Eurofighter World 2010-2 by avia lduo

PROGRAMME NEWS & FEATURES 2/2010

 THE ORIENT: NEW HOME MARKETS  AN INSIDE LOOK AT 29(R) SQN

5TH GENERATION FIGHTER!

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EDITORIAL

CONTENTS 08

10 ORIENTAL PROMISE: THE FUTURE OF THE EUROFIGHTER PROGRAMME

EDITORIAL

EUROFIGHTER NEWS

EUROFIGHTER TYPHOON EVENT CALENDAR 2010

NATO’S BRILLIANT ARDENT 2010 EXERCISE

LEADERS OF TOMORROW

ORIENTAL PROMISE: THE FUTURE OF THE EUROFIGHTER PROGRAMME

AT THE CUTTING EDGE AN INSIDE LOOK AT 29(R) SQN, TYPHOON OPERATIONAL CONVERSION UNIT

WHAT IS A 5TH GENERATION FIGHTER

THRUST VECTORING TECHNOLOGY

A PARTNERSHIP OF GROWTH

THE EUROFIGHTER ECONOMIC IMPACT IN THE IBERIAN COUNTRY

EUROFIGHTER LAUNCHES NEW LOOK WEBSITE

Eurofighter World is published by Eurofighter GmbH, PR & Communications Am Söldnermoos 17, 85399 Hallbergmoos Tel: +49 (0) 811-80 1587 communications@eurofighter.com Editorial Team Marco Valerio Bonelli Kathryn Holm Martina Schmidmeir Photography Eurofighter GmbH, Eurofighter Partner Companies Geoffrey Lee, Planefocus Katsuiko Tokunaga Klaus Dürrbeck Italian Air Force German Air Force Berit Recklebe, German Air Force JG73 Design & Production images.art.design. Werbeagentur GmbH www.iad-design.de Printed by ESTA Druck GmbH www.esta-druck.de

Title: Two German Air Force Eurofighter's from JG 74 based at Neuburg, Germany. These aircraft were used in an air policing mission over the Baltic States as part of a Nato commitment. The Eurofighter's are fitted with IRIS-T missiles and one centre line drop tank. The Eurofighter's were based in Lithuania at Siauliai Air Base for 2 months in their first operational detachment led by Lieutenant Colonel Jan Gloystein. The aircraft were photographed over Siauliai, Lithuania. Photography: Eurofighter, Geoffrey Lee

Eurofighter World on the Internet www.eurofighter.com

If you would like to request additional copies of Eurofighter World, please contact the PR & Communications Department at Eurofighter GmbH communications@eurofighter.com June 2010

Further to the ASTA article "ASTA Flying Level" published in Issue 1: 2010 of Eurofighter World, we would like to highlight an error with one of the images used. The main photograph in the article was that of a BAE Systems' ECDT cockpit trainer device and should actually have been from an ASTA facility. We apologise for any confusion caused.

Welcome to the second edition of Eurofighter World, our in-house magazine bringing you key information from within the World of the Eurofighter. The Eurofighter programme is moving forward at an impressive pace, consistently hitting milestones and working hard towards pushing the boundaries of the capabilities already in place. With only four years of service the Typhoon is becoming a mature weapon system. Our Customer air forces are the best demonstration of this. The flying hours completed and the fleet availability rate is the best business card the Typhoon can show, in particular when the aircraft is deployed out of their main operating bases for exercises and operational commitments. Typhoons are operational in very different climates and environments. From the South Atlantic to Northern Europe, from the Canarias to the desert of Saudi Arabia. But the average efficiency rate across the air forces’ fleets is often better than more mature aircraft already well into their service. With production of Tranche 2 aircraft in full swing and a Tranche 3a production order extending the life of the programme past 2016, we are in a strong position. But with such a sophisticated and complex military aerospace programme like this, it is important that we look to the future after 2016 to ensure that the life of the programme grows in strength which is why, amongst other things, we are actively pursuing possible export sales to have a guarantee of continued production. This edition of Eurofighter World will focus on our export potential, current activities and provide you with an insight into future markets. I hope you enjoy the edition.

EDITORIAL

NATO’S BRILLIANT ARDENT 2010 EXERCISE

Enzo Casolini CEO Eurofighter GmbH

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EUROFIGHTER NEWS

BULGARIA FLIES THE BEST!

During Major General Popovs’ flight with the Eurofighter Typhoon, the aircraft was used to its full capacity. The sortie included “one on one” and “two against two” engagements and was accomplished successfully in a 75 minutes long flight.

 Major General Konstantin Popov, Head of the Bulgarian Air Forces training staff, carried out a flight with the Typhoon at the Italian air base of Grosseto recently as reported by the Bulgarian Air Force staff to the national newspaper “Bulgarska Armia”. Major General Popov was hosted by General Maurizio Lodovisi, deputy Chief of the Italian Air Force Air Staff. Special attention was paid to the strengthening of military cooperation, on developing strategies for further operational tasks with the Italian Air Force, as well as on greater opportunities using new and modern Eurofighter flight technology.

EUROFIGHTER PROTECTS DAVOS WORLD ECONOMIC FORUM

he deployment of the Austrian Eurofighter Typhoons alongside the Swiss F-18s to defend the air space above the World Economic Forum in Davos in January 2010 demonstrated the perfect interoperability of the Alpine Air defence system. This system is comprised of Eurofighter Typhoons from Germany, Italy and Austria alongside the F-18s of Switzerland. This role was building on the deployment of these aircraft during the Euro 2008 football championships in Austria and Switzerland. As announced by the Austrian Ministry of Defence, the Austrian Air Force’s Eurofighter Typhoons have been significantly involved in air policing missions to protect the air space in Davos. More than 2500 people attended the forum, between them 30 heads of State and over 60 ministers from different nations.

EUROFIGHTER GETS A WARM WELCOME IN CHILE  Eurofighter partner company EADS turned up in Chile to present the Typhoon to the South American visitors at FIDAE Air Show. The International Air & Space Fair held at Santiago Airport, this year celebrating its 30th birthday, brought together a host of big names from all over the world. EADS was at the show with a full scale replica of the Typhoon aircraft, displaying the finest example of European capabilities and collaboration. More than 86,000 Chileans attended the show and many stopped by to sit in the Eurofighter cockpit. Chile’s President Sebastián Piñera officially opened the show - titled “FIDAE of Solidarity” - following the recent earthquakes in the country. All profits from the show will be donated to the organisation helping those who were affected by the disaster.

