Target Lock- Euro Fighter Typhoon - Development

8/9/2019 Target Lock- Euro Fighter Typhoon - Development

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Last updated on August 10th 2010

Development

The f irst development aircraf t (there w ere no prototypes as such), the German-built DA1 (98+29), did not fly until March

27th 1994, w ith Peter Weger at the controls. The f light, f rom Manching, lasted 45 minutes. Doubts about the integrity of

Eurofighter's computer sof tw are had demanded an extensive period of verification. This w as probably w ise given that the

Gripen and YF-22 had suffered control failures in public, both leading to crashes. If DA1 had c rashed it w ould have given

the Germans a reason for cancellation.

DA1 w as allocated the UK designation ZH586, as it w as originally due to have transfered to Warton after 10 f light hours.

For political reasons (to allow DASA to maintain staf f at its Manching facility) the move w as postponed indefinitely.

The f irst UK prototype, DA2 (ZH588) flew on April 6th 1994, w ith Chris Yeo in the cockpit. Both DA1 and DA2 had

Turbo-Union RB199 turbof ans.

Af ter nine flights each, both DA1 and DA2 w ere grounded for modifications. This meant that they w ere not available for the

1994 Farnborough Air Show , leaving the Rafale to steal the show .

Development f lying resumed on May 17th 1995, w hen BAe CTP Chris Yeo took DA2 for an 80-minute f light f rom Warton.DA3 (MMX602) joined the program on June 4th 1995, making its maiden flight from Turin/Caselle. This w as the f irst aircraft

to fly w ith EJ200 engines.

By the end of 1995 DA1 had made tw elve flights, DA2 s ixty-seven and DA3 tw enty-f ive, generating just over 100 hours

betw een them.

DA2, although only f lying w ith an "interim" flight control sys tem, attained a maximum level speed of 1050 km/hr IAS, and

Mach 1.5 at 9700m. It also manoeuvered at up to 5.8g and angles of attack of up to 20 degrees, and reached an altitude of

over 10900m.

On June 12th 1995 DA2 appeared at the Paris A ir Show and demonstrated its impress ive take-of f and turning capabilities.

Three days later, operating out of Warton, the aircraft w ent supersonic for the first time. At the end of July the aircraft

made tw o appearances at the International Air Tattoo at RAF Fairf ord.

By the end of March 1996 the f irst three aircraft had accumulated about 150 hours, in 140 sorties. The EJ200 engines in

DA3 had accumulated 120 hours during 40 trouble-free f lights and ground runs. DA3's engines w ere upgraded from 01A to

01C standard during early 1996.

In June 1996 GEC Marconi Avionics delivered the f irst ECR90 radar, w hich w as installed in DA5 at Manching.

By the middle of July 1996 the three aircraft had accumulated 188 hours in over 200 sorties. DA2 w as due to s tart trials

w ith the GEC Marconi tow ed radar decoy on a 60m fiber-optic cable from a pod on its s tarboard w ingtip. Flight control

sof tw are release 2A, w hich allows Mach 2 and carefree handling at high angles of attack w as scheduled for the next few

w eeks.

DA6, the Spanish 2-seater (XCE.16-01), made its first flight on August 31st 1996 from CASA's Getafe facility. Alfonso de

Miguel, CASA's Director of Flight Operations, w as at the controls. DA6 w as equipped w ith upgraded avionics, f light and

utility control systems.

DA2 appeared at the Farnborough Air Show in September 1996. It achieved Mach 2 for the f irst time shortly afterw ards.

DA7 (MMX603) made its maiden f light from Turin on January 27th 1997.

DA5 (98+30) made its maiden f light f rom Manching on February 24th 1997. The aircraft f lew for one hour w ith DASA chief

test pilot Wolfgang Schirdewahn at the controls. DA5 w as the f irst aircraf t f itted with the ECR90 radar. This w as activated

during the f light, targeting and tracking tw o test aircraft.

DA4 (ZH590) made its maiden flight from Warton on March 14th 1997. BAe test pilot Derek Reeh w as at the controls for the

80 minute f light. DA4 w as the f irst British 2-seater, and also the f irst British-built aircraft w ith the EJ200 pow erplant.

Development duties w ere assigned as f ollow s:


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DA1 (98+29) : General handing and EJ200 engine development

DA2 (ZH588) : Flight envelope expansion and carefree handing

DA3 (MMX602) : Engine integration, stores release and gun firing

DA4 (ZH590) : Tw o-seat handling, radar development and integration

DA5 (98+30) : Av ionics and w eapons integration

DA6 (XCE.16-01) : Two-seat avionics and systems

DA7 (MMX603) : Performance and w eapons integration

At the Paris Salon in June 1997, DA6 appeared in the static park, and DA7 f lew in the display on the public days.

British-built tw o-seater DA4 (ZH590) arrived at RAF Leeming on 20th July 1997 for a f ive-day series of risk-reduction trials.These involved running the EJ200 engines at up to 80% of dry thrust to test noise levels inside a hardened shelter and to

check the effects of vibration on the shelter and the airf rame.

DA5 (98+30) made the 500th Eurofighter development flight at Manching on October 31st 1997. Milestones reached by this

stage, according to DASA, w ere a maximum speed of Mach 1.87, an altitude of over 12175m, angles of attack of 25 amd

turns of up to 7g.

DA2 (ZH588) arrived at RAF Brize Norton on November 10th 1997 for three days of ground refuelling trials w ith a TriStar of

No 216 Squadron. It left on November 14th.

By November 21st 1997, the total number of f lights had reached 532, accumulating just under 465 hours. Of these, DA2

had flow n 187 times f or 154 hours, and DA4 14 times f or 16 hours. When combined, these represent 37.8% and 36.6% of

the totals respectively, w hich are close to the UK's share of the program.

DA7 (MMX603) became the first Eurof ighter to launch a guided missile, an AIM-9L Sidew inder, w hich it did on December

15th 1997. The firing w as carried out at Mach 0.8 over Decimomannu on Sardinia by Alenia's test pilot Maurizio Cheli. DA7

also successfully released an AIM-120 AMRAAM.

DA2 (ZH588) w as f itted with a spin-recovery parachute, in preparation for testing the latest release of the f light control

sof tw are. DA3 (MMX602) has f lown w ith under-w ing 1000-liter fuel tanks.

DA2 (ZH588), despite still having RB199 engines, w as taken to Mach 2 by BAe CTP Paul Hopkins in January 1998.

Af terw ards, the aircraf t carr ied out a series of successful refuelling trials w ith an RAF VC.10 tanker over the Irish Sea. In

consequence DA2 achieved its longest f light so f ar, w ith more than 4 hours in the air.

Long-term fatigue testing of the Eurofighter s tructure in Germany had reached more than 15000 simulated f light hours by

early 1998.

