back to Warton in their designs and produced a smaller, to be funded 50 :50 by the state and by August 1978 for its extensive modification cheaper version of the 'European Combat industry. as a FBW trials machine.
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A The Pl 10 led to a design jointly produced by all the Tornado partners - the Agile Combat Aircraft (ACA) which was publicly displayed for the first time as a full-scale mock-up at Farnborough 1982. (BAE SYSTEMS North West Heritage)
On 20 October 1981 BAe's Chris Yeo first Aight with these fitted in March 1984. carefree handling, however hard he made a world first when he piloted To yet further increase the aircraft's pulled the control column the aircraft Jaguar S62 XX765 on its maiden flight as instability, in July it was flown with never exceeded its flight envelope limits. a fly-by-wire experimental aircraft. It destabilising ballast in fuel tanks on the The Jaguar FBW/ACT made a total of used four independent computer inboard wing pylons. In this configuration 96 flights until its retirement in controlled electrica l channels to relay XX765 was very unstable but the FBW September 1984 and is now on display at instructions to the Aight surfaces. It was systems enabled the pilot to indulge in the RAF Museum, Cosford. • the first aircraft ever to Ay with its conventional control rod-controlled control surfaces entirely replaced by electrically signalled controls with no form of mechanical back-up. Any breakdown in the FBW control would have left the pilot with no other alternative than to have ejected. From the start, the programme was an outstanding success. The FBW Jaguar was effortless to fly and handled superbly at incidences which normal Jaguars could not reach. Pilots commented on the lightness of the controls and the crispness of the response. In 1983 Scwt lead ballast was added in the tail to make the Jaguar unstable. Whereas aircraft had to be stable for a pilot to fly them, this natural stability worked against manoeuvring but with the addition of computers an unstable aircraft could be safely controlled. Following its initial trials as an unstable aircraft it was then fitted with large wing leading-edge strakes, to further decrease longitudinal static A As part of the research for the new fighter the MoD funded the conversion of a Sepecat Jaguar to prove the stabi lity. It was retitled the Jaguar ACT benefits of'Fly by wire' (FBW) technology and relaxed stability. Jaguar XX765 made its maiden flight as a 'Fly-by-wire' (Active Control Technology). It made its experimental aircraft. Note 'FBW' on the fin. (BAE SYSTEMS North West Heritage)
The Aircraft of British Aerospace and BAE SYSTEMS 1977 - 2017 105 Experimental Aircraft Programme The Experimental Aircraft Programme (EAP) was built to demonstrate several recent developments for the first time. These included full authority digital fly-by-wire, and unstable canard delta configuration, electronic cockpit design, digital engine control, composite materials and stealth. Initially there were to be two EAPs, one each in Britain and Germany but in December 1983 the German the Italian governments withdrew support. Germany was to have built the centre and rear fuselage, but without its contribution the airframe was built by BAe at Warton and employed a Tornado rear fuselage and fin/rudder. Aeritalia invested some of its own funds to remain in the project, fabricating one of the carbon-fibre wings and BAe built the other. Equipment suppliers were eager to stay connected the project. Turbo-Union leant two RBl 99 engines and German and Italian firms donated equipment to the EAP; though more than half of the equipment suppliers were from the UK. Carbon fibre was used in the wing, foreplane, cockpit substructure and side panels, accounting for 25 per cent of the structure weight. If the two partner countries had not dropped out this proportion would have been even greater. The EAP was a single-seat delta canard powered by two Turbo-Union RBl 99 with reheat each developing 17,000 lbs thrust as installed on the XX765 was flown with ballast as an unstable aircraft and was then fitted with large wing leading-edge strakes, to Tornado F3 interceptor but without their further decrease longitudinal stability. These yellow strakes are clearly seen in this photo prior to painting. It was thrust reversers. The EAP's chin intake retitled the Jaguar ACT (Active Control Technology). (BAE SYSTEMS North West Heritage) with a hinged lower lip which rotated
down at slow speeds and higher angle of attack to improve flow into the engine. At higher speeds it moved up to minimise spillage drag. The compound delta wing with its 57° sweep inboard and moderate 45° sweep outboard was 36ft 8in wide. There were 13 control surfaces, including camber changing leading edge slats and flaps to provide maximum lift in subsonic combat and minimum drag in supersonic flight. Pitch control was provided by the ;• - 11 - all-moving canard foreplane and trailing edge flaperons. Twin airbrakes were fitted on the upper rear fuselage. Because the EAP was 1So/o more unstable than the ACT Jaguar and with its plethora of control surfaces the fl ight computers operated at three times the speed of the Jaguar ACT. Overall length was 48ft 3in and the fuselage was area ruled to reduce drag, the nose was drooped to offer good visibility. Fuel was mainly carried in the wings but 14 smal ler tanks were fitted in the fuselage. In many respects the EAP was fundamentally different from its predecessors. Manufacturers no longer just developed the airframe leaving the remainder to sub-contractors; avionics is at the heart of the combat aircraft's A XX765 flying with Tornado F2 ZD901. The large wing leading-edge strakes are now painted and the 'ACT' on the fin capabilities and BAe brought that is for 'Active Control Technology'. (BAE SYSTEMS North West Heritage) technology in-house.
