Eurofighter Typhoon

 

Eurofighter Typhoon

The Eurofighter Typhoon is a remarkable multirole/swing-role combat aircraft that represents the pinnacle of collaborative technology from Britain, Germany, Italy, and Spain. 

1. Design and Origins:

   • The Eurofighter Typhoon is a twin-engine, canard-delta wing aircraft.
   • It was developed as part of the Future European Fighter Aircraft (FEFA) program, which involved collaboration among the UK, Germany, France, Italy, and Spain.
   • The project aimed to create a next-generation fighter to succeed the Panavia Tornado.
   • The consortium responsible for its development includes Airbus, BAE Systems, and Leonardo.

2. Specifications:

   • Role: Multirole fighter and air superiority fighter.
   • First Flight: March 27, 1994.
   • Introduction: August 4, 2003.
   • Status: In service with several air forces.
   • Primary Users: Royal Air Force (UK), German Air Force, Italian Air Force, Spanish Air and Space Force, and others.
   • Total Built: As of November 2023, 592 Eurofighter Typhoons have been produced.
   • Agility: The Typhoon is highly agile and designed for effective dogfighting in combat.

3. Capabilities:

   • Originally conceived as an air-superiority fighter, the Typhoon has evolved to handle various roles.
   • Later production models are equipped for air-to-surface strike missions.
   • It can carry a range of armaments, including Storm Shadow, Brimstone, and Marte ER missiles.

4. Operational History:

   • The Eurofighter Typhoon made its combat debut during the 2011 military intervention in Libya.
   • The UK’s Royal Air Force (RAF) and the Italian Air Force used it for aerial reconnaissance and ground-strike missions.
   • The Typhoon also plays a crucial role in air defense for many nations.

In summary, the Eurofighter Typhoon combines agility, advanced avionics, and versatile combat capabilities. Its development involved collaboration across European nations, resulting in a cutting-edge fighter aircraf

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 air-superiority fighter

specifitacion

• Crew:        1 or 2
• Length:     15.96 m (52 ft 4 in)
• Wingspan:     10.95 m (35 ft 11 in)
• Height:           5.28 m (17 ft 4 in)
• Wing area:     51.2 m2 (551 sq ft)
• Empty weight:     11,000 kg (24,251 lb)
• Gross weight:     16,000 kg (35,274 lb)
• Max takeoff weight:  23,500 kg (51,809 lb)
• Fuel capacity:            4,996 kg (11,010 lb) / 6,215 L (1,642 US gal; 1,367 imp gal) internal
• Powerplant:               2 × Eurojet EJ200 afterburning turbofan engines, 60 kN (13,000 lbf) thrust each dry, 90 kN (20,000 lbf) with afterburner

performance overview

Maximum speed: 2,125 km/h (1,320 mph, 1,147 kn) / Mach 2.0 (2,125 km/h or 1,320 mph at 11,000 m altitude)

Sea Level: 1,530 km/h (950 mph; 830 kn) / Mach 1.25 at sea level

Supercruise: Mach 1.5

Range: 2,900 km (1,800 mi, 1,600 nmi)

Combat range: 1,389 km (863 mi, 750 nmi) air defence with 10-min. loiter / ground attack, hi-lo-hi (with 3 × external 1,000 l tanks)

185 km (100 nmi; 115 mi) air defence with 3-hr combat air patrol (with 3 × external 1,000 l tanks)

601 km (325 nmi; 373 mi) ground attack, lo-lo-lo (with 3 × external 1,000 l tanks)

Ferry range: 3,790 km (2,350 mi, 2,050 nmi) with 3 × drop tanks

Service ceiling: 19,812 m (65,000 ft) 

g limits: +9 / -3

Rate of climb: 315 m/s (62,000 ft/min)

Wing loading: 312 kg/m2 (64 lb/sq ft) 

Thrust/weight: 1.15 (interceptor configuration)

weapon system

• Guns: 1 × 27 mm Mauser BK-27 revolver cannon with 150 rounds

• Hardpoints: Total of 13: 8 × under-wing; and 5 × under-fuselage pylon stations; holding in excess of 9,000 kg (19,800 lb) of payload

• Typical multi-role configuration for a Tranche 2-P1E would be 4 × AMRAAM, 2×ASRAAM/IRIS-T, 4 × EGBU-16/Paveway-IV, 2 × 1000-litre supersonic fuel tanks and a targeting pod.