In April 1998 British 2-seater DA4 (ZH590) w as f lown for the f irst time by an all-RAF crew , w hen EF2000 Project Pilot Sqd

Ldr Craig Penrice and Flt Lt Kevin Wooff made a 1hr 7min flight from BAe Warton. This w as DA4's 26th f light.

In May 1998 DA3 (MMX602) performed a display at Pratica de Mare to mark the 75th anniversary of the Italian Air Force.

Eurofighter DA5 (98+30) w as displayed at ILA 98 in Berlin in May 1998, w here it pulled 7G for the f irst time in an airshow

demonstration. At ILA 98 MTU and ITP revealed their design for a thrust-vectoring nozzle for the EJ200 engine.

Immediately after ILA 98 DA5 undertook a deployment to Rygge airbase in Norw ay, w here it completed a series of f light

demonstrations, and carried out maintenance handling trials in a RNorAF hardened shelter.

British tw o-seater DA4 (ZH590) f lew in formation w ith the Red Arrow s at the Royal International Air Tattoo at RAF Fairford

on July 25th and 26th 1998.

In early August 1998 it w as announced by Eurofighter GmbH that Eurof ighter DA7 (MMX603), operating f rom Decimomannuin Sardinia, had successf ully carried out the f irst jettison of a 1000-liter drop tank at a height of 1600m and a speed of 630

km/hr.

At the same time DA1 w as being f itted w ith EJ200 engines, Martin-Baker Mk 16 ejection seat and upgraded avionics; DA4

had completed its ground-based lightning strike trials; and DA6 had completed a series of trials to prove operability levels in

hot climatic conditions.

By August 11th 1998 the seven development aircraft had completed 780 flights for more than 750 hours.

The Typhoon completed its Major Airframe Fatigue Test (MAFT) at Ottobrunn, Germany in early September 1998. The MAFT

involved 18000 hours of testing, representing three times the aircraf t's airf rame life of 6000 hours over 30 years.

DA5 (98+30) w as displayed at the 1998 Farnborough Air Show , but a fault prevented it f rom appearing on the public days.


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On the trade days it w as flow n alternately by BAe CTP John Turner and DASA CTP Chris Worning. At the time DA5 w as

closest to production standard of the seven-aircraft test fleet.

Royal Norw egian Air Force test pilot Major Frode Evensen f lew DA5 on three evaulation f lights in December 1998. At a

press conference in London on January 26th 1999 Maj Evensen gave his personal opinion of the aircraft, w hich w as

favourable: "Eurofighter is very easy to f ly, and in a combat situation the fighter pilot has all the 'tools' he needs to w in the

air battle. Eurofighter is absolutely the fighter pilot's aircraft".

As at January 31st 1999, the development aircraft had flow n the following hours:

Aircraft Flights HoursDA1 123 126 h 20 m

DA2 257 216 h 42 m

DA3 151 122 h 19 m

DA4 37 36 h 52 m

DA5 115 71h 5 mm

DA6 106 96 h 10 m

DA7 120 75 h 10 m

Total 909 744 h 38 m

It was announced on April 28th 1999 that UK Defence Secretary George Robertson had completed a 60-minute flight out of

Warton in DA4, w ith Eurof ighter project pilot John Turner at the controls.

On May 4th 1999 it w as announced that the Eurofighter development program had explored about 90% of the aircraf t's

baseline f light envelope. DA2 had completed its baseline f lutter trials at Mach 1.2 and 750 knots EAS (equivalent to 800

knots TAS), and had also f lown to an altitude of 15200m. The aircraft is equipped w ith the new Aircrew Services Package

(ASP) w hich provides the pilot w ith pressure breathing at altitude and while pulling G.

DA3 has f lown w ith fully-functioning 1000 liter supersonic f uel tanks, and w ith subsonic 1500 liter subsonic tanks. The

aircraft reached Mach 1.6 w ith up to three 1000 liter tanks attached, w hich is a major achievement for a f ighter aircraf t.

In Germany, DA5 f lew w ith the latest version of the flight control softw are, FCS 2B/1, w hich now includes auto-throttle and

autopilot functions. DA4 w as also fitted w ith the same softw are, but w ith an active rear seat. As a result DA4 w as f low n

from the rear seat for the first time. Both aircraft w ere fitted w ith the IOC production standard ECR90 radar.

DASA test pilot Wolfgang Schirdew ahn, flying DA5, made the Eurof ighter's 1000th f light on May 18th 1999.

Eurofighter DA7 appeared in the flying display at the 1999 Paris Salon.

The Chief of Staff of the Hellenic Air Force, Lt Gen Litzerakos, f lew DA6 at CASA's Getafe facility on June 9th 1999. In July

1999 Eurof ighter GmbH opened a Programme Office in Athens.

Air- to-ground w eapons testing began in June 1999 w ith pit drops f rom DA3 at Caselle.

In July 1999 Major Evensen, a test pilot f rom the RNorAF Materiel Command, f lew tw o test missions in DA5. The f irst

focussed on assessment of autopilot/autothrottle functions based on the new standard of FCS softw are. In the second,

Maj Evensen checked out the operating modes of the ECR90 radar.

As at September 22nd 1999 DA3 had success fully carried out static drop tests w ith Mk 82 bombs; DA5 had carr ied out the

first simultaneous radar engagement of four targets; DA6 had undergone high-temperature environmental trials (41oC at

Moron AB); DA7 had successfully dropped a 1000-liter tank at Decimomannu.

Eurofighter DA5, f lown by Chris Worning, deployed to Tanagra AFB in Greece on November 4th 1999 in support of the

Hellenic Air Force's open day on November 8th.

By the second w eek of December 1999, the Eurofighter development aircraf t had completed over 1070 sorties totalling

more than 870 flying hours.

During February/March 2000 Eurofighter DA6 w as tested in the environmental hanger and blow er tunnel at DERA

Boscombe Dow n. In the Environmental Hanger the aircraf t w as exposed to extreme temperature ranges and humidity levels

to simulate the conditions it could be expected to face in operational conditions around the w orld. The Blower Tunnel was

used to produce realistic icing conditions on the ground before in-flight trials are carried out.

On June 1st 2000 it w as announced that DA4 had completed the f irst night f light by a 2-seat development aircraf t. Project


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pilot Keith Hartley f lew the aircraf t on a 66-minute f light f rom BAE Systems/Warton and RAF Valley. Craig Penrice w as in

the rear seat.

The development aircraft have accumulated 1300 flights so far (June 1st). DA3 has carried out fuel transfer tests w ith

external tanks, CICT Test validation and a one-engine re-light. DA4 has had its engines stripped dow n and rebuilt. DA5 is

being prepared for w ater show er testing and landing gear door icing testing. DA6 hs completed environmental tests at

DERA Boscombe Dow n (see above).

Typhoon f light control sof tw are version 2B/2 w as c leared for flight in late May 2000 and w as expected to f ly on DA2 at

BAE System/Warton by mid-June. The aircraft also flew w ith revised avionics (3B1 and 3B2) and utility control sof tw are.