EUROFIGHTER TYPHOON IS AN AWARD WINNER  Eurofighter was awarded a prestigious online award in recognition for the www.eurofighter.com website. The award, given by Flight International magazine, was for the best aerospace manufacturer website as part of their annual aviation ‘Webbie’ awards. Www.eurofighter.com received its Webbie for demonstrating clear site navigation and design, inventive use of interactive

EUROFIGHTER NEWS

tion roles, fully operational since January 2008. Morón Air Base operates with two Squadrons. Squadron 113 is an operational conversion unit, providing among other roles Typhoon pilot training, whilst Squadron 111 is the main front line unit to provide the Spanish Air Force with the necessary offensive and defensive capabilities to accomplish international tasks and fulfil the Spanish defence policy. This significant achievement by the Spanish Air Force confirms the operational and industrial success of the Eurofighter programme as well as the importance of the aerospace industry in Spain.

graphics to present product information as well as technical specifications. Flight International deputy editor Max Kingsley-Jones and Alan Peaford, Aerocomm chief executive and president of the British Association of Communicators in Business, claimed the website came out on top because of its good general usability. "It also has some entertaining interactive modules including a ‘Shoot’em up’ Typhoon game." This proves once again that Eurofighter Typhoon continues to increase global awareness of the multi-role fighter aircraft through its professional website.

EUROFIGHTER SHINES IN BAHRAIN  The Eurofighter Typhoon was one of the star attractions during the first Bahrain air show. The Eurofighter Typhoon was in attendance as part of BAE Systems’ presence at the event. The show, which claims to “provide a totally new concept to the global aerospace community” was a business to business event covering civil, defence and business aviation. A full scale replica Typhoon aircraft was on display and offered an opportunity for the huge crowds attending the event to get a view of inside the aircraft. Following the interest in the aircraft at the Dubai air show, it is hoped that Typhoon will increase its presence in the Gulf region over the coming years. With the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia already an in-service customer, the Typhoon has proven it can perform in the hot conditions of the region. The Eurofighter Typhoon fighter jet operates in any environment and still offers the ultimate in air defence as well as ground attack capabilities.

Two Eurofighter’s from the Austrian Air Force based at Zeltweg, used to police the skies over Austria. The Eurofighter’s are fitted with IRIS-T missiles.

AUSTRIAN AIR FORCE SUCCESSFULLY REACHES 1,500 FLYING HOURS

SPAIN CELEBRATES 10,000 FLYING HOURS WITH THE TYPHOON

 The Eurofighter Typhoons in service with the Österreichische Luftstreitkräfte, successfully reached the 1,500 flying hours milestone in March. This success serves to prove the important role the aircraft plays in the air policing task within Austria’s defence system. In 33 Priority ‘A’ missions, the Austrian Air Force repeatedly safeguarded the national air space whilst 240 Priority ‘B’ operations were accomplished to ensure constant air surveillance. With the Eurofighter Typhoon as the best and most effective defence system available, the Austrian Armed Forces are capable of providing active Air Security 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.

 The Spanish Air Force reached a key milestone in February as their Eurofighter Typhoon fleet achieved 10,000 flying hours. The event was marked by a ceremony held at Morón Air Base, in Southern Spain, hosted by Base Commander for Morón and Squadron 11, Colonel Francisco Javier Fernández Sánchez. In attendance were a variety of local companies working on the Eurofighter Typhoon programme, including EADS CASA, INDRA and ITP. The 10,000th hour came during a training mission of Ala 113 at the base which received its first Eurofighter Typhoon - or C.16 as it is known within the Ejercito de l’Aire - in October 2003. The Typhoon aircraft is used by the Air Force for air defence and air intercepA flight of Typhoons from Ala-11 Wing formed of 111 and 113 Squadrons based at Morón Air Base in Southern Spain.

COLD-WEATHER EUROFIGHTER With all the snow and bad weather drumming at our doors during this years long winter in Europe, it was no surprise to see a story about the cold affecting cars, trains and commercial airlines. But combat aircraft have to be operational 24 hour per day,

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NEWS

7 days a week, 365 days a year in any weather conditions. Laage Air Base, close to the Baltic Sea, in North Germany was this year a perfect example of the freezing condition in which the Eurofighter normally works every day.

EUROFIGHTER TYPHOON CONGRATULATES RAF 11 SQUADRON ON 95 YEARS IN SERVICE

he Royal Air Force’s 11 Squadron which fly the Typhoon aircraft, recently celebrated their 95th anniversary and Eurofighter would like to congratulate them on their milestone. Now based at RAF Coningsby, the Squadron are classified as ‘Early defence & airborne early warning’ and have collected a host of battle honours from as far back as the Western Front conflict in 1915, honouring their moto: Ociores acrierosquaquilis, 'Swifter and keener than eagles’.

11 Squadron were the last to operate the English Electric Lightning aircraft in 1988 and became the lead multi-role Typhoon squadron in 2007. The list of aircraft flown by the Squadron serves as a history lesson in British aviation. Starting with the Vickers’ two seat Gunbus aircraft flown in 1915; Hawker Hart Bombers in 1923 and Hurri-

canes in 1943, the Squadron have remained at the forefront of aviation by flying the Typhoon. The squadron and its heritage is something that Eurofighter would like to celebrate and are proud to be part of the long list of classic aircraft flown by the Squadron and the Royal Air Force.

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NEWS

IDEB 2010 EXHIBITION: EUROFIGHTER COCKPIT

EUROFIGHTER NEWS

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EVENTS

DEMONSTRATOR FLEW OVER CENTRAL EUROPE

EUROFIGHTER TYPHOON

EVENT CALENDAR 2010 2010 is a busy a year for Eurofighter Typhoon. Below is a list of events that Eurofighter and the Typhoon aircraft have been and plan to have a presence at. For more information on the key air shows for 2010, log on to our website: www.eurofighter.com

rom May 5th until May 7th 2010 the Eurofighter Cockpit Demonstrator was on display at IDEB (International Defence Exhibition) in Bratislava, the capital of the Slovakian Republic. The Typhoon cockpit demonstrator and the Eurofighter stand were one of the main attractions for people ranging from interested visitors, pilots, technical experts up to the highest level of the Air Forces. On May 5th the Eurofighter team gave a warm welcome to the Slovakian Defence Minister, high ranking Air Force officials

PROVING OUR

and diplomatic representatives in Bratislava briefed by Italian Air Force Eurofighter pilot Walter Pacini and Eurofighter Test Pilot Matteo Maurizio, who both explained the Eurofighter performances with excellent expertise.

