Timeline of the Eurofighter Typhoon explained

This is the timeline of the development of the Eurofighter Typhoon, a multirole fighter aircraft manufactured by a consortium of European aerospace manufacturers, Eurofighter GmbH, formed in 1983.

1970s

• 1972
  • Royal Air Force (RAF) issues Air Staff Target 396 (AST-396), a requirement for a STOVL aircraft to replace the Harrier and Jaguar fleets.
  • AST-403, specification revised for an air superiority fighter. STOVL requirement dropped and AST-409 lead to the development of Harrier GR5.^[1]
• Mid-1970s
  • France, Germany and the UK initiate the European Combat Aircraft (ECA) programme.
• 1979
  • Following differing requirements (particularly French requirement for carrier compatibility,) BAe and MBB propose the European Combat Fighter (ECF)

1980s

• 1981
  • Development of different national prototypes and continued differences over specification lead to cancellation of ECF programme.
  • Panavia partners (Germany, Italy and UK) launch Agile Combat Aircraft (ACA) programme. Following failure of Germany and Italy to fund development the UK MoD pays £80m prototype, the Experimental Aircraft Programme (EAP).
• 1983
  • May - contract for production of EAP prototype signed.
  • The UK, France, Germany, Italy and Spain launch Future European Fighter Aircraft (F/EFA) programme. Aircraft to have short take off and landing (STOL) and beyond visual range (BVR) capabilities.
• 1984
  • France reiterates requirement for carrier capable version. The UK, Germany and Italy opt out and establish new EFA programme.
• 1985
  • France officially withdraws, commences ACX project.
  • 27 October - EAP demonstrator rolled out at BAe Warton.
• 1986
  • June - Eurofighter GmbH established.
  • 8 August - EAP makes its first flight, piloted by David Eagles. Configuration closely matches final Eurofighter design.
  • Rolls-Royce, MTU Aero Engines, FiatAvio (now Avio) and ITP form EuroJet Turbo GmbH for development of EJ200.
• 1988
  • 23 November - contracts signed for production of demonstrator engines and airframes.

1990s

• 1990
  • EuroRADAR formed for development of ECR-90 (CAPTOR) radar.
• 1991
  • 1 May - last flight of EAP demonstrator.
• 1992
  • EuroDASS formed for development of defensive aids sub system (DASS.) Initially only UK and Italy participate. When Eurofighter enters service only RAF aircraft will exploit all capabilities of DASS.
  • July - Germany announces intention to withdraw from the DASS element. Negotiations begin to reduce costs. As a single engine aircraft is ruled out Germany decides to fit cheaper systems, e.g., F/A-18's APG-65 in place of ECR-90, and delay its service entry by two years. Germany eventually participates in all systems.
  • December - renamed Eurofighter 2000.
• 1994
  • 27 March - maiden flight of first development aircraft, DA1 from DASA at Manching with Rolls Royce Spey engines.
  • 6 April - maiden flight of second development aircraft, DA2 from BAe Warton. DA2 also flew with RB199s.
• 1995
  • 4 June - maiden flight of Italian DA3, the first with EJ200 engines.
• 1996
  • 31 August - Spanish DA6 becomes the first two-seater to fly.
• 1997
  • 27 January - first flight of DA7 from Turin.
  • 24 February - maiden flight of German DA5, first aircraft to be fitted with ECR-90.
  • 14 March - maiden flight of UK's DA4, the second two-seater and last of the seven development aircraft.
• 1998
  • January - first aerial refuelling trials, involving DA2 and an RAF VC10 tanker.
  • 30 January - NETMA and Eurofighter GmbH sign production and support contracts for 620 aircraft.
  • September - "Typhoon" name adopted, announced as strictly for export contracts. There is some controversy as the last aircraft to bear the name was the Hawker Typhoon, a World War II aircraft.^[2]
  • 18 December - Tranche 1 contract signed.
• 1999
  • Eurofighter International established as single contracting-management company to handle all export sales.