These sof tw are releases are said to have most of the functionality of the IOC standard set to f ly early in 2001. Avionicssoftw are 3B2 is due to be cleared in November w ith the IOC standard 3C in December. IOC-standard FCS sof tw are is set

for delivery in January 2001.

DA2, f itted with the 2B/2 version of the FCS softw are, f lew from Warton on Friday July 7th 2000 w ith project pilot Keith

Hartley at the controls. This w as the f irst f light trial of the 2B/2 sof tw are, w hich is said to greatly improve the handling and

is an important milestone on the way to series production.

In early December 2000 DA6 completed a modification program during w hich its radar and avionics w ere updated, and a

new release of the flight control softw are w as installed.

In early June 2001 DA7 carried out tw o w eeks of w eapon trials at the Decimomannu range on Sardinia. During this period it

launched an AMRAAM separation/control test vehicle to check the separation trajectory from the aircraft. The missile w as

launched f rom an altitude of 1000m at a speed of Mach 0.9. DA7 also released an ASRAAM missile from an altitude of

1600m and a speed of Mach 0.89 w hile in a 6g turn. An AIM-9L Sidew inder w as also launched.

At the 2001 Paris Air Show it w as announced that the latest CAPTOR radar softw are, w hich w ill give the Typhoon its

sw ing role capability, has been formally delivered by Euroradar to Eurofighter GmbH. The softw are has been extensively

tested in BAE Systems' BAC111 testbed, and further testing of its air-to-surface modes w ill be carried out by DA4 and

DA5.

Also at Paris 2001 the Italian DA7 prototype put on a "spirited and exciting f lying display" w hich quite simply stole the show

and drew applause every day.

On August 6th 2001 DA1 successfully carried out the first test of the German Air Force's buddy-buddy refuelling pod,

w hich w as carried by a GAF Tornado. The f light lasted one hour and 41 minutes and w as another milestone tow ards the

introduction of the Typhoon into the GAF.

On September 6th 2001 the Chief of the Luftw aff e Air Staff , Lt General Gerhard Back, made a 55-minute flight in the rear

seat of aircraft DA6 f rom Manching, together w ith German test pilot Heinz Splgen. Af ter landing, General Back stated "With

Eurofighter the Luftw aff e w ill get exactly the f lying weapon sys tem w hich is needed to fulfill all future requirements".

By September 2001 the seven Eurofighter development aircraft had accumulated more than 1400 hours flying time in 1750

flights.

In early November 2001 DA4 re-entered the f light test program follow ing an extensive period on lay-up. During the lay-up

the aircraft underw ent signif icant upgrades to the Avionics and Pow er generation systems, as w ell as completing the first

phase of the Defensive Aids Sub System (DASS) ground trials in the Electronic Warfare test facility at BAE

Systems/Warton. The trial w as a great success and was a major risk reduction activity for the standard of aircraf t beyond

Initial Operational Clearance.

DA4s f irst f light back in the program concentrated on "shaking dow n" all the major systems of the aircraft, w ith particular

emphasis on the engines, radar, Advanced Medium-Range Air-to-Air Missile (AMRAAM) integration and Ground Proximity

Warning System (GPWS).

Pete Travis, Flight Development Integrated Product Team Leader, said: "Overall the aircraft w as in great shape after a long

period on the ground, w hich is testament to the ground crew team that prepared it for f light".

Over the coming w eeks the aircraft w ill be involved in priority f light trials to support the initial clearance into service of the

aircraft next year. In particular it w ill concentrate on assessment of the w eapon system as a w hole including AMRAAM and

Advanced Short-Range Air-to-Air Missile (ASRAAM) integration w ith the radar and GPWS. In the medium term a first f light

assessment of the DASS, including on-range f light trials w ill be carried out at RAF Spadeadam in Northumberland, the

RAF's Electronic Warfare test range.

On December 18th 2001 Air Chief Marshal Sir Peter Squire, the UK's Chief of the Air Staff , became the f irst non-RAF test

pilot to f ly the Eurofighter w hen he took control of DA4 during a 60-minute f light from BAE Systems' Warton f acility. During


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the flight the CAS experienced speeds in excess of 900mph and demonstrated the aircraft's supersonic, supercruise and

groundbreaking handling capabilities.

In February 2002 BAE Systems completed the f inal ejection test to qualify the tw o-seat Typhoon's crew escape system.

The test w as carried out at Martin-Baker Aircraft's facility near Belfast, and involved jettisoning the canopy and firing both

ejection seats in sequence at a speed of 600 knots.

During March 2002 development aircraft DA4 achieved three successes in one sortie: the longest ever flight by a

Eurofighter (4 hr 22 min), the first ever air-to-air refuelling of a Eurofighter carrying external tanks, and the first night

air-to-air refuelling. The tanking tests w ere carried out w ith a Boscombe Dow n-crew ed VC.10 over the Irish Sea.

Eurof ighter Test Pilot Craig Penrice w as in the f ront seat of DA4, and RAF pilot Flt Lt Will Jonas in the rear.

The first production Typhoon, the Italian-built IPA2 (Instrumented Production Aircraft), made its maiden flight from Caselle on

April 5th 2002. IPA1, IPA2 and IPA3 w ill join the existing seven development aircraft in completing flight testing and

certification ahead of f irst customer deliveries later in the year.

The aircraft took off at 10:40 GMT from the Alenia Aeronautica plant at Caselle, piloted by Maurizio Cheli, Alenias Chief Test

Pilot for combat aircraft, and landed after 25 minutes. A second successful engine shakedown f light w as undertaken later

in the afternoon lasting approx. 25 minutes.

The first German-built production Typhoon, IPA3, made its maiden flight from EADS-Germany's Manching plant at around

08:50 on April 8th 2002. EADS test pilot Chris Wrning and Lt Col Robert Hierl of the German Flight Test Center (WTD 61)

w ere at the controls. F-4F Phantom 38+13 w as the chase plane for the first f light. A second f light w as made at around

14:00 the same day, this time w ith Tornado 46+10 as chase plane.

British-built Typhoon IPA1 (ZJ699) made its maiden flight from BAE Systems' Warton facility on April 15th 2002. Piloted by

Eurofighter project pilot Keith Hartley, w ith Chief Test Pilot Paul Hopkins in the rear seat, IPA1's f irst flight lasted for 26

minutes.

In another milestone for the program, aircraf t DA4 successfully carried out

the f irst fully-guided f iring of an A IM-120 AMRAAM on April 9th 2002.

Piloted by BAE Systems test pilot Craig Penrice, w ith WSO Stan Ralph in

the rear seat, DA4 f lew from Warton to the QinetiQ range at Benbecula in

the Hebrides, w here it successf ully tracked and targeted a Mirach target.

