EF Typhoon News

[posa]

Next announcement:
A local British newspaper proclaims a "triumph" for the "Blue" Airforce/Typhoons.


Full story:

http://www.thisislincolnshire.co.uk/...entPK=20184446

It remains to be seen if this news is reliable.

I hope everything works out well?

Its diffucult to find out how good this aircraft actually is, all you hear is it is good, but is it actually. Till now this is the only results I've actually heard about with Typhoon in mock battles? I think there was another mock with Italian Typhoons up against French Rafaeles, but nothing was released on that on either.

[oldsoak]

The results between Typhoon and Rafale are unlikely to be released or at least they will be sanitised. Lets face it, both are major programmes for the countries involved and who really benefits from saying A is better than B in this case ? - there are other countries on the sideline and Europe is starting to see the bigger picture more than it did before.
IMHO, my ideal scenario is EF providing the A2A element within Europe, and Rafale providing the strike/naval element.
The Spanish have had some experience of F18 vs EF, and I understand they are supremely confident in the EF, but that is to be expected as EF is the later aircraft. Perhaps the Spanish posters may have more information.

[Herman the II]

The final "Tranche 1" Ef Typhoon has been delivered. From now on only "Tranche 2" Typhoons will be handed over.
38 aircraft of Tranche 2 are in final assembly right now and are planed to be delivered from early summer onwards.
Next step will be the type approval for the Block 8 aircraft on 1 April 2008.
Block 8 represents the hardware standard for Tranche 2. The main improvements include a new mission computer, the improved Captor-D radar with a new computer and other hardware changes ,full PIRATE functionality and a new digital engine control and monitoring unit.
The new Captor has a higher resolution and is more immune to jamming.

Final Tranche 1 Eurofighter Typhoon delivered to the Core Programme
25 March 2008

With the handover of GT015, a German Twin-Seater aircraft, the final aircraft out of Tranche 1 destined for the four partner Air Forces of Germany, Italy, Spain and the United Kingdom in the core programme has been delivered on March 20, 2008.

Aloysius Rauen, Chief Executive Officer Eurofighter GmbH, comments: “This delivery represents a major milestone in the core programme. With 144 series production delivered (including five to Austria), the Air Forces are rapidly accumulating flying hours and gathering experience with the system. The nations already operate Eurofighter Typhoon in the air defence role. The Royal Air Force is preparing for the first multi-role task of Eurofighter Typhoon, deploying the system over long distances and training the air and ground crews for combat. And Austria, the first export customer, is planning to start operational air surveillance tasks with the upcoming European Soccer Championship. This is outstanding proof for the maturity of the system.”

In the Test & Evaluation Programme, an AMRAAM firing from Instrumented Production Aircraft Two (IPA2) on 27 February represents the conclusion of weapon testing for the Main Development Contract. The successful test flight, conducted by Alenia Aeronautica at Decimomannu Air Base, Sardinia, means that all required weapons for operation with Tranche 1 are now cleared, including AIM-9L, ASRAAM, AMRAAM and Iris-T for air-to-air combat, and Paveway II, Enhanced Paveway II, GBU-10 and GBU-16 for air-to-ground tasks.

full story:
http://www.eurofighter.com/news/20080325_lastTR1.asp

[Herman the II]

March 2008 - Eurofighter Typhoon GT015, due for delivery to the German Air Force, about to take off from EADS Military Air Systems' Manching facility. GT015 is the final Tranche 1 aircraft for the core programme Air Forces. (Photography: Dietmar Fenners, picture from eurofighter.com)

March 2008 - Eurofighter Typhoon GT015 preparing to land at Neuburg/Donau Air Base, home to Fighter Wing 74 of the German Air Force. GT015 is the final Tranche 1 aircraft for the core programme Air Forces. (Photography: Dietmar Fenners, picture from eurofighter.com)

[Herman the II]

Not much news last week.
The only relevant news came from the German Luftwaffe. Their first upgraded "Block 5" Ef Typhoon arrived at the Jagdgeschwader 73 „Steinhoff“ recently. The plane 30+25 is the first that finished the upgrade program from "Block 2" to "Block 5" (full Tranche 1 capabilities). All "Block 2" Ef Typhoons are to be upgraded to "Block 5" standard.