106 The Aircraft of British Aerospace and BAE SYSTEMS 1977 - 2017 EAP TO EUROFIGHTER TYPHOON
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A The EAP (Experimental Aircraft Programme) ZF534 was built to demonstrate full authority digital fly-by-wire, unstable canard delta configuration, electronic cockpit design, digital engine control, composite materials and stealth. It made its maiden flight on 8 August 1986. (BAE SYSTEMS North West Heritage)
Flight trials Rolled out on 16 April 1986, the single EAP ZF534, piloted by Dave Eagles, made ._.·-r1 its maiden flight on 8 August and --~ unusually for such an event reached Mach 1.1 at 30,000ft. It then achieved 20 flights in the subsequent 17 days and was cleared to Mach 1.4 and 39,000ft. Then it was flown to Farnborough where it impressed the crowds. The EAP's flight envelope was gradually expanded and in June the flowing year it was demonstrated at the Paris Air Show during which it made its 100th flight. On its return from France it was flown by MBB, Aeritalia and RAF pilots. David Eagles commented that the EAP was a delight to fly and with the addition of a weapons system would have been an excellent fighter. In 1989 the EAP was fitted with a Eurofighter type single airbrake in support of its development. This was fixed and could only be altered when the aircraft was on the ground. It was tested at various incidences up to speeds of Mach 0.9. On 1 May 1991 ZF534 made its final flight and was stored at Warton. It had completed 259 test sorties totalling 195.21 flying hours, during which it had reached speeds of Mach 2.1 and angles of attack of over 35° in controlled flight. It is now on display at the RAF Museum Cosford . A stunning photo of ZF534 carrying the number 203 for its appearance in the flying display at the 1987 Paris The EAP proved an invaluable research Air Show. (BAE SYSTEMS North West Heritage) tool which saved a considerable amount time and money which would otherwise •
The Aircraft of British Aerospace and BAE SYSTEMS 1977 - 2017 107 have been directly expended on the A The EAP flying work share, project leadership, flight to enter service in the late 1980s, and had Eurofighter programme. low in front of the testing and sales led from France with gone as far as investing more than £ 100 hangars at BAe ancillary equipment selected by a million in a flying showcase for its fighter The European Fighter Aircraft Warton. French-controlled committee. Not technology with the EAP. Instead of an (BAE SYSTEMS North In May 1983 five European nations; Britain, surprisingly the other four partners all-British fighter, UK industry would have West Heritage) France, Italy, Spain and West Germany rejected this stance and France left the to make do with 33% of an admittedly joined together to build a new Future partnership and developed the Dassault larger four-nation European fighter European Fighter Aircraft (FEFA), to fulfil Rafale. aircraft programme. their national requirements from 1995 for Some engineers in the UK felt that as British Aerospace, MBB, Aeritalia, and an agile, single-seat, twin-engine air early as 1978, British industry was ready to Casa formed the Munich based combat fighter. France demanded 50% begin development of a new agile fighter Eurofighter company in 1986 to manage the programme, w ith the work split 33 :33:21 :13 to match each country's share of the 765 aircraft planned. Similarly, Rolls-Royce, MTU, Fiat, and ITP established the Munich-based Eurojet to oversee development of the EJ200 engine ' '1.- .....- ' • I required for EFA. No similar grouping was ,- ' . I~ • r· • planned to direct development of EFA • -. , " • -• avionics and systems. Instead, Eurofighter • 1' ' assigned overall responsibility for avionics to British Aerospace, for flight controls to MBB, and for utilities to Aeritalia. In I ..,._ •, .,. ~ ~I • . ' ' ... -_... November 1988, the four partners signed r - a Development Phase contract for the airframe and engine and the production of nine prototypes including twin-seaters. Radar and Defensive Aids contracts followed in 1990 and 1992 respectively. Progress with the aircraft faltered badly after the end of the 'Cold War' came to an end in 1990. By 1992 Germany was faced with the huge costs of re-unification and the need for such a sophisticated fighter aircraft seemed less necessary and almost withdrew from the project. It is possible A The EAP played a part in Eurofighter development fitted with a Eurofighter style airbrake, requiring removal of that if Germany had withdrawn that Italy part of the spine. This was fixed when in flight and could only be altered when the aircraft was on the ground. It was and Spain would have followed suit. After tested at 15, 30 and 45 degrees and tested at speeds up to Mach 0.9. (BAE SYSTEMS North West Heritage) considering other types such as the