With the presence at IDEB in Bratislava Eurofighter expressed its special focus on NATO member Slovak Republic, which will need - in the short-medium term - to replace its fleet of ageing MiG-29 currently in service.

ITALIAN AIR FORCE STARTED THE YEAR WITH

IMPACT

RECORD IN OPERATIONAL AVAILABILITY

TU Aero Engines, Eurojets Turbo GmbH’s German Partner, issued first quarter results in April and put most of its recent military engine profits down to the Eurofighter Typhoon and the Tornado engine business. MTU, which builds both civilian and military aircraft engines announced that the over average revenues were due to the EJ200 and the RB199 success. This story highlights the strength of the Eurofighter programme as well as the economic and technological impact it has nationally and internationally. Eurofighter continues to boost the reputation of European aerospace and reflects the strength and independence of the industry.

he Grosseto based 4th Air Wing of the Italian Air Force got 2010 off to a flying start by setting a new record in operational availability. The wing amassed 320 flying hours in January, 130 of which were accomplished during the last week of the month. These facts were tangible proof that the two Squadrons of Grosseto's 4th Stormo have successfully brought the operational availability of their Typhoons up to a very high level. This has largely been attributed to the effective integration of the 904th GEA, Gruppo Efficienza Aeromobili, the unit that had the responsibility to keep Grosseto’s Typhoons operational at a higher level, with the flying Squadrons.

Colonel Achille Cazzaniga, 4th Stormo Wing Commander, expressed his satisfaction concerning these achievements. He stressed how impressed he was by both the unconditional availability of the Eurofighter Typhoon and the motivation of the personnel. The 4th Stormo is made up of the IX Gruppo (Squadron), which fly the Typhoon in air policing and on Quick Reaction Alert duty, and of the 20th Gruppo, which is the operational conversion unit for all Italian Air Force Typhoon pilots. The 4th Air Wing was the first Italian Air Force unit to receive the Typhoon in 2004. On the 21st of June 2009, the Air Wing obtained NATO’s certification to accomplish out-of-area missions in support of peace within the NATO Response Force and in October 2009 reached the impressive milestone of 10,000 flying hours.

SHOW NAME

CATEGORY

VENUE

DATE

FEBRUARY Air Power India DEFEXPO

Conference Air, Land & Sea

New Dehli, India New Dehli, India

15 February 15-18 February

MARCH FIDAE 2010

Aerospace

Santiago, Chile

23-28 March

APRIL DSA 2010

Defence

Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia

19-22 April

MAY International Defence Exhibition (IDEB) Exhibition (HEMUS) International Defence Equipment Defence & Security (CANSEC) Piestany Air Show (Slovakia)

Defence

Bratislava, Slowakia

5-7 May

Defence Defence & Security Air Show

Plovdiv, Bulgaria Ottawa, Canada Piestany, Slovakia

26-29 May 27-28 May 29-30 May

JUNE ILA 2010 RAF Air Power Conference

Aerospace Aerospace

Berlin, Germany London, UK

8-13 June 17-18 June

JULY RIAT 2010 Farnborough International 2010

Royal International Air Tattoo Aerospace

Fairford, UK Farnborough, UK

17-18 July 19-25 July

SEPTEMBER Ostrava NATO day - Czech AF Open Day

Aviation

Czech Rep.

18-19 September

OCTOBER International Fighter Conference

Defence

London

NOVEMBER/DECEMBER AIR POWER Middle east

Conference - Aerospace

Doha, Qatar

30 Nov. - 01. Dec.

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SQUADRONS

PROGRAMME

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PREPARING STUDENTS TO BE LEADERS OF TOMORROW

I 94% OPERATIONAL AVAILABILITY FOR ITALIAN EUROFIGHTERS IN

he six Italian Eurofighter Typhoons from the 4th Air Wing of Grosseto’s Air Force base, redeployed to Laage, in Northern Germany, have flown a total of 68 sorties and 140 flight hours, with a 94% operational availability, during their participation in the NATO driven “Brilliant Ardent ‘10”. The exercise took place over the Baltic Sea between the 12th and 22nd April, managed by the Allied Air Command of Izmir, in Turkey and saw the participation of around sixty aircraft from Italy, the U.S, Germany, France, Poland, Czech Republic and Turkey. The Italian Typhoons at Laage Air Base home of the Eurofighter Typhoons of the Jagdgeschwader 73 “Steinhoff” - despite the problems connected to the closure of the German air space due to the volcanic ash cloud during the exercise, were included within the 'Blue Forces' to perform Air Defence missions and achieved excellent results in testing the capability and the interoperability of the Eurofighter with different platforms. The exercise was based on a NATO-guided 'Crisis Response Operation' mission. A specifically conceived simulated scenario was created for the occasion to represent a build up of international tensions between States, worsened by internal uprisings and degenerating into a conflict situation between two hostile countries and their allies.

NATO’S BRILLIANT ARDENT 2010 EXERCISE

t’s not everyday that an experienced fighter pilot from the Royal Air Force is on hand to explain what it’s like to fly new generation combat aircraft, such as the Eurofighter Typhoon. But when he is, the moment’s worth grabbing. Craig Penrice a Typhoon test pilot from BAE Systems recently took students from the Qatar Leadership Academy (QLA) through his experiences as a fighter pilot. The presentation took place as part of one of the QLA’s key principles of teaching students about leadership. Craig, who was a key member of the team of test pilots who developed the Typhoon, addressed the QLA students on his experiences as a fighter pilot. He also highlighted how leadership goes hand in hand with every day business life, from concept and manufacture to flying a complex aircraft, such as the Eurofighter Typhoon. During his talk, Craig demonstrated the technical innovation in aircraft design and manufacture from passenger and commercial aircraft, through to military platforms such as the Hawk advanced jet trainer and the Eurofighter Typhoon, one of the world’s most advanced and capable multi-role fighters. Simon Keith, BAE Systems Managing Director for the Middle East, Africa and Asia Pacific, commented: “BAE Systems has a long history of leading in defence innovation and manufacturing, including combat aircraft. As one of the Qatar Leadership Academy’s missions is to prepare its students to be the leaders of tomorrow, Craig’s talk showed the students how important leadership is, whether it is in industry, in the military or just flying a combat aircraft. We are pleased that this first event with the QLA was able to fit in so perfectly with its values and we look forward to strengthening our relationship over the next few years.”

