Eurofighter Typhoon variants

Seven development aircraft (DA) were built with varying equipment fits and flight test roles. ;DA1 :DA1's main role was handling characteristics and engine performance. :DA1 was assembled in 1992 and first flew on 27 March 1994 with Luftwaffe serial 98+29. The military evaluation phase commenced in 1996. In 1997 after 123 flights, DA1's RB199 engines were replaced by EJ200s, it also was refitted with the Martin-Baker Mk.16A ejector seat and a full avionics fit. Following these modifications it rejoined the flight test programme in 1999. Following the loss of DA6, DA1 was transferred to Spain to undertake the remaining development work including IRIS-T trials. :The aircraft was retired on 21 December 2005, eleven years, eight months, and 24 days after its first flight. :It is on display at the Flugwerft Schleißheim (external site of the Deutsches Museum) near Munich, Germany. ;DA2 :DA2 undertook envelope expansion, flight control assessment and load trials. The aircraft first flew on 6April 1994 as ZH588. The flight control assessment included development of the Eurofighter's "carefree handling". On 23 December 1997 DA2 became the first Eurofighter to achieve Mach2 and in January 1998 undertook refuelling trials with a RAF VC10. Like DA1, DA2 was upgraded in 1998 with new engines, ejector seat and avionics and rejoined the test programme in August. In 2000 the aircraft was covered with 490 pressure transducers; due to the fact that they were covered by black pads and had associated wiring the aircraft was painted in a gloss black scheme. The pressure transducers measured the effects of various weapons loads and external fuel tanks. In 2002 the aircraft undertook ASRAAM trials, completed carefree handling trials and commenced DASS decoy trials. ;DA5 :Radar and avionics development, being upgraded to Tranche 2 standard. German and Spanish contract involved upgrading 130 Eurofighter Typhoon tranche 2 to latest AESA radar and avionics. ;DA6 :Twin-seat, airframe development and handling. DA6 was lost in a crash in Spain in November 2002 after both engines failed. EADS Germany's DA1 was transferred to EADS-CASA. ;DA7 :Navigation, avionics and missile carriage. Now retired in Cameri IAF. ==Instrumented production aircraft==

The instrumented production aircraft (IPA) are five production standard aircraft fitted with telemetry instruments for dedicated flight testing and further systems development. • IPA1 Defensive Aids Sub System (DASS). • IPA2 Air-to-surface weapons integration. • IPA3 Air-to-air weapons integration. • IPA4 Air-to-surface weapons integration and environmental development. • IPA5 Air-to-surface and air-to-air weapons integration. • IPA6 Converted Series Production Aircraft (BS031)—Tranche 2 Computer Systems. • IPA7 Converted Series Production Aircraft (GS0029)—Full Tranche 2 Standard. ==Series production aircraft==

These are the operational and training aircraft. The model is known as Typhoon in the United Kingdom and export markets and as EF-2000 in Germany, Italy and Spain. However, all Italian aircraft carry the "Typhoon" logo on their tails. Tranche 2 ;New hardware standard with new mission computer and EuroFIRST PIRATE ;Block 8 :Enhanced multirole capabilities ;Block 10 :Enhanced Operational Capability (EOC) 1, improved DASS, IFF Mode 5, Rangeless ACMI ::Air/Air—AIM-120C-5 AMRAAM, IRIS-T digital ::Air/Ground—GBU-24, GPS-guided weapons, ALARM, Paveway III & IV, Rafael LITENING III ;Block 15 :Enhanced Operational Capability (EOC) 2 ::Air/Air—METEOR, ::Air/Ground—TAURUS, Storm Shadow, Brimstone ;Block 20 :Enhanced Operational Capability (EOC) 3 Tranche 3 / 3A ;Incorporating AESA, and hardware support for EOC 4 :Both variants include conformal fuel tanks, fibre optic cabling and computer upgrade, defensive system upgrades such as DASS Praetorian EW suite. The Tranche 3 variant came with the Captor-M mechanically scanned array radar while the 3A variants was equipped with Captor-E Mk0 AESA radar. A further upgraded variant called Tranche 3B was cancelled. :Tranche 3A of Kuwait Air Force is the first serial production batch to receive Captor-E during manufacturing. : Tranche 4 is equipped with CAPTOR E Mk1 AESA radar, improved avionics for weapon compatibility. : Both Germany and Turkey ordered 20 fighters each with deliveries beginning in 2030. ==Operators==

