EUROFIGHTER TYPHOON LATEST PHOTO GALLERY

Eurofighter Typhoon is an agile, highly maneuverable, twin-engine strike fighter, designed primarily for air superiority and air supremacy missions, with secondary attack capability. The aircraft's ability to gain air superiority beyond visual range (BVR) and in close combat, and at the same time deliver high sortie rates against air, naval and ground targets in all weathers with a variety of weapons, demands close attention to pilot workload. In Eurofighter the pilot flies through use of a computerized flight control system, which offers full carefree handling.

The Saudi Typhoon order is now secured. Eurofighter GmbH has signed a contract with its shareholder BAE Systems acting as the industrial prime contractor on this government to government contract for the supply of 72 aircraft to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. The contract represents the second and most significant export order for the Typhoon, first was the sale of 15 fighters to Austria. Saudia received its first Typhoons in June 2009. The first 24 aircraftbeing delivered to Saudi Arabia are to be withdrawn from the Tranche 2 aircraft originally destined for the RAF.

Including the recent order, the Typhoon order book now totals 707 Eurofighter aircraft. The four Partner nations ordered 620 aircrat: 180 for Germany, 121 for Italy, 87 for Spain and 232 for the United Kingdom. Austria placed an order of 15 aircraft, the first two were delivered in July 2007. To date, 137 Series Production Aircraft, including six Instrumented Production Aircraft operated by industry, have been delivered to the customer Nations: 48 Royal Air Force, 37 German Air Force, 26 Italian Air Force, 18 Spanish Air Force and 2 to Austria. Thirty Tranche 2 aircraft are already in final assembly. Avionics and engine testing has already started for Type Acceptance of Block 8, to be achieved in Spring 2008, with deliveries scheduled to begin in Summer next year.

Air to Ground Role

With the evolving role of aerial attack in modern combat, Typhoon's strike capability is also being enhanced, with inclusion of relevant weapon systems, sensors, targeting and communications packages as part of the baseline aircraft. An important Typhoon feature is its capability to operate from hastily prepared bases and small runways for worldwide operations. The aircraft is equipped with an advanced multi-mode radar and an extensive range of sensors and electronic countermeasures.

By the end of June 2008, 135 Eurofighter Typhoon have been delivered to seven units in four nations. The nations’ fleets have accumulated over 40,000 flight hours by that date, additon to over 5,600 test flight hours accumulated by the industry fleet. Typhoon units began assuming responsibility for NATO air defence operations in 2007, beginning in Italy and the United Kingdom. Germany has followed since January 2008, commencing Quick Reaction Alert (QRA) operations with Eurofighter Typhoon at Neuburg. Spain is expected to follow soon.

The aircraft is developed and produced by the Eurofigther consortium, which includes Alenia Aeronautica, BAE SYSTEMS, EADS Germany and EADS CASA., of the four partner countries, Italy, United Kingdom, Germany and Spain. 105 production aircraft have been delivered to date including five Instrumented Production Aircraft operated by industry and owned by the NATO Eurofighter and Tornado Management Agency NETMA.