The safety of the pilot is one of the most critical aspects of flying. As part of the talk, students were shown the importance of safety. The students were given the opportunity to try on a flying suit, helmet and life jacket currently in use by the Qatar Emiri Air Force. Robert Trent, Director of the Qatar Leadership Academy, commented: “We are excited to host activities of quality like this for our cadets, giving them real-life applications for leadership. I look forward to future cooperation with BAE Systems and other groups who can add value to our work at QLA. Craig Penrice a Typhoon test pilot from BAE Systems took the students of the Qatar Leadership Academy (QLA) through his experiences as a fighter pilot.

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PROGRAMME

ORIENTAL PROMISE:

THE FUTURE OF THE EUROFIGHTER PROGRAMME BY MARCUS MESSALLA Japan, India, South Korea, Malaysia and the Gulf - Eurofighter Typhoon is really looking to the Orient for its next home market.

rom the hot and sandy conditions of the Middle East and Malaysia to the complexity of a dry, humid or bitter cold climate in India, the Eurofighter Typhoon is at its best, offering the ideal solution to the air defence requirements in these regions. In addition, the environment and location of both South Korea and Japan have created a demanding requirement for a twin-engined aircraft to complete long range missions over water. With the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia a proven in-service customer in extreme conditions, the Eurofighter Typhoon has already proven itself to be the perfect candidate for the new fighter programmes which have either been launched or are still under definition in the above mentioned regions. This vast area of requirement will see a real race to update the local air forces in the next few years and like in the recent past, the competitors are very different in terms of characteristics and performance. These competitors range from lightweight fighters such as the Gripen or the F-16 (both who claim to be low cost but as the attached F-16 contracts chart demonstrates are not) the mid-size twin engined F-18 and MiG-35 through to the best representatives of fighter class aircraft on the market, the Rafale and the Eurofighter.

In Japan, there is speculation that another contender could be added to the list: the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter. But if this is the case, the requirement would not be for a fighter aircraft but for a ground attack jet. The troubled American aircraft has just started the test phase and could become a good ground support aircraft when it has matured, however, because it was designed from conception as a ground support aircraft, it will never reach the level of fighter capabilities that many of its competitors have already reached. The other question this poses is whether the Japanese need an aircraft for primarily ground attack roles or whether they would make better use of a multi-role aircraft, suitable for air surveil-

lance and quick reaction alert duties as well as offering outstanding air-to-ground capabilities. The continental Asian market can be split into two parts. The first one is the Gulf region, in which some countries in the past 10 years have opted for the F-16 aircraft. It is obvious that there is a need for more relevant and capable equipment across the Gulf region in order to offer strategic deterrence with the guarantee of air superiority against any potential threat. This is a benefit which an F-5, Mirage 2000, F-16 or an F18 of any version in service today cannot guarantee. With the Eurofighter Typhoon and its through life and upgrade packages, the Gulf nations could offer a credible strategic deterrent for the next 30 to 40 years. Saudi Arabia took the lead in the region with a decision to update the nation’s air forces, ordering a total of 72 Typhoon jets in 2007. The deliveries started in June last year. With its Eurofighter fleet Saudi Arabia currently deploys the most powerful and advanced combat aircraft in the Middle East. Recently the UK government announced that talks are on-going concerning a potential sale of Eurofighter Typhoon aircraft to the Sultanate of Oman. If these negotiations become a contract, the European consortium will set a new standard in the Region.

The hot and high performances of the Typhoon are unmatched by any of its competitors. By moving further East, the geopolitical scenario changes dramatically. Strategic, economic as well as political issues remain unresolved. Areas of continued tension in the region include Taiwan, Korea, the contested area around the Spratly Islands in the South Chinese Sea. The perceived strategic issues between India, Pakistan and China add further complications to the already complex picture that exists. In this situation, an aircraft designed as the world’s most advanced combat aircraft with extensive multi-role capabilities is the only fighter jet able to counter effectively all current and evolving threats. That aircraft is the Eurofighter Typhoon. Looking at a large operational arena like India as well as the marine environment around South Korea, Japan and Malaysia, the need for a twin-engined aircraft to deliver consistently high levels of performance is mandatory. For the above countries, with long borders and/or large over-water areas, a twin engine aircraft should also mean delivering consistent levels of safety. To date, the safety record of the entire Eurofighter fleet which has amassed over 90,000 flying hours, remains at 100%.

FLEET EFFECTIVENESS COUNTRY Greece Pakistan Turkey Romania Morocco Egypt

DATE 2005 2006 2006 2008 2008 2009

NUMBER 40 36 30 24 24 24

COST $3.1-billion $3.0-billion $2.9-billion $4.5-billion $2.4-billion $3.2-billion

UPC $78-million $83-million $97-million $188-million $100-million $133-million

The Eurofighter Typhoon is the only fighter available on the market able to offer such wide-ranging operational capabilities. The programme delivers capability growth requirements across all customer nations. Its special technology insertion programme which progressively enhances performance and reduces technological risks, will ensure that the Typhoon aircraft continues to represent the most cost-effective solution for all future markets. This growth capability assures performance enhancements that will keep the aircraft ahead of new and evolving threats, whilst guaranteeing maximum operational effectiveness and flexibility. By offering high survivability; as well as high reliability and maintainability, the result is impressive low through-life operating costs. From the beginning the Typhoon has been designed to have extensive multirole capabilities thanks to a balanced mix of aerodynamics, sensor fusion and performance, to counter effectively all known and projected threats such as the latest Sukhoi Flanker and various future low-observable aircraft. The cost of acquisition is an important factor in the region and the fleet effectiveness has a crucial impact on cost, especially for air forces that can’t have a large number of aircraft in service. As a recent example of the Typhoon’s fleet effectiveness and with an operational

availability rate well above the average, the Italian Air Force’s Eurofighter fleet carried out an exercise in Sardinia as part of an Autonomous Air-Combat Manoeuvring Instrumentation campaign to Decimomannu. The air force’s 4° and 36° Stormo took part in two weeks of activity, flying 112 missions out of the 114 planned, with an operational availability of 98.3%. The Eurofighter Typhoon continues to prove that it is the only swing role aircraft available able to

perform at such high levels with such unrivaled operational fleet effectiveness. Proven performance and reliability means that the Eurofighter Programme is in a strong position when requirements for such an aircraft arises.

