24-PAGE SUPPLEMENT combataircraft.net AMERICA’S BEST-SELLING MILITARY AVIATION MAGAZINE • CAPABILITY DEVELOPMENT • COMBAT MISSIONS • INTEROPERABILITY AIMS • OPERATOR PROFILES 47 SUPP_Cover C.indd 47 15/02/2018 15:03 EUROFIGHTER TYPHOON // INTRODUCTION future mid-life upgrade of the existing their pace with that of the slowest ship in Cover image: A Royal Air Force Euro ghter Typhoon, industry leaders are the convoy. Typhoon FGR4. con dent that a new European ghter Ultimately, the partnership has prevailed Jamie Hunter could become a reality. and the bene ts of joint funding and Inset: BAE TYPHOON This partly stems from the success of a coherent joint plan are now making Systems test pilot Euro ghter, and its journey from concept good their promise, albeit not always in Nat Makepeace to today’s reality o ers valuable lessons. the swiftest of fashions. The early rigid checks an inert TRANCHES MBDA Meteor A four-nation European partnership was uniformity of the program has given way beyond-visual Euro ghters are built in three tranches, or the only way that such a costly project to a more versatile approach that is better- range air-to-air batches. could be realized, under the umbrella suited to embracing national aspirations, missile pre-fl ight. Tranche 1 consisted of 148 aircraft: 33 for Jamie Hunter Germany, 28 for Italy, 19 for Spain and 53 for of the NATO Euro ghter and Tornado and to accommodating a willingness the UK, plus 15 for Austria. S AIRBUS DEFENCE and Management Agency (NETMA). While to share technology and fund spiral Below: Quick Tranche 2 initially covered 236 aircraft. Space looks towards a it ultimately delivered a large eet development ambitions. reaction alert However, with the UK securing the Royal (QRA) and air Saudi Air Force as the second export manned Future Combat Air of common aircraft, it also served as policing has customer under Project Salam, the gures System (FCAS) as a potential something of a millstone around the Dispelling a dated view become a staple were adjusted. The UK, which brokered the all-new ghter for the 2040 necks of those who sought to push the The initial Tranche 1 Euro ghters were for Eurofi ghter 72-aircraft Saudi order, diverted 24 jets to squadrons supply an initial batch to the RSAF, and an era, the value of maintaining basic entry-into-service-standard Typhoon rst handed over to operator air forces in in Europe. In additional 48 aircraft were added to the a suitable industrial skills base in Europe forward. It was perhaps inevitable that 2003. Initially optimized for the air-to-air addition, all four tranche. The 24 diverted aircraft should have The Euro ghter now has a meaningful demonstrator program. The CAPTOR A been added to the back end of Tranche 2 cannot be underestimated. Whether it individual national requirements and role, only now are we seeing the aircraft partners have foundation as a solid swing-role performer Active Electronically Scanned Array Radar embraced multi- production for the UK but were not, instead comes from FCAS, from partnerships funding would be hard to align; indeed, reaching their potential as versatile, role to an extent. being added to Tranche 3 and counted by Above: The Royal and a clear path of upgrades and capability (CAESAR) was hoped to be the core for in Turkey with its TF-X project, or as a the partners were initially forced to set combat-proven, all-rounders. The Royal Air Jamie Hunter the UK as part of its overall commitment. In Saudi Air Force insertions will only help to take the aircraft Tranche 3 Typhoons. The reality is that the event, Tranche 2 took in 299 aircraft: 79 has pressed into the next decade. The type has had the mechanically-scanned CAPTOR has for Germany, 47 for Italy, 34 for Spain and 67 its Typhoons for the UK, plus the 72 for Saudi Arabia, all of into combat its fair share of bloody noses, but British proven itself highly e ective, and other which were assembled in the UK and have operations Typhoons have own in two combat upgrades have taken priority with regard been delivered. over Syria and theaters, the aircraft has stood toe-to-toe to funding, but now there is a weight of The Eurofi ghter Typhoon program has proved to be a huge The partner nations eventually agreed to Yemen, armed split Tranche 3 into two parts, 3A and 3B. with Paveway II with fth-generation ghters and it has responsibility to provide a capable E-Scan success for the European aerospace industry in terms of Tranche 3A was signed on July 31, 2009, and and IV weapons. earned praise on the international stage. for expectant export customers. capability