108 The Aircraft of British Aerospace and BAE SYSTEMS 1977 - 2017 EAP TO EUROFIGHTER TYPHOON
McDonnell Douglas Hornet, Germany decided that with £5bn already spent it on EFA was past the point of no return. Requirements were finalised for a slightly BAE Systems less costly New EFA (NEFA) renamed Eurofighter 2000 and development was agreed with the partner nations in 1996. Each company would have its own final Allbus Defence assembly and flight test centre. end Space (Germany) Benefitting from the successful development of the Jaguar ACT and the EAP, Eurofighter 2000 was defined as an extremely agile supersonic twin-engined single-seater able to super-cruise (i.e. fly Alenla Aennacchl supersonically without using reheat) It had a light airframe as only 15% was made from metal. It would have optimal performance for an air superiority role in Airbus Defence beyond visual range and close combat, and ~ (Spain) matched with a comprehensive air-to-ground attack capability. A. The work share DA3 and DA4 for trials. aircraft with 80 options. Germany cut its In May 1990, the contract was agreed on the Eurofighter In August 1996, the UK National Audit order from 250 aircraft to 140, though it for the GEC-Marconi ECR90. Trials began Typhoon Office put the total cost of the was later raised to 180. With this reduction January 1993 in BAC One-Eleven 475 programme. (Alenia programme to the UK at£ 15.4bn, with a in the German order works hare was ZE433 which had a specially extended Aermacchi is now unit production cost for 250 aircraft of re-evaluated, and with BAe having 37% called Leonardo.) nose to accommodate the ECR90 or £38m. In January 1998 production (232 aircraft) MBB 30% (180), 20% for (BAE SYSTEMS North Captor radar. Captor was then fitted to West Heritage) contracts were finally signed for 620 Aeritalia (121) and 13o/o for Casa of Spain •
The first Eurofighter Development Aircraft DA 1 98+29 assembled in Manching flew on 27 March 1994. (Copyright Eurofighter)
; ; • ~
The Aircraft: o ,r
(87). (BAe is now BAE SYSTEMS, Aeritalia is A BAe's now Leonardo while MBB and CASA are Development now part of Airbus Defence & Space) Aircraft DA2 ZH588 All this prevarication had an adverse taking off on its first flight at Warton on effect on the entry into service to 4th April 1994. Typhoon which would not now be until (Copyright Eurofighter 2003. Even after that controversy was not - Geoffrey Lee) escaped when Germany baulked at the name'Typhoon'for Eurofighter as it reminded them of the highly effective Hawker Typhoons on World War 2.
BAE's share of Production BAE has the largest share of the production of the aircraft and its Samlesbury factory manufactures the foreplanes, spine, front fuselage including the cockpit, fin, inboard flaperons, stage 1 of the rear fuselage, and wing to fuselage brackets. Final assembly is at the Warton plant's 302 hangar, previously the location for Tornado fina l assembly. UK flight testing is also centred at Warton. BAE is responsible for avionics which covers avionics integration, displays and controls, electromagnetic compatibility, integrated monitoring and recording system, lightning protection, electrical and fuel systems, defensive aids, escape and life support systems and direct voice input control.
Prototypes Seven prototypes or development machines were built; designated as DA 1-DA7, each with specially allotted test roles. Each country had two prototypes except Spain that only had one. Two of these prototypes; DA4 and DA6 were twin-seaters. Clearly seven development aircraft would be insufficient for the flight test tasking so five of the initial production aircraft, IPA 1 - IPAS were fitted • BAE DA2 ZH588 out with test instrumentation. Three at Farnborough further initial production aircraft joined 2002. The aircraft is these as IPA6-1 PAS and five instrument carrying two production aircraft ISPA 1-ISPAS kitted out 'smokewinders' and fourAMRAAM with test equipment to record missiles. performance in service. A total of 20 (Copyright Eurofighter instrumented aircraft. - Geoffrey Lee)
11 O The Aircraft of British Aerospace and BAE SYSTEMS 1977 - 2017 EAP TO EUROFIGHTER TYPHOON
Development Registration Company/ First flight Flight test tasks Last flight & aircraft Place/ current Country status
DA1 98+29 MBB/ 27 /3/94 Flight control system, 21/12/05 Manching/ Voice input controls, Deutsches Germany IRIS Missile tests, Museum Ober Arrestor hook Schleissheim, Munich
DA2 ZH588 BAE/Warton/ 6/4/94 Flight control system, 29/1/07 UK carefree handling, RAF Museum, low speed handling, Hendon FI ig ht Refuel Ii ng, Painted black
DA3 MM-X602 Aeritalia/ 4/6/95 Engine, Fuel tanks, 7/2/06 Caselle/ltaly 27mm cannon Turin-Caselle