INDUSTRIAL COLLABORATION The industrial package which is part of any aircraft acquisition is a crucial element for any nation where local aerospace industries are well developed and capable of playing a significant role both in terms of production, design, development, upgrades and logistical support like in Japan, India, South Korea and Malaysia. Eurofighter is able to offer to all the countries potentially interested in the aircraft an industrial participation deal that could range from the integration of local systems and equipment to establishing a local final assembly, the management of logistical support and maintenance and access to significant ‘know how’ with no “black box” restrictions for specific technologies - an issue common with American made projets. Thus in conclusion, the Eurofighter Typhoon will create a strong economic impact in any country. If only by calculating the activities related to the logistical support; the update and upgrades for at least 25 years, the returns in terms of taxation and indirect activities will be around 100% of the acquisition cost. If this is carried out in country, it will create a huge return

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for their money. With the Eurofighter Typhoon, the money really is invested in a very wise and profitable way which has been clearly demonstrated by the programme across the four partner nations of Germany, Italy, the UK and Spain. Here, Eurofighter has generated a benefit to the balance of payments evaluated at between 45 and 60 billion euros. Any new markets, the Orient in particular, cannot deny the extensive benefits that investing in the Eurofighter Typhoon would bring.

Eurofighter Typhoon of XI (F) Squadron based at RAF Coningsby.

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German Air Force Eurofighter Typhoon based at Laage-Rostock, with a single centre line drop tank.

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IN-SERVICE

AT THE CUTTING EDGE AN INSIDE LOOK AT 29(R) SQN, TYPHOON OPERATIONAL CONVERSION UNIT BY GARETH STRINGER

here is a noticeable buzz about 29(R), a feeling that all the men and women here are well aware that they are working at the cutting edge of technology, and operating, be it flying or maintaining, an undoubtedly incredible piece of kit. After tours of the crew room full of memorabilia from 29 Squadron and the spacious ops room which is the heart of 29’ s Squadrons day to day business we meet Flt Lt Tim Clement, one of the pilots. He's busy fielding questions about the weather from ever hopeful aircrew hoping to launch as soon as possible. Turning his monitor round so we can see it he shows us the TAFs (Terminal Aerodrome Forecasts) for Coningsby, Waddington and Scampton. All are colour

code Red which means a reported visibility of less than 800m and/or a ceiling of less than 200ft; not good. Even so, he explains that taking off would not be a great problem, it's finding a suitable diversion within around 100 miles or so which is the problem, so the expectant aircrew can but wait, and hope. Our next stop is the aircrew locker room that houses their survival equipment. The Typhoon pilot's survival equipment is almost completely different to that worn by other RAF fast jet crews. While their boots, gloves and helmets are the same, that's where the similarities end. Even the flying suit worn by the aircrew are different, with far less zips and encumbrances than the regular RAF version, this being due to the amount of assistance against g (the forces of gravity) given by the rest of the flying kit. Normal g protection comes from a g-suit worn over the

legs and this is the first major difference as the Typhoon g-suit covers the entire leg with no cut out areas whatsoever. That's not all, as optional g-socks are also available, and it's becoming clear why there are so few zips on the suits - with so many areas of the suit inflating when the aircraft pulls g they would dig painfully in to the wearer's skin. The jacket, or life preserver, also works to help against the g forces by inflating, and this leaves the Typhoon pilot with just three areas that are not protected in this way - head, arms and the groin area. The final new piece of equipment is the immersion suit - much lighter and cooler than the ones we saw at RAF Valley - although it is still quite a job for the Typhoon pilot to fully prepare him or herself for action. We head back to 29(R)'s hangar for an expert tour around the aircraft, this time courtesy of Chief Technician Carlos Proctor. We are joined by Flt Lt Tim Clement and as we walk across to the jet Carlos has chosen, a block 8 aircraft sitting opposite the BAC Lightning, the twin jet interceptor of the ‘70s and ‘80s, currently being refurbished for display outside, I ask him if my impressions of the Squadron thus far have been correct? "I've been instructing on the Typhoon for something like 2.5 years now and still, once or twice every five sorties or so I sit back and think, 'wow, this aircraft is an incredible performer!" "When new pilots come to the Squadron they all want to see how fast and how high the aircraft can go, so we actually programme some of that into the early days of the conversion course. They've done it then, seen what the aircraft can do and get on with learning about how to fly and operate the Typhoon."

SIMULATION Simulators are widely used at RAF Coningsby and there is actually a varied selection of synthetic training available, from the full dome simulators which can be linked together to enable pilots to practice air combat, to smaller, but no less realistic, versions where the pilot can actually set up his or her own training flight with no support required from other staff. It says much about this synthetic training, and indeed the ease with which Typhoon can be flown, that pilots will usually solo after just seven dual sorties, by which time they will already be instrument rated. At the heart of the aircraft, both literally and metaphorically, are the amazing Eurojet EJ200 engines. The EJ200s can power the Eurofighter to published figures of Mach 2 plus at altitude, Mach 1.2 at sea level and the jet can supercruise at Mach 1.1 i.e. without using reheat. "Within a matter of minutes after leaving Coningsby we can be at altitude, just east of Wittering for example and practising ACM (air combat manoeuvres)," says Tim, "that's brilliant for training." Then we see some of the Typhoon's defensive aids, the most prominent of which are the DASS (Defensive Aids Sub System) pods on the wingtips which include a towed decoy for protection against radar guided missiles. Also of note in newer production block aircraft is an advanced MAWS (Missile Approach Warning System) and there are various sensors positioned on the airframe for this purpose. Inside the cockpit the lack of any traditional instrumentation is striking, and the main panel is dominated by the three full colour MHDD (Multi-function Head Down Displays) while the huge HUD (Head Up Display) and bulky control column are also worthy of note. "We teach a certain way of using the screens but the information they display is interchangeable and on the front of the throttle we have a button which operates a mouse cursor just like that on any home PC or laptop. This can be freely scrolled between all three screens to make selections as required," Tim tells me.