development and export success — is this set was for just 112 aircraft at an estimated €9 Its last 24 The Royal Saudi Air Force has pressed its There is a genuine feeling that there is a billion. This divided up as 31 for Germany, 21 jets were built to continue? for Italy, 20 for Spain and 40 for the UK. as Tranche 3 jets into combat over Yemen and it is at the new impetus behind the Typhoon. British Tranche 3B has never been signed. standard. Jamie front of the pack when it comes to getting government-to-government success in The UK’s 40 Typhoons in Tranche 3A Hunter the most capability from them. selling 72 jets to Saudi Arabia, 12 to Oman comprise 16 extra aircraft, plus the 24 diverted to the RSAF from Tranche 2. This Below: Airbus and now 24 to Qatar is likely to be joined by e ectively takes the RAF allocation to a total Defence and A bright future? follow-on orders and possible new deals. of 160 aircraft: 53 Tranche 1, 67 Tranche 2 Space delivered The rhetoric surrounding the Euro ghter Many expect Saudi Arabia to buy around and 40 Tranche 3A. the fi rst two Export orders for Oman (12 aircraft), Eurofi ghters in program today is very di erent to ve 24 more ghters and Qatar is likely to take Kuwait (28) and Qatar (24) take overall the latest P1Eb years ago. The rash of sales in the Middle a further 12. In addition, there is potential production to 623 aircraft. FW (Phase 1 East to Oman, Kuwait and Qatar has o set for new German orders for Euro ghters as a Enhancement Further Work) any fears of slippage in the incremental replacement for the Tornado. Force has stated openly that its Typhoons confi guration phased enhancement (PE) — the new Remarkably, Typhoons continue to roll have own swing-role combat missions. from the customers will receive jets with the latest o all four partner nations’ nal assembly Getafe fi nal Like so many big-ticket programs, assembly line weapons and systems, and a new active lines, although Getafe in Spain is in the the Typhoon su ered from poor public on January 23. electronically scanned array (AESA) radar. nal throes with just six Euro ghters still perception. Ill-informed observers The remaining Few doubt the importance of the AESA, to be produced for the Spanish Air Force six of 73 aircraft dubbed the Euro ghter an overpriced, contracted by with Kuwait being the lead customer for by 2019. Even if new sales materialize, a single-role, airshow jet. While tangible Spain will be the so-called Radar 1. For the Typhoon, rationalization of nal assembly must be capability was lacking, this was mainly delivered to the the E-Scan story is a little painful, dating close, even if recent successes are joined by same P1Eb FW due to nancial handcu s being placed standard by back to 2002 when the Euroradar campaign wins in Belgium, Canada, Finland on ambitious operators. In reality, the 2019. Eurofi ghter consortium rst launched an E-Scan radar and Poland. Jamie Hunter Typhoon has fared well in turbulent times, evolving against a backdrop of political upheaval in stressed budgetary climates. Establishing that credibility has surely helped to secure a raft of new orders, particularly from the Middle East, serving as a shot in the arm for a project that looked at serious risk of coming to a close at the end of this decade. The export sales have, in turn, helped to underpin domestic funding shortfalls — unifying both industry and air forces in pushing overall capabilities forward. 02 April 2018 // www.combataircraft.net 03 48-49 SUPP_Intro C.indd 48 15/02/2018 13:38 48-49 SUPP_Intro C.indd 49 15/02/2018 13:38 EUROFIGHTER TYPHOON // PHASED ENHANCEMENT There is a defi nite feeling that that was struggling to attract new the more advanced Tranche 2 Typhoons with the French Damoclès targeting pod export sales. At the same time, top and beyond. ahead of the formal P1Eb clearances, the Typhoon is coming of age. export customer Saudi Arabia was While P1E was a signi cant step, it which subsequently added Paveway IV. that such an upgrade would not be A raft of coherent upgrade pressing ahead with swing-role was painfully slow. The initial contract To add kudos, both the RAF and prohibitively expensive. This received ambitions for its 72 jets. Indeed, the was signed on March 30, 2007 but it the RSAF had the chance to validate OPINION: rather less press coverage than Austria’s projects are at last paying Royal Saudi Air Force was seen as being took until late 2014 to reach the front P1Eb in combat. The RAF deployed its more recent decision to retire its Tranche 1 dividends both for the core every bit as forward-leaning as the RAF line.