The AMRAAM, w hich carried a telemetry package rather than a w arhead,

scored a direct hit on the Mirach, shooting it dow n into a safe area of the

Atlantic Ocean.

IPA1 (ZJ699) successfully completed five flights in the 10 days after its

maiden flight (ie 16-26 April 2002). All the flights w ere utilised for

Production Flight Acceptance Testing, air data testing or testing of the

production stick top. Turnround betw een flights w as achieved in as little as 45 minutes, and only tw o minor snags w ere

reported.

On the aircraf t's f ifth f light, tw o RAF test pilots w ere at the controls: Flt Lt Will Jonas w as in the front seat, w ith Sqd Ldr

Brian Kemp in the rear.

Af ter these f lights, the aircraf t w ent into a lay-up priod, during w hich time some avionics equipment w ere upgraded, an FR

probe w ase installed, and f light test instrumentation was completed. It then underw ent ground resonance, electro-magnetic

compatibility and Stage-B testing.

On May 28th 2002 it w as anounced that the f irst w ind tunnel tests of the Eurofighter Typhoon conformal fuel tank design

had been successfully completed in the high speed w ind tunnel at BAE Systems/Warton, using a scale model of the

aircraft. The tanks, w hich have a capacity of approximately 1,500 litres each, could extend the range of the aircraft by

more than 25% - a major selling point in the export market, and a vital element in developing Eurofighter Typhoons air-to-

ground capability.

On July 23rd 2002 BAE SYSTEMS announced that aircraft DA2 had successfully completed a series of high-risk,

asymmetric carefree handling flight trials designed to evaluate the Flight Control System (FCS) on the aircraft. "Carefree"

means that the pilot can perform w hatever action he wants w ith the stick, pedals and throttle and the aircraft's f light control

sys tem w ill protect the pilot and the aircraft by limiting parameters such as angle of attack, g-force and roll-rate, to a safe

level.

To test the FCS to the full, the aircraf t w as f itted w ith the most demanding w eapon conf iguration. For these trials, w hich

are to clear the Eurofighter Typhoon for Initial Operational Clearance, this consisted of tw o AIM-120 AMRAAMs on the

right-hand under fuselage stations and a AIM-9 Sidew inder on the right-hand w ing tip. Other configurations w ill be tested in


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the future as the aircraft proceeds through to f ull operational clearance.

DA2 w as the only Eurofighter Typhoon aircraft that can undertake these trials, because the aircraf t can be f itted with an

anti-spin gantry and an emergency pow er unit. These safety measures are f itted to protect the pilot and the aircraf t should

the FCS not react in the way that the results gained from rigorous testing on simulators and test r igs had predicted.

The first Spanish tw o-seat production aircraf t, ST001, carr ied out ground engine running tests on September 11th and 13th

2002 at EDSA/Getafe, and ground taxi trials on September 20th 2002.

Flight trials of the Typhoon's Defensive Aids Sub-System (DASS) shaowed that the system w as delivering performance

that meets or exceeds expectations. Recent tr ials (September 2002) covering the air-to-air and air-to-ground operation of

the Electronic Support Measures (ESM) and Electronic Countermeasures (ECM), have been conducted on a Typhoon

operating from BAE Systems' Warton facility.

This series of f light trials has been aimed at data collection, to optimize the performance of the f inal production-standard

equipment. Results have confirmed that the ESM and ECM are delivering impressive performance, and in particular have

demonstrated:

Excellent ESM parametric measurement

Accurate jamming of selected threats

Validation of the w ing tip pod cooling system

High levels of equipment reliability

On November 21st 2002 the program suff ered its f irst loss, w hen the Spanish-built development aircraf t DA6 (XCE.16-01)

crashed near the village of Belvis de la Jara, about 70 miles southwest of Madrid. The tw o crew , EADS/Casa chief test pilotEduardo Cuadrado and Spanish Air Force OTC pilot Ignacio Lombo, successfully ejected from the aircraft. The plane came

dow n in open countryside.

The aircraf t w as f ully instrumented, and f light-performance telemetry w as being data-linked to Getafe during the sortie, so

the crash investigation w ill have all the information needed to establish the cause of the accident. The six remaining

development aircraf t and the programmes first three instrumented production aircraf t w ere grounded until the initial f indings

of the accident were declared.

According to Jane's Defence Weekly, industry sources close to the [Typhoon] programme said that the Spanish board of

inquiry report into the crash of DA6 concluded that the aircraft lost pow er after an unexpected power surge af fected both

EJ200 engines. The pow erplants installed aboard the aircraft at the time of the accident w ere tw o of just three f rom an

early production standard w ithin the Eurofighter test programme, said the sources. As such, no possibility ex ists that an

identical twin-engine failure could occur, and there is accordingly "no safety issue w ith the aircraf t", said one off icial.

On December 12th 2002 the Spanish Accident Investigation Committee reported the following:

"Follow ing a detailed investigation of data relating to the accident involving Eurof ighter Typhoon DA6 on 21 November,

2002, the official Government Accident Investigation Committee (AIC) met again on 05 December, 2002, and reported the

follow ing observations

The investigation has been provided with significant evidence that has identified areas of probable cause and the actions

required to address these. The exceptional effort made by Eurofighter and Eurojet to provide information and assistance

to the Committee is noted.

Eurof ighter Typhoon DA6 w as f itted with tw o early development EJ200 engines (designated 03A standard). During a test

flight in the Toledo region of Spain the aircraft w as f lying at 45,000 feet at a speed of Mach 0.7. While stabilising the

aircraft to perform the test point both engines suffered a surge that resulted in a double engine flame out. The aircrew

attempted to recover the situation but w ere unable to re-light the engines. Both crew ejected safely f rom the aircraf t.

It is also noted that only one Eurofighter aircraf t in the f leet is currently in use w ith these older engine standards. The

engines are being removed and replaced w ith a later standard pending f urther investigation. The AIC established that

subsequent engine models are not susceptible to similar effects. The remainder of the fleet operate later design standard

engines.

The Committee recommend a return to f lying for the remaining engine types as early as possible follow ing National

Airw orthiness Authorisation and conditions."

In early 2003 experimental trials w ith air-to-ground softw are using aircraf t DA1 (w hich w as on loan to EADS CASA )

began. This concentrated on load and handling tests to develop and test the pre-production sof tw are to Phase 5 standard.

On March 24th 2003 the four Typhoons manufactured by Alenia Aeronautica (DA3, DA7, IPA2 and IT001) f lew in a 4-ship


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formation at Caselle. DA3, piloted by Lt Col Lorenzo di Stefano, acted as target; DA7, piloted by Alenia test pilot Commander

Enrico Scarabotto, continued development of the FLIR sensor; IPA2, piloted by Alenia CTP Maurizio Cheli and Italian AF Col

Giovanni Fantuzzi, performed TACAN system qualif ication activities; IT001, f lown by Alenia TP Commander Marco

Venanzetti and It Col Natteo Maurizio, carried out acceptance activities.