DA4 (Twin-seater) ZH590 BAE/Warton/ 14/3/97 Twin-seater handling, 13/12/06 UK Radar, Avionics, Imperial War AMRAAM missile Museum, firing, AAR Duxford
DAS 98+30 MBB/ 24/2/97 Radar, Avionics, 13/10/07 Manching/ Demonstrations Ground Germany exhibit
DA6 (Twin-seater) XCE16-01 CASA/Getafe/ 31/8/96 Flight envelope, Crashed Spain helmet development, 21/11/02 environment trials at Bascombe Down
DA7 MM-X603 Aeritalia/ 27 /1 /97 Navigation, 10/9/07 Caselle/ltaly Communications, Cameri Weapons, Sidewinder and AMRAAM trials
The first two prototypes flew within a Neither of the first two aircraft were fortnight of each other. DA 1 98+29 was fitted with radar or the EJ200 engine and piloted by Peter Weger on 27 March from initially flew with the RB 199 that was MBB's plant at Manching and Chris Yeo fitted to the Tornado. All subsequent took DA2 ZH588 into the air from Warton Eurofighters had the EJ200 and DA 1 and on 6 April 1994. It had been planned that DA2 received the EJ200 engines in 1996 DA 1 would make 20 flights from and 1998 respectively. DA 1 made the Manching and the transfer to Warton type's first public display at the ILA Berlin where it would receive the UK military in May 1996 with DA2 appearing at the registration ZH586 and continue testing Farnborough Air Show later the same from there. Not surprisingly this proposal year. In June 2000 ZH588 was repainted • was dropped and DA 1 rema ined in all-black, when 490 pressure transducers Germany. were attached to its right side to measure •
A BAE SYSTEMS DA4 ZH590 with drop tanks during air-to-air refuelling trials with VC10 K4 ZD242 over the North Sea. (BAE SYSTEMS North West Heritage)
The Aircraft of British Aerospace and BAE SYSTEMS 1977 - 2017 111 Eurofighter IPA3 98+03 carrying IRIS-T, Paveway 2 bombs, drop tanks and AMRAAM missiles over Bavaria. the effects on the carbon fibre structure (Copyright Eurofighter- Geoffrey Lee) in high 'g' manoeuvres. In 2006 it took part in asymmetric store carriage handling trials for which an anti-spin parachute was installed in case the aircraft departed from normal flight. Though still without radar, the first Eurofighter to fly with the dedicated EJ200 engine was the Italian's DA3 in June 1995. Naturally DA3's main task was engine development. Another task was testing the single Mauser BK27mm cannon. In the RAF there was debate about the need for the cannon but the other partners all favoured its inclusion. To save money the RAF even entertained the idea of only equipping only its Tranche 1 Typhoons with the gun and installing ballast in it is place in to the remaining Tranche 2 and 3 aircraft. Recent experience in Afghanistan and Iraq showed that guns had their uses so thankfully common sense prevailed and all the fleet are to receive the cannon. Spain's sole prototype DA6, a twin-seater, was the next in the air in August 1996. It was employed on flight envelope expansion and helmet development but crashed after a double flame-out in November 2002. DA6 was carrying out engine relight trials when one engine died at 40,000ft, as the crew was attempting to relight it at 30,000ft the other engine died. As it was a development aircraft it did not have a Ram-Air-Turbine installed which if deployed would provide hydraulic and electrical power. In an unstable aircraft loss of power makes the aircraft uncontrollable, so the crew ejected. The remaining three development batch machines made the maiden flights
in quick succession in the space of seven weeks in early 1997. The last to take to the air was BAE's twin-seater ZH590 in mid-March.
Instrumented Production Aircraft The initial production by the four-nation grouping was for a tranche of 148 machines completed in April 2008. This tranche was divided into two batches and these were batches were themselves sub-divided into three (Block 1, 1Band 1C) and four blocks (Blocks 2, 2b, 5 and SA) II respectively, each block gradually introducing better standards of software. @ ~ - DA ~ .. Eventua lly al l Tranche 1 aircraft were - , .. FJ .,,~ brought up to Block 5 standard which updated the existing air defence capability by conferring full 9G operability and full air-to-ground weapons capability. Often wrongly regarded as a narrow specification Cold War bomber-destroyer, Typhoon was always intended to be a swing-role machine, carrying out air-to-air and air-to-ground operations with equal facility- and indeed 'swinging'from one role to the other during the same mission, at the flick of a switch. For the RAF the Eurofighter was always viewed as a Jaguar fighter-bomber replacement, as well as a replacement for Tornado and Phantom air A Italian Eurofighter DA7 MM-X603 in a loop. (Copyright Eurofighter) defence fighters.
