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Germany - Eurofighter Typhoon

The multinational (Germany, Italy, Spain, Great Britain) co-operative project EUROFIGHTER TYPHOON is an all-weather capable flying weapon system, optimized for air defense, with special requirements in terms of mission effectiveness, survivability, availability and operational flexibility. The EUROFIGHTER is a one-seater in Delta-Canard configuration with two engines. Primary weapons were medium range air-to-air missiles (initially AMRAAM and Meteor in the future) and short-range air-to-air missiles (Sidewinder, ASRAAM and IRIS-T in the future).

The main task of the weapon system EUROFIGHTER is currently in the German air force in the all-weather hunt:

Capture air targets, identify them, prioritize them, track them and combat them, with a wide ranging radar system and medium and short range missiles. Ability to fight multi-objective beyond day and night visibility in all meteorological conditions, including low-flying targets. Load a mixture of all-weather radar missiles medium-range (AMRAAM), air-combat infrared missiles short range ( IRIS - T , AIM -9Li) and a cannon. Agility in the lower and supersonic range, in order to be successful in dueling situations in aerial combat over medium and short distances.

To further develop the EUROFIGHTER and establish a usability in the air / ground application role (multi-role capability) EF to 2017 conducted substantial integration projects with partner nations. Takes place the first stage of the role adjustment by integrating a laser-guided and all-weather precision weapons with an electro-optical target illuminator and development of a cockpit environment for the multi-role use in a single-seat fighter aircraft.

For Germany, a total of 180 standard aircraft were listed in this contract, but Germany procures a total of only 143 EUROFIGHTER. The contract for the production of the EUROFIGHTER takes place in three tranches, which were ordered separately (for DEU 44 + 68 + 31 Lfz ). The first production aircraft intended for the German Air Force was delivered in early 2003; the last aircraft of the first installment went to the Luftwaffe in the summer of 2008. The inflow of the Tranche 2 aircraft began in December 2008 and was completed in 2015. All German Eurofighters were to be delivered to the Luftwaffe by the end of 2018. Current EUROFIGHTER federations were the Jagdgeschwader 73 "Steinhoff" in Laage, the Jagdgeschwader 74 in Neuburg, the Jagdgeschwader 31 "Boelcke" in Nörvenich and the Jagdgeschwader 71 "Richthofen" in Wittmund.

The Eurofighter deal is one of the largest defense projects in Germany. But this controversial acquisition by the German armed forces or Bundeswehr, has long been the focus of criticism. When the Eurofighter Typhoon was developed, the world still looked very different. It was the Cold War; the Warsaw Pact still existed. War scenarios at the time were still based on the assumption that western Europe could be attacked from the East. So a fighter jet was planned that could compete with the Russian MiG aircraft. Now, air battles over Europe were scenarios from the past.

The opposition Green Party fought against the Eurofighter for a long time, as it considered the billion-euro defense project to be outdated. It doesn't agree with the conservatives on the purpose of the deal. "In all of the conflicts in which the Bundeswehr is deployed under a UN mandate or with an alliance, there isn't one single case where a weapons system such as the Eurofighter is needed," said Andreas Bonde, the Green's defense spokesman. He added it was an instrument required for warfare between highly armed nations.

The Bundestag initially approved an appropriation of 14.6 billion euros for 180 planes in 1997. But that number was reduced by 37 jets to 143. The involved countries divided work on the plane in 1998 according to the number of aircraft each country planned to buy. The total number of planes ordered was 620 and they were booked to be delivered in three stages through 2017. With the new order, 31 of the jets would go to Germany. The German government was also looking to sell other jets to other countries.

Germany announced on 13 October 2015 it would halt deliveries of the Eurofighter Typhoon after identifying a technical defect. Airbus, manufacturer of the combat aircraft, said the flaw does not impact the jet's overall performance. "This incident does not affect flight safety or operational ability of the Eurofighters. The lifespan of the jets isn't affected either," an Airbus spokesperson said, according to German news agency dpa. The flaw reportedly had to do with the way holes were drilled into the aircraft's fuselage. A similar problem forced the Bundeswehr to freeze deliveries of the jets in the past.