On June 20th 2003 Eurofighter announced the successful completion of a range of Lightning Strike Tests on the Eurofighter

Typhoon Weapon System required as part of Type Acceptance clearance. The tests, carried out at BAE SYSTEMS Warton,

w ere performed on Series Production Aircraf t BT002 and w ere required to ensure that all sys tems on the aircraf t remain

operational in the event of the aircraft being struck by lightning.

During the test programme, the aircraft ran "live" w ith all necessary sys tems sw itched on. The aircraft received hundredsof strikes of between 20k and 150k Amps before reaching the specified 200k Amp strike.

EADS CASA announced on July 21st 2003 that development aircraf t DA1 had carried out in-flight refuelling trials w ith a

B707 tanker aircraft of the Spanish Air Force.

During more than an hour several approach manoeuvres w ere performed and the aircraft simulated diff erent flight

conditions. The docking manoeuvres w ere achieved perfectly in all cases and fulf illed the test requirements. The test w as

carried out in a specifically controlled area at an altitude of 15000 feet.

Within the development programme one of the objectives of the flight tests is to evaluate the aircrafts behaviour in this kind

of manoeuvres and the correct performance of the Eurofighter during in-flight refuelling operations.

In 2003 a Falcon 20 aircraft w as specially fitted out to accelerate the operational testing, evaluation and rolling development

of the Eurofighter Defensive Aids Sub System (DASS). Mike Rickett, BAE Systems Avionics DASS Project Director, said

"Following a series of shakedow n f lights, the DASS has successfully demonstrated its ability to s imultaneously detect and

jam multiple Air Defence w eapon radar tracking systems, during sorties over the RAF Spadeadam EW Training Range." He

expressed complete satisfaction w ith the results achieved so far. Performance exceeded our expectations and has

already surpassed those obtained from the successful series of trials conducted in Typhoon DA4, during the autumn of

2002.

On August 27th 2003 Eurofighter DA1 f lew the f irst captive f light trials of the IRIS-T (Infra Red Imaging System Tail/Thrust

Vector Control) short range air-to-air missile at Getafe. Two missile w ere f itted to the DA1 w ing tip stations.

The 30 minute flight w as designed to confirm handling and behaviour of the missile w hen f itted to the aircraf t. It marks the

start of the IRIS-T flight test program that w ill culminate in five live firing tests planned for later in the year that w ill qualify the

missile w ith Eurofighter Typhoon. Further f light testing w ill evaluate handling, flutter, environmental, safe separation and

avionics testing. This additional testing w ill be conducted by EADS Military A ircraf t in Manching and Getafe and by Alenia

Aeronautica at sites in Italy.

On October 1st 2003 Eurofighter GmbH announced the s tart of

integration of the METEOR Beyond V isual Range Air-to-Air Missile to

the Eurofighter Typhoon Weapon System, follow ing the success ful

completion of the first phase of "fit and form" trials at BAE

Systems/Warton. The trials w ere conducted w ith a representative

METEOR missile and Eurofighter Typhoon IPA1. The Meteor

Development programme w ill include flight trials, w hich w ill be

conducted in 2005.

On October 9th 2003 Typhoon flight testing w as suspended follow ing

the emergency landing of a German test aircraft after brake

problems. (Does anybody know w hen the restriction w as lifted?)

In December 2003 EADS announced that Eurof ighter Typhoon DA1 had completed a first series of air-to-surface w eapons

flight test. The aircraft w as armed w ith tw o 2000lb GBU-10 w eapons, f itted under the central w ing stations. The flight

lasted 55 minutes and during this time, EADS CASA Test Pilot Alfonso de Castro, performed different flight conditions at

altitudes f rom 10,000 to 40,000 feet and at speeds of M 0.4 - M 0.9. Eurofighter Typhoon w ill conduct nine more GBU-10

flight tests before the end of the year. The programme w ill then continue testing diff erent air-to-surface w eapons and

stores. Testing w ill involve Development Aircraf t and Series Production Aircraf t including the f irst single-seat production

aircraft IPA 4. IPA4 is expected to make its maiden flight by the end of 2003.

Also announced w as that DA7 had completed a number of key milestones in f iring trials conducted in early December at the

Air Weapons Range in Decimomannu. Tests included f iring AIM-9L Sidew inders and ASRAAM from the outboard w ing

station.

In February 2004 Eurofighter announced that electromagnetic compatibility (EMC) tests had been successfully completed on


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the British Series Production Aircraft BS002 (Single Seater) at BAE SYSTEMS, Warton. Since the single- and tw o-seat

aircraft have different characteristics, EMC testing has to be conducted on both types of aircraft.

Also in February 2004 DA1 began a series of f light trials carrying two 2000lb GBU-10 Pavew ay II laser-guided bombs. The

aircraft w as f low at altitudes from 10000 to 40000 feet and at speeds of Mach 0.4 to 0.9 by EADS CASA test pilot Alfonso

de Castro. DA1 also f lew asymmetric load trials, carrying a single GBU-10 under one w ing and nothing below the other.

PS001, the fourth Typhoon Instrumented Production Aircraft (IPA4), successfully made its first flight on February 27th 2004

from Getafe.

As w ell as other aircraft destined for f light tests, the main role of IPA4 w as to continue w ith the certification of the design

and sys tem functionality. This is a cr itical role in demonstrating the operational specification of the w eapon system to the

customer nations. The test plans involve f lights directed tow ards verifying new audio and MIDS communications functions.

In PS001 (and in the production aircraft) the communications system has been enhanced w ith the implementation of Direct

Voice Input (DVI), the fuel system Direct Voice Output (DVO) information and a voice operated sw itch ( VOS) that can be

conf igured to be used w ith several helmets and radios interoperable between Eurof ighter and other platforms.

Another new system is the MIDS (Multifunction Information Distribution System) that allow s the integration of information in

operational netw orks to def ine targets and new missions. MIDS permits secure exchange of air and ground data.

To enhance the navigation system TACAN, MILS (Microw ave Landing System) and DME-P (Distance Measuring Equipment

Precision) w ill also be added.

On April 6th 2004 Eurofighter GmbH announced the successf ul completion of the f irst in a series of in-flight f iring trials of

the BK27mm Mauser cannon and the first air launch of an IRIS-T short range air-to-air missile (SRAAM) from the outboardand ITSPL station. The trials w ere undertaken as part of a w eapons flight test campaign that w ill progressively clear

advanced missiles and systems for the Eurofighter Typhoon Weapons System.

The gun firing trials w ere carried out using aircraf t DA3 at Decimomannu, Sardinia. Pilot Maurizio Cheli carr ied out the trials

at an altitude of 25000ft and a speed of Mach 0.7.

