Four Eurofighter Typhoon Air Forces United in Exercise
(Source: Eurofighter GmbH; issued March 13, 2008)
HALLBERGMOOS, Germany --- For the first time, all four Eurofighter Typhoon core Air Forces from Germany, Italy, Spain and the United Kingdom combined their skills for a mutual exercise at Morón Air Force Base, near Sevilla, upon invitation of the Spanish Air Force. Codenamed “Typhoon Meet”, the deployment commenced on Monday 10 March and officially ends on Friday 14 March.
In total, 20 Eurofighter Typhoon aircraft take part in the exercise: the German Air Force deployed three aircraft from Fighter Wing 73 “Steinhoff” from Rostock-Laage; Italy’s Gruppo XII 36 Stormo, based at Gioia del Colle, and Gruppo IX 4 Stormo, at Grosseto, both sent two aircraft; a total of four weapon systems came out of the Royal Air Force’s No.3 and 11 Squadrons from RAF Coningsby; with the remaining nine already stationed at Morón as part of the Spanish Air Force’s Gruppo 11 Ala 11.
The objective is to demonstrate the interoperability of Eurofighter Typhoon and its air-to-air capabilities while training with, and in mock combat against, other fighter aircraft types. While tactical aspects in realistic scenarios are to be evaluated, of equal importance is the inter-squadron comparisons with regards to maintenance and logistical support.
Eurofighter Typhoon flies in formations of up to twelve aircraft against fighters brought in from across the Spanish Air Force, including a combined ten F-18s from Ala 12, Torrejon, and Ala 15, Zaragoza,(supplying six and four respectively), as well as four Mirage F-1 jets of Ala 14, Albacete.
In addition, the Spanish hosts had invited the Portuguese Air Force to take part in the exercise, who brought with them four F-16 assets of 310 Escuadron, Monte Real. The Spanish Navy also played their part with four Harrier AV-8Plus of 9 Escuadrilla, Rota. The Eurofighter sortie rate for the "Typhoon Meet" was three per day, with a total of up to 70 different aircraft flying in the training areas over Toledo, Albacete and Huelva (Atlantic Coast) daily, which delivered an impressive operational scenario for the military experts.
Eurofighter Typhoon is in service since 2004. More than 140 aircraft have been delivered to five air forces of Germany, Italy, Spain, the United Kingdom and Austria. The partner Air Forces have accumulated 33,000 flying hours to date. More than half of these during 2007, demonstrating the maturity of the system.
Italy started early Quick Reaction Alert duties already end 2005, the Royal Air Force followed mid 2007 with full QRA duties assigned to NATO. Germany's Fighter Wing 74 in Neuburg/Donau started QRA flights together with F-4 Phantom II early January 2008. Spain took up air surveillance tasks in 2006 and is to follow with QRA duties this year. And Austria will start air surveillance tasks with Eurofighter Typhoon this summer.
Eurofighter Typhoon is the world's most advanced new generation swing-role combat aircraft available on the market and has been ordered by six nations (Germany, Italy, Spain, United Kingdom, Austria and the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia). With 707 aircraft under contract, it is Europe’s largest military collaborative programme and delivers leading-edge technology, strengthening Europe’s aerospace industry in the global competition. More than 100,000 jobs in 400 companies are secured by the programme.
Eurofighter Jagdflugzeug GmbH manages the programme on behalf of its shareholders Alenia Finmeccanica, BAE Systems, EADS CASA and EADS Deutschland, Europe’s foremost aerospace companies with a total turnover of EUR 60.7 billion (2006).
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