Erster "Block-5" Eurofighter im Jagdgeschwader 73 “Steinhoff“

German source
picture1
picture2


In addition "Block 8" acceptance trials are underway but nothing offical was heard until now.

[Herman the II]

First some news from Italy:
Alenia Aeronautica starts testing and improving the EF Typhoon in their new anechoic shielded chamber. The new chamber (the largest in Europe) is fitted with a wide range of advanced systems that will help to further reduce the electronic and infrared signature of the EF Typhoon.

Rome, Italy - The Turin test and simulation infrastructure is further reinforced
(WAPA) - "The DA-7 Eurofighter Typhoon prototype is the first aircraft to enter the new anechoic shielded chamber, the largest in Europe, built by Alenia Aeronautica, a Finmeccanica company, to test in the most favourable conditions the electromagnetic compatibility of aircraft and systems and measure the performance of emitting devices, specifically in the field of radio frequencies.

full story:
http://www.avionews.com/index.php?co...po%3Dindex.php


In addition the Italian Air force hosts its annual "Spring Flag" exercise at Decimomannu. Here you can find a list of the participating planes and a wide scale of pictures. Will keep you updated.

Here is a video of two participating Italian Typhoons taxiing to the runway, you can clearly spot the recently introduced PIRATE sensor near the cockpit.





Austria has received its sixth Ef Typhoon today. The plane was transferred from Manching (D) and landed in Zeltweg in the afternoon.
The delivery of all Eurofighters will be completed in 2009.

[Herman the II]

Guess what....

Eurofighter Invited To Rejoin Norway Competition

HELSINKI - The Norwegian government has invited Eurofighter to re-engage with the fighter replacement program and present a final bid by April 28, the binding information deadline set by the Ministry of Defense (MoD). The invitation comes amid fears that technical delays to the Lockheed Martin's F-35 Joint Strike Fighter could see the company request an extension of the April deadline, while Saab confirmed that its updated bid would be presented on time.

Full story:
http://www.defensenews.com/story.php...19&c=AIR&s=TOP

[Herman the II]

Some pictures to illustrate the latest developments:

The latest EF Typhoon for Austria in colour. 7L-WE taking off from Manching to Zeltweg (Austria) (picture from eurofighter.com)

Another nice one from Morón- A Eurofighter Typhoon from each of the four core nations' Air Forces join up in a four-ship formation over Morón Air Base, Spain, during the week long "Typhoon Meet" exercise. (Source: Spanish Air Force, picture from eurofighter.com)

April 2008 - A crowd gathers on deck as a Royal Air Force XI Squadron Eurofighter Typhoon crosses paths with Royal Navy ship HMS Daring during sea trials with the vessel. (picture from eurofighter.com)

[signatory]

Like the last photo there... looks like the ship is in a highspeed turn or something.

[MBB F-104G]

@Herman: Got any hi-res of these?

[Herman the II]

@Herman: Got any hi-res of these?

Sure,
you can find hi-res versions of those pictures here, here and here.

[Rosc0]

Alenia Opens Electromagnetic Emission Test Chamber

TURIN - Italy's Alenia Aeronautica has opened an anechoic shielded chamber here to test the electromagnetic emissions of aircraft, as well as the responses of aircraft to emissions directed against it. A Eurofighter Typhoon combat jet was the first aircraft to enter the chamber....

Full Story: http://www.defensenews.com/story.php?i=3482268

[Herman the II]

My little Cristal-ball just told me that Romania wants to order 48 Ef Typhoons, 24 used planes and 24 new ones. It was agreed that the 24 used planes will heritage from Italy's Tranche 1 contingent that will be upgraded by the Eurofighter GmbH. This way Italy might be able to reduce its number of ordered Typhoons and their financial burden plus Romania will be welcomed as a new user nation.
For now nothing is oficial but lets wait and see.(highly likely that it is true.)