Typhoon is literally brimming full of technology which allows the RAF pilots who operate it to do so in the most efficient way possible. Many of the features are designed to reduce pilot workload, but that doesn't mean that the 29(R) syllabus or indeed life on an operational squadron will be plane sailing. "We could probably teach anyone who has flown a flight simulator on their computer at home to fly the Typhoon," says Tim. But there is a vast amount to learn about operating this aircraft as a weapon system that only time and practise will bring, and any pilot successfully completing the OCU, Operational Conversion Unit, is a long way and a lot of hard work away from earning themselves the tag of combat ready." It has been a fascinating day and one full of surprises as we learned much about this monumentally impressive piece of technology and the pilots who fly it. Far too much to include here truth be told but hopefully we have given you a snapshot of what life is like with one of the world's most potent combat aircraft - the Eurofighter Typhoon. Eurofighter would like to thank everyone on 29(R) Squadron for their hospitality, notably Fg Off Owen Thompson, Flt Lt Tim Clement, Chief Technician Carlos Proctor and also Jim Robinson, Dep MCO for RAF Coningsby.

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PROGRAMME

THE AIR FORCES NEED WELL BALANCED PERFORMANCES AND CAPABILITIES

5TH GENERATION FIGHTER CHECKLIST YES NO

WHAT IS A 5TH GENERATION FIGHTER T

he classification of similar products be it fighters, computer systems or naval frigates - in generations is a well established practice and is generally accepted as a quick shortcut to define the broad characteristics and timeframes of a given product category. However, the inherent rigidities, inflexibilities and oversimplifications of such practices cannot be ignored, in the fighter aircraft sector, in particular. As an example, the generation sequence and headings used by Lockheed Martin for fighters are generally shared by the defence community and can be summarised as follows:

1st 2nd 3rd 4th 5th

Generation Generation Generation Generation Generation

KEY ATTRIBUTES 5TH GENERATION (AS DEFINED BY LM)

F-35/JSF

1 - VLO stealthiness (all aspect / multispectral)

Low Observability only on front aspect and with X-band radar NO NO NO NO NO YES YES

2 - Supercruise 3 - Supersonic performance focus 4 - Extreme agility 5 - High altitude ops (more than 50,000ft) 6 - Missile load-out for fighter performance 7 - Integrated sensor fusion 8 - Net enabled operations

Jet engine / Swept wing / Manoeuvrability / Subsonic Supersonic performance / High altitude / Radar Multirole / Air-to-Air missiles Manoeuvrability / Advanced avionics / Guided weapons Stealth / Manoeuvrability / Supercruise / Sensor fusion

The beginning of the jet fighter life can be easily defined by the “generations” system, beginning with the 1st generation, but the boundaries become difficult to define between the 4th and 5th generations.

VLO Stealth (all aspect / Multispectral) Supercruise Sustained Supersonic Ops Extreme Agility High T/W & Low W/S High Altitude Ops (>50,000 ft) Missile Loadout for Fighter Perform. Integrated Sensor Fusion Net Enabled Ops

These classifications are truly too rigid and schematic to have any credibility, in the sense that a fighter such as the Eurofighter Typhoon exhibits all the qualities of a 5th generation fighter with the exception of full

spectrum stealthiness (VLO) but is well above the legacy 4th generation platforms in all other measures of performance. But in US, the “generations issue” is very much used and sometimes, abused. For example, Lockheed Martin’s fighter generation scheme includes aircraft such as the F-35/JSF in the 5th generation grouping. If we take the key attributes defining a 5th generation fighter the JSF satisfies only a few of them.

Scoring the Eurofighter Typhoon against the same “admission criteria” as the 5th generation club, would produce a much higher compliance than JSF, for example, as the only missing part would be the VLO stealthiness. So, if the F-35/JSF is not a 5th generation fighter, what is it then? Where does it belong? That is a very important question and needs a definition before it can be answered properly. “A fighter is a combat aircraft whose aerodynamic characteristics, sensor suite and weapon capabilities are optimised to achieve the control of the air. Fighters actively look for and engage the opponent's fighter force. Strike aircraft generally avoid engagements with other fighters” The fighter generations concept obviously applies and is restricted to fighters. It cannot apply to bombers, strike and attack aircraft, even if sometimes these are inaccurately termed as fighters. Where does the good old A-4 Skyhawk or the Close Air Support A-10 belong in terms of fighter generations? Where does the F-117 fit? Certainly not in the fighter generation classes. The same is true also for the F-35/JSF. So, the inclusion of a tactical strike and attack platform in the fighter generation concept is a mistake. Simply put, the JSF is not a fighter and the two classes are not comparable. The process of designing a combat aircraft will inevitably result in a number of trade-offs. Any fighter is a compromise between aircraft manoeuvrability; high specif-

Eurofighter Typhoon

PROGRAMME

JSF

2/2010 EUROFIGHTER WORLD

F-22

(*)

(*) High survivability through balanced mix of: kinematic performance, RCS reduction, EW Suite (incl. towed decoys), passive sensors, LPI radar modes, standoff weapons, supercruising, networked tactics, mission planning, standoff jamming assets. Potential future developments: non-kinetics weapons, i.e. cyberwarfare, Electronic Attack, HPM (High Power Microwave) devices.

ic excess power; weapon effectiveness; high off bore sight; IR/RF missiles; gun; combat persistence; high fuel fraction; maximum firepower; aircraft systems/sensors; human machine interface; situational understanding; helmet mounted displays; threat warning; countermeasures; good cockpit visibility. Survivability can be achieved by means other than Low Observability. For example thanks to layered in-

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formation systems; mission definable preferences; automation of routine tasks; threat prioritisation; sensor fusion and inherent safety, you are able to avoid compromising the performance and flight characteristics of the aircraft and create a weapon system that does not suffer from the same inflexibility issues that the F-35 JSF appears to have. During the first Desert Storm attack against Iraq on the 17th January 1991, only 10 stealth aircraft from a total of 658 nonstealth attack aircraft successfully hit targets in Iraq and Kuwait. That night there were no losses at all. So what is the lesson learnt? Clearly if you can hide an F-117, the primary stealth bomber of that time... you can also hide a B-52! However, if any air force is going to choose just one platform, they have to make sure it is fit for purpose. The main considerations should be: forget the generation labels and instead consider requirements & capabilities Overall, military capability must meet a nation’s needs. If you cannot have the F-22, you need something of similar air-to-air capability to support your attack aircraft at the same time. Survivability can be achieved by

means other than stealthiness. A single platform designed only for strike missions is unlikely to satisfy all combat air power requirements. Today the Typhoon is the only aircraft capable of evolving ahead of the threat and in step with maturing technology. O.F.