112 The Aircraft of British Aerospace and BAE SYSTEMS 1977 - 2017 EAP TO EUROFIGHTER TYPHOON
Tranche 2 deliveries began to the partner nations in late 2008. These aircraft had; a strengthened undercarriage and fuselage for carrying heavier weapons, front fuselage modifications to facilitate r--,,·' future radar and sensor updates and new mission computers providing the level of processing and memory needed for the sophisticated weapons within the aircraft's armoury. Following on from the development aircraft and built as part of the first tranche of production aircraft, the first five IPAs (Instrumented Production Aircraft) are heavily involved in the development programme, most particularly the radar, flight refuelling and air-to-ground capability. These were numbered IPA 1-IPAS and just like the DA batch these aircraft did not fly in numerical order. Three flew in April 2002; Italian-assembled IPA2 MM.X614 was the first in the air from Turin-Caselle on 5th April, next came EADS IPA3 98+03 on 8th April and the first British-assembled production aircraft IPA 1 followed seven days later from Warton. IPA 1 is supporting drop tests from Warton, IPA2 is currently engaged in the integration of the deep strike MBDA Storm Shadow Y Typhoon missile. This builds on the ground trials of production line at the weapon and two successful releases Warton in 2004. of Storm Shadow from Italian IPA2 in Tranche 1 aircraft in production for the 2015. In addition, further firing trials have RAF with ZJ802 on been completed with MBDA's Meteor the extreme left. Beyond Visual Range Air-to-Air missile. (BAE Systems) The sixth in a series of firings completed •
The Aircraft of British Aerospace and BAE SYSTEMS 1977 - 2017 113 TYP OON BAE SYSTEMS A PHASED APPROACH TO DEVELOPMENT I N SPIRED WORK
ADVANCED SENSOR
lnteg,at.Jon o( EScan Radar E"°lubOfl ol the cocl lntea,allOfl 04 Dual Mode BnmslOOe 2 w,u, fast-mov ng Alr to-Surlece prec151on effect. Metco< ntea,auon pro,n0e5 ~ Visual Range ,r penonty ac.a1nst a vanety or targets from ag,1e la5l iel.5 to SIYIIIQ Unmanned r DEEP ATTACK Vehicles and cru,se mt$$lles. ' Stand 011 targeung ol hlgll lue assetS tnrougt, Ille lntegrauon ol S10rm Snadow. Addlbonal Cockp,t Interlace dew!I OP'llent5. Search TyphoOn beoomes e ll<&Jlend sw,og-role weapon system. fully Track capable ot coml>in,ng differ nt operatJonal tasks "' a single Operat,onal dM!f ty 1/lrough mission l.llSer Oesignato< Pod lntegratoon Track tlotenlog Ill. or ~rnoc:ICS) lo suppo .- .. ., ,...... ••• ...... ____., ... by IPA2 using the UK's Hebrides range in - ...... ~ ...... __ _...... ,--- ~·· ...... , ... ,.... -· . .... -- 2016, were intended to continue to ,,,,;,. tl,,.,::: ...... >...... --·· ""'"''~ ...... ,... --·· _...... expand the clearance envelope of the ...,...... ,. .;•••"'" .- . .,, .. .,...__- ...... - weapon.AsTyphoonisan ..... ~ ... • -----· aerodynamically unstable aircraft unlike Tornado, it is very sensitive to additional shapes and loads which may impinge upon the flight control system ability to maintain stability. • Germany's IPA3 98+03 was used for under-wing load tests. Casa's IPA4 C.16-20 is now testing Weapons System Performance and Communications. Warton-assembled IPAS ZJ700 was tasked with handling and transonic tests and in July 2016 started trialling the developed Captor-E radar. The first Tranche 2 aircraft was German single-seater 98+07 designated as IPA7 was tasked with achieving clearance for that variant. IPA 6 ZJ938's most recent tasks have been flight trials with the Air-to-Surface MBDA Brimstone precision strike miss ile ahead of firing trials as part of a programme of work to integrate the weapon with the aircraft. The final Instrumented Production Aircraft, IPA8 98+08 took to the air on 12th September 2016 and will join BAE 's IPAS trialling the Captor-E radar. A ZJ699 in Tranche 3e configuration with four Meteor BVRAAM missiles, two Brimstone 2 precision strike weapons Five Typhoons were also specially (each comprising 3 missiles), two ASRAAM missiles and two Paveway IV laser guided precision weapons. Typhoon instrumented for trial s and onward FGR4 ZK3S6 was displayed in this configuration at RIAT 2016, and the Farnborough International Air Show 2016. delivery to their air forces. Two were built (BAE SYSTEMS) 114 The Aircraft of British Aerospace and BAE SYSTEMS 1977 - 2017 EAP TO EUROFIGHTER TYPHOON for these roles by both BAE and Leonardo and one by Casa. Tranche 3 Production On 31 st July 2009 owing to financial constraints the four partner nations agreed to split the Tranche 3 contract into two. They then signed the Tranche 3A production contract for 112 aircraft, worth €9 billion. This number comprises 40 for the UK, 31 for Germany, and 21 for Italy and 20 for Spain. Tranche 38 is very unlikely to go ahead so the total Typhoon fleet for the four will be 472. However