• 

  Eurofighter Typhoons
   weapon system

Missiles system: 

    Air-to-air missiles:

• AIM-120 AMRAAM
• MBDA Meteor
• IRIS-T
• AIM-132 ASRAAM
• AIM-9 Sidewinder

  Air-to-surface missiles:

• Storm Shadow/Scalp EG
• Brimstone
• AGM-88 HARM
• AGM-65 Maverick
• Taurus KEPD 350

  Anti-ship missiles:

• Marte ER (up to 6 Marte ER anti-ship missiles at 6 hardpoints)
• Joint Strike Missile (planned)

  Bombs:

• Paveway II/III/Enhanced Paveway series of laser-guided bombs (LGBs)
• 500-lb Paveway IV
• Small Diameter Bomb (planned for P2E)
• Joint Direct Attack Munition (JDAM), work started in 2018
• HOPE/HOSBO, in the future
• Spice 250

  Others:

• Up to 3 × drop tanks for ferry flight or extended range/loitering time
• Conformal fuel tanks on Tranche 3 or later

Avionics

• Euroradar CAPTOR:
• Captor-M: Solid-state, mechanically scanned array radar
• European Common Radar System (ECRS) Mk0: Active electronically scanned array (AESA) radar developed by the original 4 Eurofighter consortium members. Commonly referred to as the Captor-E. Fitted to Qatari and Kuwaiti Eurofighters.
• ECRS Mk1: Upgraded Mk0, manufactured by Hendsoldt and Airbus. To be fitted to existing German and Spanish Eurofighters.
• ECRS Mk2: New (AESA) radar with additional electronic warfare capabilities. Manufactured in Edinburgh by Leonardo UK. To be fitted to existing Tranche 3 UK Eurofighters.
• Passive Infra-Red Airborne Tracking Equipment (PIRATE)
• Praetorian DASS
• Damocles (targeting pod)
• LITENING III laser targeting pod (LITENING 5 in RAF testing)
• Sniper Advanced Targeting Pod

Role:

 The Eurofighter Typhoon is designed as a genuine swing-role aircraft, capable of seamlessly shifting between air-to-air and air-to-surface roles during a mission.

Design and Origin:

 It features twin engines, a supersonic capability, and a canard delta wing. The Typhoon was initially conceived as an air-superiority fighter. It is manufactured by a consortium consisting of Airbus, BAE Systems, and Leonardo, with joint collaboration through Eurofighter Jagdflugzeug GmbH. The project is managed by the NATO Eurofighter and Tornado Management Agency, representing the UK, Germany, Italy, and Spain.

Development History:

 The journey began in 1983 with the Future European Fighter Aircraft program, which involved collaboration among the UK, Germany, France, Italy, and Spain. The British Aerospace EAP (Experimental Aircraft Program) took its first flight in 1986, followed by a Eurofighter prototype in 1994. The name “Typhoon” was adopted in 1998, and production contracts were signed. However, the end of the Cold War impacted demand for fighter aircraft, leading to debates over cost and work share. Despite these challenges, the Typhoon entered operational service in 2003 and is now used by several air forces worldwide.

Agility and Capabilities:

 The Eurofighter Typhoon is highly agile, designed to excel in dogfights. Over time, it has been equipped for air-to-surface strike missions and compatibility with various armaments, including missiles like Storm Shadow, Brimstone, and Marte ER. Its combat debut occurred during the 2011 military intervention in Libya, where it performed aerial reconnaissance and ground-strike missions.

In summary, the Eurofighter Typhoon represents cutting-edge technology and collaborative efforts across European nations, making it a formidable presence in the skies