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ENGINE

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EJ200 with Thrust Vectoring Nozzle

THRUST VECTORING TECHNOLOGY PUSHING EUROJET’S EJ200 INTO NEW DIMENSIONS

Europe’s latest generation advanced military turbofan engine EJ200 has been designed to fulfil the extraordinary demanding requirements of the Eurofighter Typhoon. The EJ200 engine delivers the highest thrust-to-weight ratio with the most simple engine architecture. The philosophy behind it is to provide the aircraft with the highest levels of multi-role capabilities whilst producing an affordable cost of ownership throughout the life of the weapon system.

riven by a strong ongoing motivation to achieve cost reductions and to deliver innovations in product and services to the customer, more than 1,500 EJ200 engines for the core nations and export customers are already under contract. These large sales volumes lead to economies of scale. EUROJET continues to work to provide future enhancements to the EJ200 engine to maintain its position as the world’s leading combat engine in its class. Thrust growth capability has been designed into the EJ200 and Thrust Vectoring Technology can be incorporated into the EJ200 engine as a result of a highly successful technology demonstrator programme started in 1995 by the Spanish aero engine company ITP - Industria de Turbo Propulsores, and followed by the Spanish and German Governments, MTU being responsible for the design of the TVN control system. Extensive studies have already been conducted in the past to understand the benefits of a Thrust Vectoring Nozzle (TVN) integrated into a modern fighter aircraft. Full 3D thrust vectoring demonstration and generic flight control system integration concepts have already been successfully completed.

In 1995 a “Technology Demonstration Phase” was launched. This phase included the design, build and test of a prototype Thrust Vectoring Nozzle. The first run took place in July 1998 at the ITP test bed facility in Madrid and was followed by additional running hours at the ATF (Altitude Test Facility) in Stuttgart. More than 80 running hours were achieved of which 15 hours were in afterburner operation. Thrust vectoring in all directions (360º) and at various dry and reheat settings was successfully demonstrated, whereas up to 20kN lateral forces were generated. The endurance of the design was proven conducting more than 6,700 vectoring cycles at constant throat area and more than 600 throttle cycles with a sustained vector. The great technological innovation of this design lies in its use of one single hydraulic actuation system to control both the convergent section (throat area) and the divergent section (vectoring and exit area). This has a strong impact on weight, cost and even global engine performance. The actuation system for the TVN, designed by Avio, provides the 3D-deflection capability to the nozzle and allows a safe operational mode and together with the

Digital Engine Control and Monitoring Unit (DECMU) the integration with the aircraft Flight Control System (FCS). Pitch and Yaw deflection and independent nozzle throat/ exit adjustment is provided by controlling each actuator independently, whilst the safe operational mode is guaranteed by the builtin design - balanced beam nozzle (designed by ITP), actuation system (by Avio) and the control system (by MTU). The nozzle centres and closes itself automatically in case of a failure of the hydraulic system. Considerable effort was conducted in a joint TVN study between EUROJET- and Eurofighter partner companies to define a light TVN system, which minimises the impact on the existing engine and aircraft configuration to define a retrofit solution. As a consequence of this, no structural changes, either on the A/C or the engine, are required to fit a TVN on the EJ200 and the impact on the overall aircraft centre of gravity is minimised The required hardware changes are limited to the nozzle itself, the nozzle actuation system and the engine control software. The Tranche 2 hardware standard of the DECMU already includes provisions to implement TVN software and to fulfil interface requirements. During the comprehensive studies conducted in the past by this joint EUROJET and EADS/Alenia team, not only the technical feasibility, but also the benefits of this technology for the overall weapon system were defined in detail:

LIFE CYCLE COST & FUEL BURN The above described Thrust Vectoring Nozzle System allows optimising the internal nozzle flow efficiency by independently adjusting the nozzle throat and nozzle exit area to the optimum position. This leads to either higher thrust at maximum ratings (+2% at take-off and +7% at supercruise) and to reduced fuel burn and lower engine spools speeds at part power settings. A reduction of mission fuel burn and increased life of turbo machinery components is the positive consequence. Total fuel saving on a typical mission is predicted to be approx. 3%.

IMPROVED SAFETY It is basic physics that aerodynamic control surfaces (aileron, rudder etc.) show reduced control power in the low speed regime due to lack of dynamic pressure. Thrust vectoring is able to provide control power due to the very powerful exhaust of the engines even in the low speed regime. With the proposed EJ200 Thrust Vectoring System, control power can be generated in all axes, i.e. in pitch & yaw direction leading to enhanced safety in a low speed situation or after combat damage, due to the added control redundancy available to the FCS

MISSION FLEXIBILITY AND EFFICIENCY TVN can be used to significantly reduce the take off run (up to -20%) or to carry - at a given run-way length - a higher weapon load leading to increased fleet efficiency. In the supersonic flight regime, thrust vec-

toring can be used to minimise the trim drag of the aircraft, again leading to enhanced overall system efficiency. As future aircraft capability enhancement programmes will ask for integration of heavy stores, TVN offers the ability to better cope with high levels of store asymmetry, which can offer significant benefits in terms of landing and “bring back” capability and also operation of limited-stock weapons

SUPERIOR AIRCRAFT AGILITY TVN provides the ability to increase the AoA (Angle of Attack) envelope together with roll rate enhancing the pointing capability by providing plenty of control power in the low speed regime as already mentioned earlier. Aerodynamic control surfaces can be moved into the optimum position and are therefore free to optimise handling qualities of the aircraft.

NAVALISATION Initial studies have concluded that implementation of TVN technology leads to a considerable reduction in approach speed for carrier landing and therefore reduced landing loads.