there have been substantial orders from other countries; namely Austria, Saudi Arabia, Oman and most recently Kuwait. Tranche 3 models physically differ little from the previous aircraft. The aircraft has some small panels on the fuselage to accommodate the fitting of Conformal Fuel Tanks. There is a new internal structure in the nose section designed to accommodate the wirings, A Italian IPA2 deliver up to a combined 60 Typhoons a Typhoon's Performance power, cooling and electronics for the MM.X614taking off year, with 53 planned in 2011, but The Eurojet EJ200 engines have proved to new E-Scan radar. Tranche 3 aircraft also from Warton during production fell to 43 a year by late 2012, offer excellent combat thrust-to-weight feature Hi-speed Data Networking Storm Shadow before later being reduced further to 35. ratio in excess of 1.2:1. Besides conferring capabilities and more computing dropping trials in In November 2015 the production rate on the aircraft the ability to supercruise, September 2015. power. was halved to keep the line open until (i.e. fly supersonically without using Storm Shadow is In September 2011 BAE Systems 2020. The decision to extend the reheat) engines enable the aircraft to go under the right revealed that the annual Typhoon wing and a camera production schedule enables the supersonic in under 30 seconds and to production rate was to be reduced pod under the Eurofighter consortium to keep its final reach M 1.6 at 36,000ft less than 2.5 significantly. Four final assembly sites fuselage. assembly lines active while it pursues minutes after take-off. It can also fly at around Europe were configured to (BAE SYSTEMS) international sales opportunities. Mach 2 at up to 65,000ft. The Typhoon's • RAF Nos 3(F) and 29(R) Squadron single-seat Typhoons based at RAF Coningsby, Lincolnshire. (Copyright Eurofighter- Geoffrey Lee) The Aircraft of British Aerospace and BAE SYSTEMS 1977 - 2017 115 Flight Control System enable the pilot to fiy aggressively to out manoeuvre opposition. It is an agile, multi/swing-role aircraft equipped with 13 hard points to carry a mix of ordnance and fuel. Its comprehensive sensors facilitate the use of weapons for air-to-air and air-to- g round operations. It has a full g lass cockpit, with head-up and head-down displays, all-round vision and utilises a unique Helmet Mounted Symbology System (HMSS). The HMSS provides flight reference and weapon data aiming through the visor. Other features such as Direct Voice Input and Hands on Throttle And St ick (HOTAS) control functions have been implemented on the Eurofighter Typhoon to drastically reduce the pilot's workload. Vo ice+ Throttle and Stick (VTAS) enables single pilot operations even in the most demanding situations. Eu rofig hter Typhoon is at the forefront of sensor fusion technology and the sensor suite continues to be upgraded to deliver enhanced detection and decision-making. Combining the data from key sensors gives the pilot an autonomous ability to rapidly assess the overall tactical situation and respond efficiently to identified threats. Further improvements In November 2016 the three Typhoons assigned to the RAF's 41 (R) Test and Evaluation Squadron based at Coningsby began trials of Typhoon modified to German Air Force Typhoon of JG-74. (Copyright Eurofighter) 116 The Aircraft of British Aerospace and BAE SYSTEMS 1977 - 2017 EAP TO EUROFIGHTER TYPHOON < No 11 Squadron with this weapons fit, it lost none of its RAF Typhoon at incredible agility and manoeuvreability. Green Flag, USA. Development beyond P3E would be the The Typhoon is integration of the new Captor-E Active loaded with Electronically Scanned Array radar Paveway 2 bombs, Litening designater ensuring that Typhoon could continue to pod and drop tanks. operate in hostile environments in the (Copyright Eurofighter future. - Geoffrey Lee) Sales \ • a As Typhoon is a shared project, markets ' for sales are also shared out between the partner countries. BAE was given responsibility for Australia, Bahrain, Canada, Indonesia, Malaysia, Saudi Arabia, Singapore and UAE, countries where it had been successful in selling military aircraft. Most of them are currently BAE Hawk operators. BAE and its predecessor companies had a long relationship with Saudi Arabia in particular and has provided aircraft and trained crews for it. As an incentive to each of the partners where sales are achieved in one of their specific markets, final assembly then takes place at their factory, though parts continue to be drawn in from the consortium. By April 2017, 500 Typhoons had been delivered, from a total order book of 599. Eurofighter delivered a combined total of 47 Typhoons over the 12-month period to the end of May 2016. Besides the four partner nations Typhoon has received orders from Austria, Saudi Arabia, Oman and Kuwait. Based on current