The IRIS-T trials w ere carried out using aircraf t DA7, also at Deci. Pilot Enrico Scarabotto f ired a miss ile from the ITSPL at an

altitude of 5000ft at Mach 0.8 w hile pulling 6g, and from the outboard station at 15000ft at Mach 0.7 w hile pulling 6.6g.

In late October 2004 the aircraft's Automatic Low -Speed Recovery sys tem (ALSR) w as tested in the air for the first time at

Manching. EADS test pilot Karl-Heinz Mai, w ho w as f lying German production aircraft GS002, said: "It w orked tremendously

w ell ALSR is a real conf idence-maker in the low-speed area of the caref ree handling envelope. Im convinced this is one

of the most impressive f eatures of this aircraft !"

Mai made a cautious approach to a few low-speed recovery corner points. Having rapidly gained confidence in the system

he w as able to enter the extreme low-speed recovery set-up w ith 70 degrees nose-up attitude and power idle. The system

then w orked as described - w ithout any pilot action.

On November 19th 2004 Eurofighter announced the successful completion of the f irst full night-time air-to-air refuelling by

the Typhoon. The trial, performed by Typhoon IPA2, f lying out of Practica di Mare Air Base, Italy, w as conducted under the

cover of darkness as part of an AAR campaign focused on qualifying the aircraft for night-time refuelling missions.

The test w as carr ied out by A lenia Aeronautica as the f irst in a series of eight integration exercises consisting of both day

and night refuelling flights. During the night sortie, particular attention w as paid to aircraf t performance in terms of operating

w ith the aid of only the lights from the refuelling aircraf t and from the basket. The tests also validated the design decision of

not including lighting in the refuelling probe w ith the aircrew involved encountering no diff iculties in the execution of the

tests.

On December 9th 2004 Eurofighter Typhoon IPA4 arrived at the

Sw edish Air Base at Vidsel to carry out 3 months of Cold

Environmental Trials (CET). The purpose of the CET w as to verif y the

operational behaviour of the aircraf t and its sys tems in temperatures

w hich were consistently betw een -25 and -31C.

During CET, IPA4 provided more than 45 proofs of performance, both

on the ground and during the 17 flights it undertook. The fault-free

operation of the entire aircraft and its on-board systems w as verif ied

w ithin the required low-temperature range. In preparation for each

test, the aircraft w as parked overnight in the open, exposed to w ind

and w eather. This ensured that the airframe and systems had a real


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"cold soak". With the aircraft "deep frozen" in this w ay, among other things the procedures up to "ready for takeoff" and

the observation of a tw o-hour cockpit readiness in stand-alone operation, during w hich the power supply for the aircraf t

sys tems only comes f rom the on-board APU, w ere tested and documented for the user air forces. The interest in these

tests f ocused on the behaviour of aircraft systems relying on fluids, for example the hydraulic and fuel systems along w ith

the associated aggregates, such as pumps, landing gear, airbrake and air conditioning system. Further integral parts of the

CET w ere ground routines, such as the opening and closing of the external maintenance and access panels, as w ell as

refuelling, on- and off -loading of various external stores up to a maximum landing w eight of just under 19 tonnes.

Ironically, the temperatures at Vidsel w ere initially not cold enough for CET conditions. The Eurof ighter team took advantage

of this situation to carry out some unscheduled trials, such as taxiing on icy and snow-packed runways.

IPA4 returned to Getafe on March 10th 2005, stopping en route at the German air base at Laage, w here JG73 w as based.

On March 2nd 2005 IPA2 flew from Caselle w ith underw ing fuel tanks and four GBU-16. During the same series of trials,

DA3 f lew w ith four GBU-10s during September 2005.

British-build tw o-seater ZJ804 (ISPA1) departed BAE Systems/Warton on February 3rd 2005 to Lajes, en route to China

Lake as part of Exercise "High Rider". The aircraf t w as crew ed by a BAE Systems test pilot and a Typhoon OEU pilot.

ZJ804 made the transatlantic crossing w ith the help of RAF VC10 and Tristar tankers, before conducting an

unaccompanied transit across the USA from Bangor, Maine to China Lake, Calif., stopping to refuel at Little Rock AFB,

Arkansas and Cannon AFB, New Mexico. The Typhoon began f lying again immediately after its arrival undertaking tr ials

w ork to evaluate the aircraft's w eapon system in an operational environment.

On March 15th 2005 it w as announced that Typhoon DA4, piloted by BAE Systems Chief Test Pilot Paul Hopkins w ith Dave

Sully in the rear seat, had participated in AMRAAM trials at the QinetiQ Deep Sea Range at Benbecula in the Outer Hebrides.

The profile for this test required the Typhoon to track tw o Mirach targets by radar, to simulate an attack on one using a

captive AMRAAM missile w hile simultaneously attacking the second w ith an active missile. The active AMRAAM scored a

direct hit on the target and destroyed it.

Flight trials of the BAE Systems Striker helmet-mounted display system for the Typhoon began in March 2005. The full

development trial sorties marked the firs t f lights of a binocular, visor-projected, night-vision-capable helmet on a f ighter

aircraft.

Additional trials are planned throughout 2005, and production-ready versions of the helmet w ill f ly in the latter part of 2005

clearing the w ay for production for Typhoon Tranche 1 and Tranche 2 aircraf t.

In April 2005 aircraf t DA3 w as reported to be about to complete the f inal gun-firing demonstration to clear the operation of

that part of the w eapon system. Also, f light testing of the new Phase 4 Flight Control System softw are for Block 2b has

begun.

In May-June 2005 f light testing of an upgraded avionics standard w as completed, providing operational evaluations of the

updates to the radar, DASS and Sensor Fusion for Batch 2 aircraft. A total of eight Typhoon flights (10 hours) supported

the QU2 PSQS (Preliminary System Qualification Statement) (plus nine Tornado flights), and thirteen Typhoon flights (sixteen

hours) supported the Customer OTC (Official Test Centre) Mission Assessment (plus nine Tornado and four Hawk flights).

The Weapon System w as evaluated thoroughly w ith seven 2v2 Sensor Fusion f lights, one 2v4 Sensor Fusion f light and

five dedicated DASS flights designed to f ully test the avionics. The overall performance w as encouraging considering the

fairly aggressive operational testing conducted during the Mission Assessment, w ith the feedback f rom the operational

pilots confirming their favourable impressions.

During May 2005 an RAF Typhoon successful fired Advanced Short-Range Air-to-Air Missiles (ASRAAM) against targets

at the Aberporth range on the Welsh coast. These w ere the f irst in-service missiles launched by Typhoon, w ith each

successfully launched and guided to the target. Data from the tests conf irmed that all the RAF's objectives w ere met.

In early July 2005 EADS/CASA began long-term tests of a Eurofighter under operational conditions at the Spanish Air Force

base of Morn (near Seville). Follow ing the Cold Environmental Trials carried out last w inter in Sw eden, the instrumented

production aircraf t IPA4 and the mobile telemetry station w ere transf erred f rom Getafe to Morn for hot-w eather trials.

