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ILA BERLIN 2006 UPDATE

Eurofighter Typhoon Flies With Full Payload FOC Testing Across The Four Partner Nations

Beginning in February, and set to continue pit-drop tests with GBU-16s, began flight throughout the Summer, the Eurofighter tests with the laser guided bombs with the Typhoon Flight Test team are making rapid focus on aircraft handling and vibration. advances towards achieving the aircraft’s Full Operational Capability (FOC). In total, six aircraft across the four Partner Nations will be heavily involved in the qual- With the Development Programme into its ification trials for the Full Operational final stages, a heavy emphasis has been Capability. This combined effort will ensure placed on air-to-ground capability and sig- that is given the nificant strides have already been made capabilities to further enhance its towards this aim. In February, Instrumented reputation as the Number One IPA3 flying with maximum weight of 24 tonnes Production Aircraft Three (IPA3) took off Next Generation multi-role/ from EADS’ Manching facility in a heavy swing-role fighter loads configuration weighing almost 24 aircraft. tonnes. The stores included four II, three external 1,000l fuel tanks, plus an air- to-air fit of four Advanced Medium-Range Air-to-Air Missiles (AMRAAM) and two IRIS-T missiles. The flights looked at under- wing loads testing as well as aircraft handling with asymmetric configurations.

In April, IPA1 lifted off from Warton in the first of a series of flights gathering data from flutter and vibration testing with six Paveway II. The team at BAE Systems will look to investigate envelope expansion with IPA1 performs handling manoeuvres loaded with Paveway II the Paveway II, before going for a full separation test during the Summer.

This was quickly followed in where IPA4, having already undertaken electro- magnetic compatibility (EMC) and 1 - 2006 eurofighter update - Eurofighter Latest News - - Eurofighter Latest News - 1 - 2006 eurofighter update

Left: The partner Air Force fleet has logged more than 8,000 flying hours

Right: Aerodynamically unstable design provides tremendous agility

Eurofighter Typhoon´s Air-to-Air Performance The is ideal for high speed, General Jumper, Chief of Staff US Air but also provides a big wing surface. This Force confirmed this close relation between contributes to a high wing loading of 325 F-22 and Eurofighter after flying both of kg/m_, in the class of the F-22 and unsur- them in 2004: "The Eurofighter is certainly, passed by every other competitor. The low as far as smoothness of controls and the NOTHING COMES CLOSE drag, clean design enables the Eurofighter ability to pull (and sustain high G forces), Typhoon to fly at supersonic speeds without very impressive," he said. "That is what it the use of , with the delta was designed to do, especially the version wing/ configuration delivering superb I flew, with the avionics, the color moving supersonic agility, making the Eurofighter map displays, etc. -- all absolutely top notch. Typhoon the only aircraft capable of rivaling the F-22. The Eurofighter Typhoon is the Number sensors, air and weapons leads to a the thrust to weight ratio. The aircraft is One best-selling Next Generation Fighter performance standard that not only outstrips light due to the extensive use of composites aircraft today. With an order book of 638 the competition, but demands respect from and other advanced material, while it’s aero- aircraft contracted to five Nations, it is es- the newest American aircraft currently in dynamically unstable design requires 20% tablished as the credible European alternative development. Simulations by the US Air less engine thrust than in legacy aircraft. to aircraft in-service or under development. Force and in the customer Nations have de- These factors, combined with the power of a With more than 80 aircraft delivered to the monstrated a definite edge of the Eurofighter high thrust to weight engine like the EJ200, Air Forces and in service since April 2004, Typhoon against the rest of the competition. puts the aircraft at the top-of-the-class with the Eurofighter Typhoon is a reality, and a Both the Eurofighter Typhoon and the F-22 an overall 1:1.10 thrust to weight ratio. significant presence in the global combat scored a victory rate in excess of 80% Radar detection range and engine power aircraft arena, leaving the competition trail- against an updated Su-27 fighter model. are clear advantages of Eurofighter Typhoon USAF General Jumper praised the “Top Notch” ing in its wake. The Air Force fleet has Rafale follows with 50%, F-15 with 43%, F-16 Cockpit Displays over the Rafale, Gripen and other competi- logged around 8,000 flying hours which, and F-18 with 21%. tors. These attributes, complemented by a when added to the more than 4,300 hours The maneuverability of the airplane in complex automatic electronic self-protection of flight achieved by the Test Fleet, amounts The differentiating close-in combat was also very impressive." system (DASS Defensive Aids Subsystem) to more than 12,000 hours in the air. factor in these simu- including the use of Towed Decoys, simulta- lations is the airframe General Jumper said, he believes the two neously offers both the next level in perfor- There is a clear reason for this success. design. Avionics and aircraft are running neck-and-neck. "You mance while guaranteeing survival in the Eurofighter Typhoon is at the leading edge systems can and can see the technology that is out there BVR fight. Eurofighter Typhoon is first to of performance when it comes to air superi- will be upgraded, compared with ours," he said. "You see the see, first to shoot, first to kill. Systems with ority and multi-role. The inherent design but the airframe avionics and all of the great progress that less radar range, less engine power fall behind. features of this ultra modern fighter guar- dictates the achievable has been made. You make sure you are not antee operational commanders air superior- level of performance from too complacent, because the technology that ity – controlling the skies is a necessity in the outset. A main factor is they have is very competitive with technology modern warfare. The unique combination of that we have."