commitments, final assembly lines in Germany and Spain have work until the Phase 1 Enhancements Further of roles including air defence of the UK, end of 2018, while those in Italy and the Work(Pl EbFW) standard. With this fit the stand-off attack and close air support, UK - which respectively led sales aircraft takes on a Swing-role capability, able to switch roles without having to campaigns in Kuwait and Oman, will run combining different operational tasks reconfigure its weapons. A truly multi-role on until 2020. With the likelihood of within a single mission. This is the first aircraft. production lines closing partner phase of Project Centurion which will BAE demonstrated a Typhoon Tranche companies have stepped up their efforts eventually lead to a P2E standard which 3 in the Phase 3 Enhancement to secure additional export orders. will allow the Typhoon to take over the configuration at the 2016 Fairford RIAT In 2002 Austria placed an order for 18 ground-attack role of the Tornado GR4 as and at the Farnborough Air Show. Though Y Austrian Air Force Tranche 2 aircraft, though in the event it they are retired from service at the end of loaded with six Brimstones, four Meteors Typhoon 7L-WH. received 15 Tranche 1 Typhoons from the 2018. Under P2E enhancements initial and two Paveway precision-guided (Copyright Eurofighter production line at Manching. With BAE's integration of MBDA's Meteor beyond bombs the Typhoon showed that even - Markus Zinner) close ties with Saudi Arabia, supplying • visual range air-to-air missile and the Storm Shadow stand-off air-to-surface missiles will be carried out. P2E aircraft will also incorporate software and avionics improvements to the radar, defensive aids systems and targeting pods. These enhancements will not only increase threat awareness and pilot safety, but also improve Typhoon's targeting capabilities. Phase 3 Enhancements The Phase 3 Enhancement Programme will enable Eurofighter operators to integrate the Brimstone 2 on the aircraft and will also further enhance other existing weapons capabilities, including Storm Shadow, Meteor, Paveway IV and ASRAAM . The P3E standard is due to be delivered in 2017. It will further enable the Typhoon to deploy several more capabi lities including precision-guided air-to-surface weapons at fast-moving targets with low-collateral damage. So by 2019, Typhoon will be fulfilling a number The Aircraft of British Aerospace and BAE SYSTEMS 1977 - 2017 117 Hunters, Lightnings, Strikemasters, (QRA) commitment, maintaining aircraft Typhoon customer and its 140th aircraft Tornadoes and Hawks an order from it for at 24/7 readiness to counter threats to the was delivered in December 2016. It is the Typhoon was far from surprising. An UK's air space armed with AMRAAM/ receiving 40 Tranche 3A aircraft to order came from Saudi Arabia for 72 ASRAAM (Advanced medium-/short supplement its 53 Tranche 1 giving a total aircraft came in 2006 to be delivered from range air-to-air missiles). of 160 when deliveries are completed. It the Warton production line and 66 of Owing to the need to deploy Typhoon was planned that the Tranche 1 aircraft these had been delivered by the end of to 'Operation Herrick' in Afghanistan 2008, would be retired in 2018, but in 2016. There has long been talk of more urgent UK-only work was conducted on November 2015 the UK Government orders for the Typhoon from Saudi Arabia Tranche 1 Block 5 aircraft to develop an announced that it would extend the life and the effectiveness ofTyphoon in air-to-ground capability. These aircraft of the multi-role Typhoon for 10 extra airstrikes against Yemeni and Islamic State were built as new or upgraded from F2s years up to 2040 and wou ld be ab le to insurgents appeared to be giving BAE and were declared as multi-role in July create 2 add itional squadrons. This would Systems increasing confidence that it will 2008, gaining the designation FGR4 for provide a total of 7 front line squadrons, receive more orders from that source the single seat version orT3 for the consisting of approximately 12 aircraft per soon. Eurofighter made a ve ry strong twin-seater. They can carry the Litening squadron. sa les pitch in Ind ia but after a long period Laser Designator Pod and Paveway 2, The Luftwaffe rece ived 35 Tranche 1 of uncertainty the Indians ordered the Enhanced Paveway 2 and 1OOOlb freefall aircraft with the final delivery in 2008 French-bui lt Rafa le. In December 2012, bomb. The RAF's FGR4s became wh ich were subsequently modified to after a six-year gap in any export orders, operational in the ai r-to-ground role on 1 Block 5 standard. The Tranche 1 aircraft Oman became the ai rcraft's seventh Ju ly 2008. were joined by 77 Tranche 2 Eurofighters, customer an d ordered a total of twelve Other squadrons are based as fo llows; and from Tra nche 3A production the aircraft fo r deli