Morn provides optimum conditions f or these trials, particularly high temperatures (40C or above), w hich w ill provide the

proof that Eurofighter meets all its operational requirements. In addition, the proximity of the Atlantic Ocean of fers flight

corridors that also allow low-level supersonic f lights, another common requirement for most of the planned flight tests.

As Eurofighter gives the user air forces an integrated Netw ork Enabled Capability (NEC), w hich is indispensable for f uture

operations, the Spanish Air Force w ill actively support the tests by locating its MIDS (Multiple Information Distribution

System) ground station at Morn and f lying one or tw o operational Eurofighters in joint missions w ith IPA 4. EADS/CASA

w ill place its MIDS station at Talavera Air Base (near Portugal) and operate it f rom there. These c ircumstances w ill create


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the necessary network to conduct most f avourable Data Link tests.

IPA4 has been upgraded to Block 2B standard, w hich comprises the FLIR (Forw ard Looking Infra Red) sensor and the

DASS (Defensive Aids Subsystems) on-board electronic self-protection sys tem. Completion of the 41-f light programme,

w hich is due in September 2005, w ill make an important contribution to punctual type acceptance of Block 2B.

On September 13th 2005 it w as reported that BAE Systems/Brough had completed 1000 hours of full-scale fatigue testing

of the Typhoon airf rame. This testing, know n as "Production - Major Airframe Fatigue Test" (P-MAFT), involved the

application of half a million load distr ibutions, and w ill be repeated 18 times to complete the full scale test over 5 years ( the

equivalent to a 25-year in-service life).

The next major milestone w ill be 3,000 hours of testing equating to approximately 1,000 hours of f light clearance, at w hich

point physical testing surpasses c learance by calculation.

The P-MAFT Typhoon comprises all six major units ( front, centre and rear fuselages, left and right w ings and fin), flying

surfaces, canopy and w indscreen and the undercarriage. On the test, aerodynamic loads are applied to the structure along

w ith internal pressures to the cockpit and f uel tanks. Inertia loads generated by the major masses, such as the engines,

pylons and avionic components are also applied.

On December 15th 2005 Typhoon F.2 ZJ917/AE w as f itted w ith tw o GHTM (Ground Handling Training Missile) Meteors on

the port and starboard forw ard fuselage stations. The missile represents the dynamic properties of an operational missile

such as size, mass and aerodyamic configuration. This w as the f irst time that a Meteor had been f low n on board a

Typhoon.

Eurofighter DA1 98+29 made its 577th and last flight at Manching on

December 21st 2005 before being retired from flight testing.

Typhoon f light development has entered its f inal stages, w ith more than tw o

thirds of the flight test programme achieved by early 2006. The testing of the

air-to-air caref ree handling Flight Control System softw are is almost f inished.

The last clearances for the Phase 4 sof tw are, necessary for the Block 2B

standard aircraft, w ere f inalized over the summer.

Aircraft DA2 conducted carefree handling tests, low speed flying, and

asymmetrical load trials in spring 2006. This aircraf t w as picked for these

tests as it is the only test aircraft fitted w ith an anti-spin gantry to prevent

the aircraft departing during extreme flight maneuvers.

DA3 carried out performance testing in respect to lift and drag, and also released air-to-ground w eapons during the

summer of 2006.

IPA1 focussed on the c learances for Pavew ay II and concentrated on f lutter and vibration f light testing, envelope

expansion and jettison of Pavew ay II, starting at the end of February 2006.

IPA3 w as used for under w ing load tests w ith the full air-to-air w eaponry load plus up to four Pavew ay II and external fuel

tanks.

IPA4 focussed on the GBU-16 laser-guided bomb. Having concluded electro-magnetic compatibility (EMC) tests w ith the

GBU-16, IPA4 w as used for f lutter and vibration testing, pit drops and actual separation of GBU-16 including basic handling

tests throughout the summer of 2006.

IPA5 w as set for carefree handling, low altitude and transonic testing.

Af ter conclusion of the tests, f inal clearances for the Full Operational Capability (FOC) specif ied w ith the Main DevelopmentContract w ere obtained in 2007 and became available for Block 5 aircraft.

On February 21st 2006 IPA3 made its f irst f light carry ing four UK Pavew ay II LGBs at Manching.

On April 4th 2006 IPA1 got airborne from Warton w ith six 1000lb Pavew ay IIs, tw o Sidewinders and a 1000-litre centreline

fuel tank, demonstrating the aerodynamic stability of the aircraft in a heavy load configuration.

The f irst releases of air-to-surface w eapons in the history of the Eurofighter programme w ere carr ied out by EADS/CASA

utilising IPA4 on May 4th and 5th 2006.

On June 29th 2006 IPA1 successf ully released the first UK Pavew ay II from a Typhoon, jettisoning the store over the

Aberporth range at an altitude of 15000 feet and a speed of 450 knots. The aircraft made eight further drops before a brief

layup.


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12/14

antenna.

CAESAR introduces Active Electronically Scanning Array (AESA)

technology w hich replaces mechanically steered antennas and high-power

transmitters w ith an electronically steered array on the basis of

transmit/receive modules. This array is made up of more than 1,000

transmit/receive modules w hich give the radar unprecedented versatility and reliability. This enables new mission

capabilities for combat aircraf t such as simultaneous radar f unctionalities, air surveillance, air-to-ground and w eapon

control.

A production version of the new antenna could be available for Tranche 3 or as a retrofit in Tranche 2 aircraft. Whilemaintaining the excellent performance features of the CAPTOR radar, the new antenna provides a s ignificant reduction in

operating costs as w ell as certain performance enhancements, and can be readily f itted as a replacement for the current

antenna w ith no significant aircraf t modification.

The first Tranche II EJ200 engine made its f irst f light from Caselle di Torino Airport on September 14th 2007. The engine w as

installed in Eurofighter IPA2 for f light testing purpose. During the test, IPA2 carried out supersonic f light and handling

manoeuvres. The EJ200 engine behaved perfectly during the tests and exceeded all expectations.

Tthe Tranche II engine w as installed in the right-hand bay of IPA2, w ith a Tranche I engine in the left bay. These tests

demonstrated the compatibility of a Tranche II engine in a Tranche I aircraft.

Between November and December 2007, a second phase of f light-testing w ith tw o Tranche II engines in Tranche II-

conf igured IPA2 w ill take place.

In early October 2007 Typhoon Instrumented Production Aircraft 6 (IPA6), based at BAE

Systems/Warton, completed engine run tests. This w as the f irst time that the aircraf t

had w orked as a complete system independently of ground support equipment and a

major milestone tow ards clearing the aircraft f or f irst f light later this year.