2000s

• 2000
  • 8 March - first export sale, 60 ordered and 30 options by Greece (but delayed, maybe cancelled).
  • 16 May - UK commits to MBDA Meteor BVRAAM, leading to significant benefits for export prospects.
  • 7 July - DA2 emerges from ten month stand down with latest avionics. Finished in black (see below) to reduce cosmetic effect of 490 pressure transducers applied to airframe.
• 2002
  • 5 April - Instrumented Production Aircraft (IPA2) makes maiden flight from Turin.
  • 11 April - IPA 3 makes maiden flight from EADS Military Aircraft, Manching, Germany.
  • 15 April - IPA 1 makes maiden flight from BAE Warton.
  • 2 July - Austria announces acquisition of 24 Typhoons, later reduced to 18.
  • 23 July - "Typhoon" name officially adopted as in-service name by four partner nations.
  • 21 November - DA6, flying out of Getafe, crashes. Twin engine failure is blamed.^[3]
• 2003
  • 13 February - first series production aircraft, GT001 flies from Manching. This is the first of Germany's 180 aircraft.
  • 14 February - in the space of just over an hour Italy's IT001 and Britain's BT001 make their maiden flights.
  • 17 February - Spain's ST001 flies from EADS Military Aircraft, Getafe, Spain.
  • 30 June - "type acceptance" signed, marking formal delivery of aircraft to the partner nations.
  • October - integration of Meteor begins.
• 2004
  • 27 June - two RAF Typhoon T1s depart UK for Singapore for marketing and training.
  • 15 December - UK confirms purchase of second batch of 89 aircraft, the last nation to commit to "Tranche 2" production of 236 aircraft.
• 2005
  • April - Singapore drops the Typhoon from its shortlist to supply the country's next generation fighter.
  • 16 December - the Aeronautica Militare Italiana (Italian Air Force) declares the Typhoon's initial operational capability and sets it on quick reaction alert from Grosseto Air Base.
  • 21 December - Saudi Arabia agrees to a purchase of an unspecified number of Typhoons with the UK Ministry of Defence.
• 2006
  • January - first AMI operational squadron formed.
  • February - first operational mission undertaken by the Italian Air Force as Eurofighter Typhoon defends the airspace over Turin during the 2006 Winter Olympics.
  • 31 March - first RAF operational squadron formed.^[4]
  • 18 August - announcement of Saudi Arabia signing a contract to buy 72 planes from the UK.^[5]
  • 3 October - 100th production aircraft delivered.^[6]
• 2007
  • 12 July - the first Eurofighter for Austria is delivered to the Austrian Air Force.^[7]
• 2008
  • 16 January - the first Tranche 2 Eurofighter Typhoon makes its first flight.^[8]
  • 22 October - first flight of Typhoon in Royal Saudi Air Force livery.^[9]
• 2009
  • 12 June - first Saudi Typhoons delivered.^[10]
  • 25 November - 200th Typhoon delivered.^[11]

2010s

• 2010
  • 24 August - a Spanish Eurofighter crashes in Spain, killing a Saudi pilot^[12]
  • 22 December - 250th Typhoon delivered.^[13]
• 2012
  • 21 December - Oman orders 12 Eurofighter Typhoons.^[14]
• 2013
  • 4 December - 400th Typhoon delivered.^[15]
• 2014
  • 12 December - First full trial installation of Brimstone missile.^[16]
• 2016
  • 5 April - Kuwait orders 28 Eurofighter Typhoons.^[17]
  • 13 July - Flights trials of E-Scan radar begin on Eurofighter Typhoon.^[18]
• 2017
  • 11 April - 500th Typhoon delivered.^[19]

2020s

• 2020
  • November 2020 - Germany ordered 30 single-seater and 8 twin-seater new Tranche 4 fighters for 5.4 billion euro.^[20] The contract for new Tranche 4 versions is to replace Tranche 1 versions currently in service. The latest order from Germany secures production of Eurofighter Typhoon until 2030.^[21]
• 2022-2023
  • Spain ordered 45 new Tranche 4 and 4+ (or Tranche 5 if available upon delivery) under the program Halcón in June 2022 and September 2023 for 6.5 billion euro.^{[22] [23] [24] [25]}