ve ry from the British RAF Co ningsby, Li ncol nshire, houses No. 3 Germans wil I receive 31 ai rcraft. The assembly line. In April 2015 there was a Squadro n; No. 11 Squad ron; No. 29 Tranche 3B orders were cancel led by the strong filli p to the sa les prog ram me when Squadro n, OCU Tactical pilot tra ining and German Government so with its last Kuwait ordered 28 Tranche 3 aircraft, eva luation; and No. 41 Test & Eval uation delivery in 2018 the Luftwaffe wil l have a these to be delivered from the Ita li an Squadro n. RAF Loss iemouth, Moray, total fleet of 140 Eu rofighters. The plant at Case lle, Turin from 20 19. Scotland houses No. 1 Squadron; No. 2 Luftwaffe's ai rcraft are divided into three Squadron and No. 6 Sq uadron. RAF tactical air wings and employed in the air In service Mount Pleasan t, East Falkland, Falk lan d defence role, though Ge rma ny is now Th e Royal Air Fo rce establi shed its first Islands, houses No. 1435 Flight where the co nsidering expan ding the aircraft's role operational Typh oon squadrons at Typhoon took over th e Is land s air defence and adopting so me of the RAF 's Typhoons Coning sby, Lincolnshire, in 2004, with a from Tornado F3s in Se ptember 2009. Six ca pabilities. subsequent squadron at Leuchars, Fife, in Typhoons were ba sed in Italy during In what proved to be a ve ry pal itica l ly 2008. These initial aircraft were 'Operation Ella my' against Libya, four of controve rsial move, in 200 1 Au stria designated as Tl s which are Tranche 1, which operated in the ground attack role. ordered 30Typhoons in cluding six batch 1 twin-seat trainers while Typhoon In the following year four aircraft were two-seat trainers. Budgetary Tl As are Tranche 1, batch 2 two-seat based at RAF Northolt to provide trainers. The F2 is the single-seat fighter immediate air defence during the London variant. The RAF's Typhoon force was Olympics. declared operational in the air defence The RAF is the largest Eurofighter role on 21 June 200 7, when the aircraft sta rted taking on the Quick Reaction Alert •...... • • • • EAP TO EUROFIGHTER TYPHOON considerations resulted in this was being Data EAP Typhoon whittled down to 15 Tran che 1 sing le Length 48ft 3in 52ft4in seaters, all delivered from the Manching production line. The first aircraft wa s Wingspan 38ft 7in 38ft 7in del ivered in 2007 and the aircraft were in Height 18ft 2in 17ft 49in servi ce in the air-defence role strictly within Austria's borders two years later. MTOW 32,000lbs 51,800lbs The Eurofighter project ran so far Max speed M2 at altitude M2 at altitude behind schedule that it caused Italy's Aeronautica Militaire Italia (AMI ) severe Combat range n.a. Air defence with 3 hour loiter 100nm problems with resourcing its air defence Ground attack 750nm fleet. So much so that it upgraded 60 of it elderly Lockheed Super Starfighter F-104s Crew 1 1/2 and leased 24 Tornado F3s from the RAF Engine 2 x RB 199-1040 9,0001b dry/ 17,000lb 2 x Eurojet EJ200 afterburning turbofan from 1995 until 2004. The AMI received reheat 13,500lbs dry/ 20,200lbs reheat the first of its 27 Tranche 1 aircraft in Mauser 27mm cannon February 2004 when the first aircraft was delivered and final delivery was in February 2008. The Typhoons began Armament AMRAAM, ASRAAM, Meteor, Maverick, operating in the air-defence role Quick Harm, Brimstone, Storm Shadow, Rea ction Alert (ORA) role at the end of Paveway, Drop tanks 2005 ahead of the other partner nations. Besides the interceptor role, the AMI is developing the mission capability of its 87 aircraft, of which 60 have been and the Saudi Government have long Typhoons even further. By September delivered as of December 2015. 20 of its been negotiating and order for more 2012 these Tranche 1 aircraft had been aircraft are from Tranche 1, 33 in Tranche 2 Typhoons, which may materialise. modified to Block 5 standard. Following and 20 in Tranche 3A. Not only has Typhoon has proved a on from these were 47 Tranche 2 aircraft. In December 2005, the order for 72 profitable investment for BAE SYSTEMS, The AMI is receiving 21 Tranche 3A aircraft Typhoons was announced for the Saudi maintaining the technological prowess and the first delivery of this version was in Arabian Air Force. The first 40 were of the company and providing work for mid-2014. Tranche 2 aircraft, the remainder Tranche 5,000 of its staff but it has also provided The Spanish Air Force accepted its first 3A. Deliveries of these aircraft from air forces with a state-of-the-art Typhoon in September 2003 and the first Warton are nearing completion but BAE weapons system. • squadron began equipping with the type in the fol lowing year. It ori ginal ly ordered Two RSAF Typhoon Trainers 321 and 322 waiting to take off at Warton. They are carrying UK military serials ZK088 and • ZK089. They were delivered in April 2013 . (BAE SYSTEMS) 321