Follow ing its f irst f light, IPA6 w ill carry out crucial testing leading to the delivery of the

first Tranche 2 aircraft to the four Eurofighter partner nations and the development of

the capability required by potential export customers.

Aircraft IPA5 has been modified w ith extended w ing leading edges w hich have been elongated up to the intake. This is

aimed at improving the aircraft's performance at high angles of attack.

Airc raf t IPA6 (BS031) made its maiden flight from Warton on November 1st 2007 w ith Mark Bow man, Eurof ighter Typhoon

test pilot at BAE Systems, at the controls. The aircraft w as airborne for 54 minutes.

IPA6 w ill be used for Tranche 2 flight test. Its f irst task w ill be to accomplish Block 8 Type Acceptance in April 2008.

While IPA6 is essentially a Tranche 1 standard aircraf t, it uses the full Tranche 2 mission computer suite and avionics

features. IPA7 (GS029) is the f irst aircraft that represents the full Tranche 2 build standard. The first flight of IPA7 is

expected before the end of 2007 at Manching.

On November 12th 2007 BAE Systems announced that the Typhoon Combined Test Team (TCTT), comprising staff from

BAE Systems and the RAF, had successfully completed the first mission to drop a laser guided bomb, scoring a direct hit at

the Aberporth range in the UK.

The trials aircraf t, BT005 (ZJ804), w as f lown by Flt Lt Dave Bowlzer f rom 17 Squadron and BAE Systems test pilot Paul

Stone. It completed the f irst fully laser guided w eapon release using the Litening III laser designator pod. The w eapon

dropped was an Enhanced Pavew ay II w hich w as success fully guided onto the target to achieve the DH. This live w eapon

release f ollow s a series of trial sorties w ith the LDP and dummy w eapons to prove the mission and avionics systems.

The f irst Tranche 2 Eurofighter Typhoon made its f irst flight at EADS/Manching on January 16th 2008. Instrumented

Production Aircraft Seven (IPA7/GS029) w as piloted by EADS Test Pilot Chris Worning.

The aircraf t represents the full Tranche 2 build standard and its f irst prominent task w ill be to accomplish Type Acceptance

for Block 8, the first capability s tandard of Tranche 2, in April 2008. This w ork w ill be carried out together w ith the BAE

Systems-operated IPA6 based at Warton. IPA6 (BS031) is essentially a Tranche 1 standard aircraf t but utilises the full

Tranche 2 mission computer suite and avionics features. The first series of EJ200 engine f light testing for Tranche 2 w as

successfully concluded at the end of November w ith IPA2 in Italy.

The significant Tranche 2 capabilities f ocus mainly on the new mission computers w hich deliver the higher processing and

memory capacity required for the integration of future w eapons such as Meteor, Storm Shadow and Taurus. Differences in

the build standard to Tranche 1 are related to changes in production technology or obsolescence.


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At the end of October 2008 the test f light series to obtain certification of the single-seater and tw in-seater Eurofighter

aircraft for air-to-air refuelling from the Airbus A310 MRTT tanker began at Military Air Systems (MAS) in Manching. The first

refuelling f lights using this tanker, during w hich the aircraft w ere continuously airborne f or up to f ive hours, w ere

performed by the Eurofighter IPA 3 and 7 test aircraf t. Certif ication of Eurofighter f or in-f light refuelling f rom the Airbus

tanker aircraf t is expected by the end of 2008. A total of nine certification flights are planned for this purpose.

In-flight refuelling tests of a tw in-seat Eurofighter Typhoon w ith a KC-130J Hercules of the Italian Air Force w ere

successf ully completed at Decimomannu, Sardinia in early November 2008. Aircraf t IPA2 flew 5 missions, of w hich one

w as in a "clean" configuration and the others had a configuration of three external fuel tanks, tw o under the w ings and one

on the centre fuselage station. During these tests , including one at night, IPA2 made eight "w et" contacts w ith the tanker

In November 2008 the Typhoon test and development fleet exceeded 6000 flight hours. The current test fleet consists of six

Instrumented Production Aircraft plus one Instrumented Series Production Aircraft (ISPA1).

Images of a Typhoon in BAE Systems' anechoic chamber and test rig

On March 31st 2009 an AMRAAM firing test w as carried out in southern Spain against a Mirach target. The objective of the

testing w as to f ire the AMRAAM from a Typhoon (IPA4) w hilst its radar w as in passive mode and thus invisible to ESM

sys tems. The necessary target data for the missile w as acquired by the radar of a second Typhoon (IPA5) and transmitted

using the Multi-functional Information Distribution System (MIDS). The aircraft w ere an unspecified distance apart.


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IPA5 f lew direct from Warton to Moron AB on Thursday 12th March to assist in the trials, and recorded a f light time of tw o

hours and four minutes, covering over 1000 miles w ith tw o external fuel tanks and w ithout air refuelling. IPA4 w ill now

begin an 11 month lay-up in order to bring the aircraft up to Tranche 2 functionality.

On May 26th 2009 the Phase 1 Enhancement f light test programme saw the f irst f light of a P1E product on a Tranche 2

aircraft.

IPA7 took off from Manching and confirmed the f unctionality of the Missile Approach Warner prior to a dedicated trials

campaign to be carried out over the North Sea in early September.

The first P1E flights focused on aeromechanical aspects of the new stores to be integrated in the P1E Capability Package.These w ere carried out by IPAs 1, 2 an,d 4 all of w hich w ere of the Tranche 1 build standard.

IPA7 w as also used to complete the P1E air vehicle trials w ith Flight Control Handling Qualities flights w ith the new class of

P1E 500lb precision guided bombs (Pavew ay IV). During June 2008 the aircraft flew w ith a load of six Paveway IVs, four

MRAMMs and tw o SRAAMs. This test w as important in order to demonstrate how the Flight Control System (FCS) reacts

w ith a full w eapons load.

IPA7 has also completed five Missile Approach Warning (MAW) f lights, carr ied out w ith the support of a Luftw aff e F-4

Phantom and a Tornado.

IPA6 has recently (June 2008) undergone a series of DASS test f lights as w ell as Helmet Equipment Assembly (HEA) and

Forw ard Looking Infra-Red (FLIR) flights. IPA 6 is the test bed f or the Service Release Package 5.1 w hich is due to be

introduced to in-service aircraf t in the near future.

Meanwhile IPA1 commenced a sequence of f ifteen Pavew ay IV jettison drops on June 18th 2009. The trials saw Pavew ay

IVs dropped in a number of store configurations to ensure safe separation and verify that bombs do not interfere w ith their

neighbours w hen released. Carried out over the Irish Sea w ith a full load of w eapons, RAF pilots Rob Elw orthy, Duncan

Forbes along w ith Mark Bow man and Paul Stone, test pilots f rom BAE Systems Warton base, f lew the aircraft during the

trials.

>

David Hastings

Documents

Target Lock- Euro Fighter Typhoon - Development