Only a handful of the German Air Force's Eurofighter jets were combat ready, according to a report in the magazine Der Spiegel published 02 May 2018. Due to a technical problem with the defense system of the combat aircraft only 10 of the Luftwaffe's 128 Eurofighters were mission ready, according to the report. The problem stems from a cooling liquid leak in the aircraft's wing pod sensors, which were used to recognize hostile jets or incoming attacks. Without the defense system the Eurofighter jets were not combat ready. The shortage of aircraft meant that Germany was unable to fulfill its NATO obligations to have 82 combat ready jets for crisis situations.

The wing pod issue was only one problem facing the Luftwaffe. Der Spiegel reported that there were only enough missiles to make only four Eurofigher jets ready for combat. The German military confirmed to Der Spiegel the technical problems with the Eurofighter, but would not comment on the number of combat-ready aircraft, given that this information is classified. The revelation in Der Spiegel is the latest report to cast doubt on Germany's military readiness and capabilities.

In a Bundeswehr document provided to the German parliament in 2017, the military classified 39 of 128 jets as combat ready. A Bundeswehr spokesperson told Der Spiegel that the "daily actual availability" of the Eurofighter right now is better than in 2017. However, Der Spiegel said that the military appeared to count any Eurofighter that can fly as ready, even if they were only available for training or maneuvers without missiles or defense systems. "These jets are barred from participating in real deployments, such as air patrols in the eastern flank of NATO," Der Spiegel wrote.

Only a handful of the German Air Force's Eurofighter jets were combat ready, according to a report in the magazine Der Spiegel published 02 May 2018. Due to a technical problem with the defense system of the combat aircraft only 10 of the Luftwaffe's 128 Eurofighters were mission ready, according to the report. The problem stems from a cooling liquid leak in the aircraft's wing pod sensors, which were used to recognize hostile jets or incoming attacks. Without the defense system the Eurofighter jets were not combat ready.

The wing pod issue is only one problem facing the Luftwaffe. Der Spiegel reported that there were only enough missiles to make only four Eurofigher jets ready for combat. The German military confirmed to Der Spiegel the technical problems with the Eurofighter, but would not comment on the number of combat-ready aircraft, given that this information is classified. The revelation in Der Spiegel was the latest report to cast doubt on Germany's military readiness and capabilities.

Der Spiegel said that the military appeared to count any Eurofighter that can fly as ready, even if they were only available for training or maneuvers without missiles or defense systems. "These jets are barred from participating in real deployments, such as air patrols in the eastern flank of NATO," Der Spiegel wrote.

The German parliament's budget committee on 95 November 2020 approved a €5.4 billion ($6.35 billion) contract to buy 38 Eurofighter jets from Airbus for the country's air force. The contract is part of the German Defense Ministry's long-term plan to gain at least 93 Eurofighter jets, along with 45 F-18s from Boeing. Decisions on the purchase of the remaining jets were expected after Germany's federal election in 2021.

Defense Minister Annegret Kramp-Karrenbauer wanted to replace the oldest Eurofighter jets of the German fleet with new jets. The first-generation Eurofighters have been in service since 2004, and over the years presented the air force with "greater challenges."

"This important decision strengthens our capabilities in the air force. By replacing Tranche 1, which is obsolete and susceptible to repairs, we are increasing the operational readiness of the Eurofighter fleet and thus our reliability in the [NATO] alliance," said Ingo Gerhartz, inspector general of the German air force.

Germany's air force said it will now have a "multi-role capable aircraft – which can be used not only against enemy aircraft but also against targets on the ground," adding that the new fighter aircraft will be equipped with the most modern radar technology. The air force added that this would be "a huge technological step forward in digitalization." According to the manufacturer Airbus, the new "Eurofighter Tranche 4" is the best and most modern fighter aircraft that Europe currently has to offer.

Germany's ruling grand coalition government as well as the Free Democratic party (FDP), and the Alternative for Germany (AfD) party voted in favor of the billion-dollar purchase. The Left party voted against the deal, and the Greens abstained.