Italian Air Force aircraft As of July 2006 the Italian Air Force (Aeronautica Militare Italiana) had one EF-2000 wing, 4º Stormo (4th Wing), which received its first aircraft on 19 February 2004. Spanish Air Force aircraft As of December 2006 the Spanish Air Force (Ejército del Aire) has one squadron of aircraft. The first aircraft was delivered to Wing 11 in October 2003 at Moron airbase, Spain. In Spanish service, the aircraft is designated the C.16 Typhoon. Luftwaffe aircraft As of October 2006 Germany had two active EF-2000 fighter wings, Jagdgeschwader 73 and Jagdgeschwader 74. JG 73 began converting to the Eurofighter in April 2004. JG 74 received its first aircraft on 25 June 2006. Royal Air Force aircraft The Typhoon replaced the RAF's Tornado F3 (fighter) and Jaguar (ground attack) forces. They will equip five front-line squadrons, one front-line flight and one reserve squadron, the Operational Conversion Unit (OCU). ;Typhoon T1 :The Typhoon T1 is a Tranche 1, batch 1 two-seat trainer. :The first Typhoon T1 is one of the Instrumented Production Aircraft (IPA1) and remains part of the BAE fleet. The aircraft's maiden flight was on 15 April 2002. The official in service date for the first RAF Typhoon T1, serial ZJ803, was 30 June 2003. Formal delivery occurred on 18 December at which point 17 Sqn began a full flying programme. :The first squadrons, No. 17 OEU and No. 29 OCU Sqns, moved to RAF Coningsby in 2005 to begin establishing an initial operational capability (IOC). :In 2001, it was announced that the Royal Air Force (RAF) would not use the aircraft's internal 27 mm Mauser cannon. This was due to a desire to save money by removing gun support costs, ammunition stocks, training costs, etc. The gun was also deemed unnecessary since the missile armament was believed to be adequate in the Typhoon's fighter role. However, because removal of the cannon would affect the aircraft's flight characteristics, requiring modification of the aircraft's flight software the RAF decided all its Typhoons would be fitted with the cannon but that it would not be used or supported. The service argued that this would save money by reducing the requirement for ground equipment, removing training costs and avoiding the fatigue effects of firing the cannon. The RAF maintained the option to activate the cannons at very short notice were operational requirements to change. However, in a third change of policy, The Daily Telegraph reported on 3October 2006 that the RAF will fully utilise the cannon. ;Typhoon T1A :Typhoon T1As are Tranche 1, batch 2 two-seat trainers. There would not normally be a different designation for a different aircraft batch; however, the Batch2 aircraft has a fuel system modification to fix a fuel gauge problem identified in the development aircraft fleet. ;Typhoon F2 :The F2 is the single-seat fighter variant. The first F2 is IPA5 and also remains with BAE, its first flight was 6 June 2002. :The first operational squadron, No. 3, formed at RAF Cottesmore on 31 March 2006 and moved to its new base RAF Coningsby the following day. No. 11 squadron, the second operational squadron received its first aircraft (ZJ931) on 9 October 2006. As of June 2018, the RAF had bought 53 Tranche 1 Typhoons. The UK agreed to approve production of "Tranche 2" in December 2004, this tranche will see the RAF receive a further 89 aircraft, bringing its Typhoon inventory to 144. This followed protracted negotiations regarding the early introduction of ground attack capabilities of the aircraft and hence its swing-role capability. While this was always planned it was intended to come at a much later date. ;Typhoon T3 :Two-seat Block 5 or later aircraft (built or upgraded from T1) are known as Typhoon T3s. ;Typhoon FGR4 :Single-seat Block 5 or later aircraft (built or upgraded from F2) are known as Typhoon FGR4s. As of June 2018, the RAF has 67 Tranche 2 Typhoons and has contracted to purchase 40 Tranche3 Typhoons. In December 2021, the Ministry of Defence stated RAF Typhoons had shot down a drone in Syria, making this their first operational air-to-air engagement and the RAF's first operational kill since 1982. ==Proposed versions==

Navalised Typhoon Owing to the withdrawal of France from the Eurofighter 2000 project, in part due to France's desire to have a greater role in the development and marketing of the aircraft, the pursuit of a naval Typhoon has never seriously been considered. However, a navalised variant of the aircraft was first proposed in the late 1990s as a potential solution to the UK Royal Navy's need for a Future Carrier-Borne Aircraft (FCBA) for its new (Queen Elizabeth-class) aircraft carriers. In January 2001, the UK Ministry of Defence formally discounted the option of a navalised Eurofighter for its new aircraft carriers, in favour of the Joint Strike Fighter, which promised to be a more capable, versatile, low-cost and stealthy aircraft that would enter into service circa 2012—a date that tied in well with the in-service date for the new UK aircraft carriers as it stood at that time. The Typhoon, as well as the F/A-18E, Rafale M and an advanced variant of the Harrier were rejected by the United Kingdom on "cost effectiveness grounds", selecting the Short Take Off & Vertical Landing (STOVL) variant of the Joint Strike Fighter in 2002 as the primary option for Fleet Air Arm usage. The STOVL variant of the JSF would later be designated the F-35B Lightning II, entering service with the Fleet Air Arm in 2018. While the navalised version of the Typhoon was ruled out by the MoD by 2011, there has been limited interest expressed by other nations, such as India, in adapting the Typhoon for aircraft carrier operations. The proposed variant design would enable the Typhoon to operate from carriers on a Short Take-Off, Barrier Arrested Recovery (STOBAR) basis, using a 'ski jump' ramp for aircraft launch and arresting gear for conventional landing. On 14 March 2022, Christine Lambrecht, German Defense Minister announced that the German government would fund development of the Eurofighter ECR version. On 29 November 2023, what was now being referred to as Eurofighter EK (, ) was approved by the Budget Committee of the Bundestag. According to the German Air Force and Airbus, 15 existing Eurofighters were to be equipped with the Saab AB Arexis EW suite and Northrop Grumman AGM-88E Advanced Anti-Radiation Guided Missile (AARGM). ==See also==