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Status Eurofighter Typhoon

Fairford/Farnborough/Munich, 01 July 2002

Final assembly, the manufacture and assembly of center fuselages and right wings for Eurofighter Typhoon aircraft are well under way at EADS European Aeronautic Defence and Space Company Military Aircraft in Germany and Spain. The same applies for the production progress at the partner companies Alenia Aerospazio (Italy) and BAE Systems (UK), according to the agreed work-share (front and aft fuselages, left wing).

The first German series production Eurofighter (IPA 3 Instrumented Production Aircraft) took off for a successful Maiden Flight at Military Aircraft's Manching plant on April 2002. At the controls were EADS Eurofighter-project test-pilot, Christian "Chris" Worning, and Lt Col Robert Hierl of the German Official Test Center WTD 61, both smiling happily after a very positive flight.

In December 2000, EADS Military Aircraft had started the final assembly for the first out of 180 aircraft for the German Air Force. In June 2001 final assembly for the first series production aircraft for the Spanish Air Force began in Getafe. Deliveries to the four European air forces will begin in the fourth quarter of 2002.

In total, more than 40 pilots from industry and the armed forces have now flown the seven development aircraft in more than 2.200 test flights with almost 1.900 flying hours. Recent test program achievements included air-to-air refueling with Tornado fighter bombers, engine certification flying, live missile firings with AMRAAM and ASRAAM, bomb pit dropping, high-temperature environmental trials including the liquid conditioning system for air crews, and icing trials both on the ground and in the air. Other test highlights were electro-magnetic compatibility (EMC) trials, flights in autopilot/autothrottle modes with 1.000 and 1.500 litre external fuel tanks up to 50.000 feet altitude.

The single-seat avionics aircraft DA 5, based at the EADS flight test center Manching in Germany, successfully carried out multiple simultaneous radar engagements. During March 2001, DA5 deployed to GAF Laage AFB, Northern Germany. In a multi-target scenario - depending on the test objective, the GAF had provided up to 20 MiG-29 or F4-F Phantom target aircraft - the CAPTOR radar demonstrated excellent performance in acquisition range and tracking accuracy.

These and previous test phases have proven the maturity of the most modern air-to-air and air-to-ground weapon system. The trials included missile firings and drop launches, and inflight-refuelling including long-range/endurance test flying for more than four hours. Ground tests like the major airframe fatigue test (MAFT) with 18.000 simulated flying hours - or three times the required 6.000 flying hours for the Eurofighter Typhoon production aircraft - have clearly shown the reliability of the aircraft structural design. The production standard of the EJ200 engine on March 8, 2001 received its certification after successful completion of the test program. The first series produced engines have already been delivered to the German and UK final assembly lines and were installed into the production aircraft.

The advanced swing-role flying weapon system is characterized by excellent operational versatility and supreme combat efficiency, and its long in-service life combined with low cost of ownership.

Eurofighter is the world's most advanced, twin-engined, high performance multi-role/swing-role fighter aircraft developed and produced in a unique cooperation program by the partner nations Germany, Italy, Spain and the United Kingdom. Managed by the NATO agency NETMA on the governmental side, Europe's leading aerospace companies EADS in Germany and Spain, Alenia Aeronautica/Finmeccanica in Italy, and BAE Systems in the UK are partnered in the Eurofighter industrial consortium.

In January 1998 the umbrella contract for the production of 620 aircraft plus an option of further 90 aircraft was signed. The German Air Force is to receive 180 aircraft, the Spanish Air Force ordered 87 aircraft.

With revenues amounting to EUR 30.8 billion in 2001 (excluding Airbus UK) and a workforce of over 100,000, EADS European Aeronautic Defence and Space Company is the largest European aerospace company and the No 2 worldwide. It is active in the sectors of commercial aircraft, helicopters, space, military transport and combat aircraft as well as defence technology and services. Among others, EADS holds 80 percent of Airbus, 75 percent of the space company Astrium, 100 percent of the helicopter manufacturer Eurocopter, 43 percent in the Eurofighter programme and 37.5 percent in the missile company MBDA.

Your contact:
Military Aircraft
Wolfram Wolff
Phone: +49-89-607 25711
Fax: +49-89-607 22455
e-mail: wolfram.wolff@m.eads.net