Notes and References

1. http://www.flug-revue.rotor.com/FRHeft7X/FRHeft79/FRH7906/FR7906b.htm AST-403: ENGLANDS KAMPFFLUGZEUG-PROJEKT
2. News: Storm over 'Typhoon' name for Eurofighter . BBC News . 1998-09-02 . 2006-10-28.
3. News: Eurofighter crashes in Spain . BBC News . 2002-11-21 . 2006-10-26.
4. Formation of first operational Typhoon squadron ushers in new era for the RAF . Royal Air Force . 2006-03-31 . 2006-10-26 . https://web.archive.org/web/20061023095817/http://www.raf.mod.uk/news/news_0603_27.html . 23 October 2006 . dead . dmy-all .
5. News: Saudi Arabia buys 72 Eurofighters . BBC News . 2006-08-18 . 2006-10-26.
6. 100th Typhoon arrives at RAF Coningsby . Royal Air Force . 2006-10-09 . 2006-10-26 . https://web.archive.org/web/20061023094852/http://www.raf.mod.uk/news/news_0610_08.html . 23 October 2006 . dead . dmy-all .
7. First Eurofighter Delivered to Austria . Austrian Armed Forces . 2007-07-12 . 2008-04-12.
8. First Tranche 2 Eurofighter Typhoon Has Flown . Eurofighter . 2007-01-16 . 2007-01-16 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20080119114717/http://www.eurofighter.com/news/20080116_ipa7.asp . 19 January 2008 .
9. First flight of Typhoon in Royal Saudi Air Force livery . BAE Systems . 2008-10-22 . 2008-10-22.
10. News: Saudis Take Delivery of First Typhoons . DefenseNews . 2009-06-12 . 2009-06-12 .
11. News: Eurofighter GmbH has delivered the 200th Typhoon produced. . KeyPublishing . 2009-11-25 . 2009-11-25 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20110707095437/http://airforcesmonthly.com/view_news.asp?ID=1145 . 2011-07-07 .
12. News: Eurofighter crashes in Spain . Flightglobal . 2010-08-24 . 2010-08-24.
13. News: Eurofighter has delivered the 250th Typhoon. . KeyPublishing . 2010-12-22 . 2010-12-22 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20110102062846/http://www.key.aero/view_news.asp?ID=2880&thisSection=military . 2011-01-02 .
14. News: Oman Orders Eurofighters And Hawks. . Aviationweek . 2012-12-21 . 2013-12-12.
15. Eurofighter Typhoon Marks Delivery of 400th Aircraft. . Eurofighter . 2013-12-04 . 2013-12-12.
16. Typhoon fitted with brimstone missile for the first time . BAE Systems . 2014-12-12 . 2014-12-12.
17. Kuwait Signs Contract for the Delivery of 28 Eurofighter Typhoons. . Eurofighter . 2016-04-05 . 2017-04-12.
18. Flights trials of E-Scan radar begin on Eurofighter Typhoon jet. . Eurofighter . 2016-07-13 . 2017-04-12.
19. Eurofighter has delivered the 500th Typhoon. . Eurofighter . 2017-04-11 . 2017-04-12.
20. Web site: Germany approves billion-euro purchase of 38 Eurofighter jets. DW . 5 November 2020. 11 April 2021.
21. Web site: Airbus signs contract for 38 Eurofighters with Germany. Airbus. 16 March 2021.
22. Web site: Eurofighter, NETMA and Eurojet sign Halcón contract for new Eurofighter Typhoons . 2024-04-25 . Eurofighter Typhoon . en.
23. https://www.janes.com/defence-news/news-detail/ila-2022-spain-signs-for-halcon-eurofighters
24. https://www.defencetoday.com/air/air-platforms/spain-to-acquire-25-additional-typhoons/
25. Web site: IFC 2023: Airbus details Eurofighter Halcon standards for Spain . 2024-04-25 . Janes.com . en.