CONCLUSION: TVN offers the opportunity to further enhance the aircraft capabilities, whilst simultaneously delivering through life cost reduction savings. The concept has been proven through the technology demonstration programme and subsequent studies showed that considerable enhancements can be achieved by such a solution. Realisation of this technology into future aircraft can be achieved through a “stepped approach” flight demonstration programme; this means that only one propulsion system of the twin engine Typhoon will be equipped with a TVN system in a 1st step. The TVN engine can be tested with low risk and most of the engine and aircraft models can be validated. In a 2nd step the test aircraft will be equipped with 2 TVN engines fully integrated into aircraft systems demonstrating the full capability of this technology.

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IN-SERVICE

A PARTNERSHIP OF E

nzo Casolini, CEO of Eurofighter GmbH commented recently that within the extensive fighter market, Eurofighter Typhoon has the potential to sell up to 250-300 aircraft over the next twenty years. The majority of these sales are also linked to our ability to effectively build industrial collaboration partnerships with the indigenous industries.

GROWTH

The below graphic demonstrates the current customer base along with future opportunities where Eurofighter Typhoon is involved and has an active interest. To successfully capture future opportunities it is essential to use this experience to partner with new customers and companies. The Eurofighter consortium has proven its ability - gained from working at the forefront of aerospace engineering across Europe over the past 15 years - to effectively work in partnership with aerospace companies from across Europe.

IN-SERVICE

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Investing in the Typhoon aircraft offers more than just deterrence, performances and weapon capabilities, it means investing in knowledge sharing, industrial capabilities and support, as well as the ability to establish in-country assembly lines, allowing each nation to grow their industrial and manufacturing capability, far exceeding the industrial development which would have been possible though organic growth of their industrial capabilities or through partnership with more technologically restrictive nations.

The Eurofighter Typhoon programme proudly demonstrates the benefits of international partnerships and the opportunities for growth that develop from them. With two in-service export customers to their name and four home nations, the future looks bright for the Typhoon.

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RESEARCH & DEVELOPMENT

NEW LOOK WEBSITE

EUROFIGHTER LAUNCHES THE “LIGHTHOUSE” FOR RESEARCH & DEVELOPMENT

THE EUROFIGHTER ECONOMIC IMPACT IN SPAIN A

“lighthouse” for the development of national technology is what Eurofighter Typhoon is known for in Spain. For the Iberian country, the Eurofighter Research & Development project – launched during the 80’s – was the most ambitious in the nation’s history and helped enormously to consolidate the aeronautical sector and to generate an intellectual capital that became very useful for the development of further high-tech programmes like the A330 Tanker, the A400M or the A350 passenger aircraft. In Spain, the Eurofighter programme has not only been a driving force in its integration within the European aeronautical industry, but has also become the cornerstone for major industrial investment and R&D, generating significant economic and industrial returns for the country. The programme has been the driving force behind new and innovative companies such as ITP, CESA and TECNOBIT, and improved others like INDRA, Espelsa and Gamesa. Today, thanks to the experiences gained with Eurofighter and the programme, these companies are able to compete in the most ambitious collaboration projects across Europe. Eurofighter Typhoon has also generated significant economic and financial returns for the country. Due to the established coop-

These photos show operations of Ala-11 Wing formed of 111 and 113 Squadrons based at Morón Air Base in Southern Spain. 113 is the Operational Conversion unit and the first front line Squadron is 111. The Eurofighters are fitted with IRIS-T and drop tanks.

eration agreements, 99,5 % of the money invested in this programme is invoiced by Spanish companies, which means 40% of the 10,700 million euros invested will return to the state as direct or indirect taxes (IVA, Tax of societies, Social Security, Rates and Tributes). As well as the other three partner nations, the Eurofighter programme in Spain is a successful and significant contributor to the nation’s economic wellbeing, employing some of the brightest minds in thousands of high-value manufacturing and engineering jobs. Out of the about 100,000 personnel employed directly and indirectly on the Eurofighter programme in Europe (Germany: 25,000, Italy: 20,000, UK: 40,000), some 22,000 personnel work for this unique European programme in Spain. Production of the Spanish Eurofighters started at the EADS-Casa Getafe site in the summer of 2001. The highly modern infrastructure and production facilities guarantee top efficiency in final assembly. The Eurofighter programme has enabled, high technologies to be developed in the areas of production (e.g..carbon fibre), engineering (e.g..flight test, simulation) and systems integration (e.g. final assembly, communications) and made it possible for the

Spanish industry to participate in other important European collaborative programmes such as TALARION Unmanned Aerial Vehicles and the A400M transport aircraft. Typhoon offers a variety of industrial benefits; all of which centre around the maintenance of an independent European high-tech aircraft industry, meaning independence from the USA. The programme has contributed to equipment standardisation amongst the partner nations and export customers. The Eurofighter Typhoon Programme also provides a world leading competitive defence industrial capability required for a strong future European Defence Technological and Industrial Base. In Spain around 36,000 people work directly in the aerospace sector, and four to five times this figure if taking into account indirect and related employment. A great number of the personnel are highly-qualified, with 42% of all employees having completed university education or similar. Even in the case of manual workers, representing 48% of the employees, many of them have received training in sophisticated aerospace technology tasks. With a 72% share of the total number of employees, the core activity of the sector is production. Nonetheless, 10% of employees in the Spanish aerospace sector worked in R&D, which demonstrates the importance and the high level of dedication to this activity in the sector. Spain proves that the Eurofighter Typhoon is more than just the world’s best multi-role fighter jet. It is a long-term investment, bringing industrial and economic benefits and putting Spain, alongside other Partner and Customer nations, in an elite field of aircraft manufacturers.

urofighter Typhoon’s award winning website www.eurofighter.com was relaunched on Monday 10th of May 2010 with a new design and refreshed content to keep Eurofighter at the cutting edge of aerospace online media. The navigation design has been refreshed, enabling the user to click, with ease, through the website. The website, which has retained its award winning interactive section, has an updated media library full of new Eurofighter Typhoon images, with a logical naviga-

tion and user friendly interface. Also available are the regular downloadable screensavers, videos and images as well as a new Eurofighter World section, which includes social media links to our Facebook and Twitter accounts and the new quarterly magazine "Eurofighter World". The Press Office section has been updated with all the latest information on the programme and we have introduced international pages for our current export customers where the aircraft is currently inservice.