In air combat, Eurofighter Typhoon is the unquestioned Number One in Europe, an Air Force capability-multiplier benefiting the five Nations on the order book.

In Beyond Visual Range (BVR) air defence engagements, performance in radar and weapons capability is the determining factor In-Service since 2004 for mission success. Eurofighter Typhoon is designed for high speed: Mach 1.6 with a Eurofighter Typhoon has fired all the full weapons load of four BVRAAM (Beyond air-to-air missiles available: AMRAAM, Visual Range Air–to-Air Missile) and two ASRAAM, AIM-9L and IRIS-T. Additionally, SRAAM (Short Range Air–to-Air Missile). the missile was flight-tested on The aircraft’s ability to rapidly accelerate to Eurofighter Typhoon in December 2005. top speed, combined with advanced sensors The aircraft currently in service have been and armaments, secure its dominant tacti- delivered to Initial Operating Capability cal position in a BVR engagement, ahead of (IOC) standard, featuring the inaugural the European and US competitors. DASS, Direct Voice Input and Sensor Fu- sion. Eurofighter Typhoon operates using

The became the first of the partner Air Forces to undertake operational continued on back page… missions with Eurofighter Typhoon. Source: Italian Air Force, Troupe Azzurra 1 - 2006 eurofighter update - Eurofighter Latest News -

the MIDS (Multifunction Information and aircraft from Block 5 of Tranche One. These This FCP will transform discussions on Distribution System) datalink, enabling aircraft will possess the Full Operational Enhanced Operational Capabilities into con- them to play a prominent role in network Capability (FOC) under contract with the tracts with schedules, costs and specifica- centric operations. In and the United four Partner Nations, set to be achieved by tions. Kingdom, the first operational squadrons the end of 2006. have been formed, armed with air-to-air Test and evaluation continues to run missiles and on stand-by for air defence concurrently to the negotiations. Flights tasks. Full air-to-air carefree handling will FOC performance to be with Full Operational Capability avionics be available in the near future. achieved end 2006 have already started, the purpose of which is to validate the systems’ performance in air-to-air and air-to-ground missions. Air data gathering for the carriage of air- to-surface weapons will continue throughout At BAE Systems’ Warton facility, there the Summer in all four Nations. Flutter test- is a major focus on two key elements for ing and other aerodynamic tests were Eurofighter Typhoon. Rigorous testing is undertaken early last year with configura- underway on the new Helmet Mounted tions holding up to four Paveway II and Sight, alongside the Defensive Aids Sub- GBU-10/16 precision guided bombs. Flights System (DASS) evaluations being held in a with four and six Paveways, and with four purpose-built Testing GBU-16, have taken place in the first few Facility. This dedicated test bay enables German Air Force Eurofighter with air-to-air configuration including IRIS-T months of 2006, with store separation tests DASS simulations to be conducted in an en- scheduled for during the Summer. vironment free of any other electro-magnetic But Eurofighter Typhoon Air Forces get emissions. more than air superiority. They also have a Currently, negotiations between the Na- platform with a large built-in potential for tions and industry are underway with the These capabilities will keep Eurofighter air-to-surface weapons. The core Nations aim of mapping out the Future Capability Typhoon, and the Air Forces that operate have already ordered air-to-ground capabili- Plan (FCP) with Phase 1 & 2 Enhancements. the aircraft, at the forefront of air defence ty with the first Tranche of 148 aircraft, in The focus is on the integration of more air capability, setting the standard for other the form of Paveway II and GBU-16. The to surface weapons, including Storm Shad- European Air Forces, and on a par with the intends to further broaden ow and Taurus standoff weapons, but also very best. their capability with the use of Enhanced the introduction of Meteor as the standard Paveway II and a Pod on BVRAAM for Eurofighter Typhoon.

Success In HEA Trials

The Next Level In Helmet Technology

Development trials of the Head Equip- bility has been exer- ment Assembly (HEA) reached a new high cised with this stan- when the avionics Mk 1 helmet was fully dard of helmet. The tracked for the first time into Eurofighter HEA is now at a rela- Typhoon’s computer systems. tively advanced stage of development In reaching this development stage, the and these trials will HEA has been subjected to a variety of tests ultimately support by the team at BAE Systems. These have in- acceptance, by the cluded detailed prototyping of the intended customer, of the pro- weapon system, mass and balance optimisa- duction standard helmet. This is a major The HEA was fully tracked for the first time into the aircraft computers tion through extensive rig, centrifuge and milestone on the Typhoon programme.” flight testing of the physical system, and testing to ensure that the necessary protec- The Eurofighter Typhoon HEA is a tech- tion levels are provided by the helmet to the nologically advanced helmet display system pilot. As part of these activities, the HEA which, when integrated into the overall Eurofighter GmbH has also completed high-speed windblast weapon system, enables the pilot to slave Am Söldnermoos 17 and ejection trials. weapons and sensors to high off-boresight 85399 Hallbergmoos angles and maintain situational awareness, Trevor King, Typhoon Weapons System whilst looking outside or even "through" the Telefon +49 811 80 0 Delivery Director at BAE Systems, said: cockpit. Fax +49 811 80 1557 “This is the first time the full avionics capa- E-mail [email protected]

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