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Eurofighter Typhoon EF-2000 - LTE / Tranche 5

According to current planning, production of the Eurofighter in Germany will come to an end in 2030 with the delivery of the last Tranche 4 aircraft. The consequence would be a production gap of 10 years without orders for the domestic industry until the Future Combat Air System (FCAS) goes into operation in 2040. Without a follow-up order, the end of combat aircraft construction in Germany would be imminent - and with it the loss of jobs, tax revenues, cutting-edge technologies and expertise. In order to prevent this, the timely commissioning of the further development of the Eurofighter (Long-Term Evolution; LTE) and a fundamental decision on a follow-up procurement of new Eurofighters (Tranche 5) are necessary.

By 2024 Airbus was manufacturing 38 Tranche 4 Eurofighters for the German Air Force, the so-called Quadriga, in Manching. The company was to deliver 30 single-seaters and 8 twin-seaters between 2025 and 2030. The contract was signed at the end of 2020. Those new aircraft are planned to replace the Bundeswehr's first tranche of Eurofighters. Airbus was also to deliver 20 new Tranche 4 Eurofighters, also known as Halcon I, to the Spanish Air Force from 2026 to 2030. On September 12, 2023, the Spanish government also gave its approval for the expenditure for a further series of Eurofighters. Halcon 2 would comprise around 25 Eurofighters for the Spanish Air Force.

Airbus will equip Eurofighters of the German Air Force for electronic combat by 2030. The Eurofighter EK (Elektronischer Kampf - Electronic Warfare) will expand the jet's already broad operational spectrum and strengthen European sovereignty and autonomy.

Long-Term Evolution [LTE]

The Long-Term Evolution [LTE] capability development programme of the four core nations (Germany, Spain, Great Britain and Italy) provides for the modernization of important components, including the cockpit and adding more computing power. This will keep the Eurofighter at the cutting edge of technology. Contract signature was expected in 2024.

The Eurofighter is the backbone of many European air forces and the fighter aircraft is field-tested. So that the Eurofighter can remain operational in the future, it needs to be equipped with new technologies which allow it to become part of the Future Combat Air System (FCAS). However, according to current planning status, the production of the Eurofighter is due to stop in 2030. This would also not allow any opportunities for further technical developments.

The Eurofighter is a technologically state-of-the-art system which Germany can manage and further develop independently in cooperation with European partner states. This means that Europe is safeguarding its independence, which is of particular significance in times of increasing geopolitical tensions. The planned Eurofighter Long Term Evolution (LTE) will substantially improve capabilities in terms of avionics and sensor technology and will thus form an essential bridge to FCAS. After all, the Eurofighter defines the military aviation industry in Germany like no other program. If it is discarded, the country will lose - irretrievably - the capabilities which have been built up over the last 70 years, and thus also the basis for future European technology projects.

Florian Maier, CEO of Diehl Aerospace, said: “Further developing a high-tech system such as the Eurofighter and planning new production lines requires many years of lead time. We need to coordinate with partners and customers, the supply chains need to be maintained, and the high-end special expertise along the value chain needs to be secured.” With this in mind, the federal Association of the German Aerospace industry (BDLI) draws attention to the fact that parts of the supply industry may need to withdraw from the Eurofighter program as early as 2026/2027.

Tranche 5

A Tranche 5 of the Eurofighter means the further development of the platform, which means that the fighter aircraft will also be adapted in key aspects to meet future requirements e.g. for modern mission management. In order to keep the expertise and strategic capability to develop and produce fighter jets in Germany and to bridge a potential production gap of 10 years, an additional order of approximately 100 new Tranche 5 Eurofighters would be required. 50 of these aircraft would then be produced by Airbus in Manching, Germany. The remaining 50 aircraft, coming from potential export orders, would be assembled in one of the three other assembly lines in Italy (Leonardo), Spain (Airbus) and the UK (BAE Systems). In addition, Spain also has up to 25 aircraft in the pipeline (Halcon 2, see above “Halcon Eurofighters for Spain”).

Without an early follow-up order (Tranche 5) from the federal government, there would be a risk of the end of military fighter aircraft construction in Germany - and with it a corresponding loss of jobs, tax revenue and, in particular, of cutting-edge technologies and skills in our industry, which have been built up over decades.

The aviation industry in Germany therefore needs a commission from the federal government to further develop the Eurofighter and thus a fundamental decision on the future of the system during this legislative period. By November 2023 Germany had not yet determined if it will proceed with its previously announced plan to buy Eurofighter Tranche 5 combat aircraft. The plan announced by the previous German government in March 2020 to acquire additional newbuild Eurofighters as part of its wider Luftwaffe recapitalisation efforts was not a done deal. This Tranche 5 buy is undecided rather than uncontracted.

BDLI President Dr. Michael Schöllhorn said: “Do we want to keep military aircraft manufacturing in Germany? If the answer is 'yes' - not least in view of the geopolitical situation - then we must quickly build an industrial bridge to the future in addition to the Tranche 4 Eurofighter that is currently under construction in Germany. In concrete terms, this means: We need the commission for the further development of the Eurofighter during this legislative period.

Schöllhorn continued: “This is the only way we can keep the Eurofighter for the Bundeswehr and our allies at the cutting edge of technology in the long term and create important technological foundations for the next generation of air combat platforms. This is associated with a fundamental decision by the federal government on additional procurement of Eurofighters based on this new technology." Schoellhorn said the government needs to make a fundamental decision about Tranche 5 before the end of the year, as this would allow to sustain long term production and develop future aircraft capabilities, without causing a loss of core military competencies as well as production capacities in the entire supply chain.

The Eurofighter as a European cooperation project forms the backbone of several European air forces. For Germany, this weapon system is not only of overarching, strategic importance for the air force, but that structural military aviation program that has a lasting impact on our industrial landscape along the entire value chain nationwide. Florian Maier, CEO of Diehl Aerospace: “Political responsibility for security must also be reflected in concrete action. We are ready to take on responsibility as a key supplier. To do this, we need the order for the Tranche 5 of the Eurofighter. The commissioning is of existential importance for the military aviation industry in Germany."