100 Production Aircraft Delivered as Test Fleet Logs Flight Number 5,000
(Source: Eurofighter GmbH; issued Oct. 3, 2006)
The 100th production Eurofighter Typhoon was delivered to the Royal Air Force last week. (Eurofighter file photo)HALLBERGMOOS, Germany --- The handover of Eurofighter BS021 and BS022 to the Royal Air Force at BAE Systems' Warton site marks the delivery of the 100th Eurofighter production aircraft into service with the four partner nations and industry. Aircraft number 100 was handed over on Friday, September 29th 2006 and capped a double milestone for the programme following the completion of 5,000 Eurofighter Typhoon flights by the Eurofighter four nation industry test fleet.
The test fleet operated by the partner companies in Getafe (Spain), Manching (Germany), Turin (Italy) and Warton (United Kingdom) now comprises five prototype Development Aircraft, five Instrumented Production Aircraft and one Instrumented Series Production Aircraft.
Aloysius Rauen, CEO Eurofighter GmbH comments:
“The delivery of aircraft number 100 underlines the impressive pace of production that the programme is enjoying right now. In parallel, we are seeing outstanding flight test effort from the four partner industry test fleet as it continues delivering the future capability demanded by our customers.
“The flight test programme for Eurofighter Typhoon is sustained by the unstinting professionalism of our team of pilots, engineers and ground crew. The programme is fully integrated and constantly coordinated across the consortium. The 5,000th flight has been achieved in the course of the final phase of the main development work that the consortium will conclude next year.
“Many highlights have been achieved since the first flight of DA1 on 27 March 1994. Firings of AIM-9L, ASRAAM, AMRAAM and IRIS-T missiles, separation of Laser Guided Bombs (Paveway II, GBU-16), hot and cold weather tests from -30 to plus 45 degrees Celsius, full night flying, air-to-air refueling, flights with external fuel tanks up to speeds of Mach 1.6, chaff and flare dispensing, and the towed decoy has been tested up to high supersonic speeds. The top speed of Mach 2 and altitudes over 50,000 ft have been achieved and supercruise capability has been demonstrated many times.
“In simple terms: Eurofighter Typhoon has demonstrated and confirmed its outstanding performance in development and now also in production.”
The 100th production Eurofighter Typhoon was delivered to the Royal Air Force last week. (Eurofighter file photo)