--------------
Additional:

The official Eurofighter GmbH press release about the exercise "Spring Flag" that was mentioned earlier.

Eurofighter Typhoon Success in "Spring Flag 2008"

75 aircraft in total
400 flight hours over two weeks, day and night
Almost 2,000 personnel

“Spring Flag”, the most important annual exercise of the Italian Air Force, in 2008 was hosted by 9° Gruppo and XII Gruppo, with their Eurofighter Typhoons taking the lead in the Air Dominance role.

The Spring Flag exercise is planned and executed to verify the Air Force’s deployment capability. The Eurofighter Typhoons performed remarkably well, building on the successes of recent deployments to the United Kingdom, Belgium and Spain, and demonstrating how the aircraft, although still making its first forays into frontline service, already combines excellent operational reliability with a logistics support capability to maintain the aircraft even in the most complex scenarios.

The operations during the exercise have focused on air defence and ground attack, carried out using Eurofighter Typhoons and Tornados versus F-16s and F-18s. Also involved were Italian AMX jets, the so-called “Slow Mover Interception” force of Aermacchi MB-339CDs, and AgustaWestland HH-3F helicopters.

http://www.eurofighter.com/news/20080423_sprflag.asp

[Herman the II]

The Eurofighter GmbH prepares its final offer for India.

India Invited To Join Eurofighter Makers' Consortium - EADS

NEW DELHI -(Dow Jones)- The makers of Eurofighter Typhoon combat jets Thursday said they are inviting India to join them in building next-generation fighters, a move which may boost the chances of the Eurofighter winning the South Asian country's $10 billion contract for 126 jets for its Air Force.

India is the first non-European country to be invited to join the consortium, a senior executive from the European Aeronautic Defence & Space Co. NV (5730.FR) or EADS said.

But the country will only be allowed to join if India selects the Eurofighter, said the executive, who didn't wish to be named.

Making parts of the combat aircraft in India will help the makers of the Eurofighter meet the Indian government's offset requirements if it buys the aircraft, he said.

Separately, Chief Executive of Military Air Systems at EADS Bernhard Gerwert said, "If India becomes a partner, they will also become a partner in all future technology enhancement."

"As part of our industrial cooperation offer, we invite India to become our member," Gerwert told a news conference.

Full story:
http://www.lloyds.com/CmsPhoenix/Dow...aspx?id=388956

Supriseingly India will be the partner nation of the annual ILA Berlin Airshow.

New Delhi, Apr 23
In a move that proves the growing clout of the country’s defence market worldwide, India has been invited as a partner nation at the ILA Berlin Airshow 2008 scheduled to be held in Berlin, Germany, from May 27 to June 1.
This will be the first ever participation by India at any airshow in the world.
Leading the Indian delegation, defence minister AK Antony will be leaving for Germany late next month. During the week-long visit, accompanied by a high-level delegation including defence secretary (production) Pradeep Kumar and 30 other senior officials and Indian Air Force (IAF) officers, the defence minister will hold a bilateral meeting with his German counterpart Dr Franz Josef Jung.

Full story:
http://www.financialexpress.com/printer/news/300756/

The offer will be submitted on Monday:

EADS to submit bids for IAF's 126 jet tender on Monday

NEW DELHI: European aerospace and defence consortium EADS on Thurday made a strong pitch for its Eurofighter Typhoon combat aircraft, claiming it would more than meet the requirements of the Indian Air Force.

Full story:
http://economictimes.indiatimes.com/...ow/2979947.cms

[zalmoxis]

My little Cristal-ball just told me that Romania wants to order 48 Ef Typhoons, 24 used planes and 24 new ones. It was agreed that the 24 used planes will heritage from Italy's Tranche 1 contingent that will be upgraded by the Eurofighter GmbH. This way Italy might be able to reduce its number of ordered Typhoons and their financial burden plus Romania will be welcomed as a new user nation.
For now nothing is oficial but lets wait and see.(highly likely that it is true.)

It's a very good news. I hope your Cristal-ball was right. Have any informations that Typhoons will get AESA radar in the future?