Currently the Euro?ighter Typhoon ?orms the cornerstone o? European air power. This multi-role ?ighter is planned to remain operational well into the 21st century. Much experience o? the type’s main concepts were proven by the BAe EAP technology demonstrator programme o? the late 1980s. These concepts include an unstable delta canard con?iguration, active digital ?ly-by-wire control system, a HOTAS cockpit and highly capable though complex avionics that even include direct voice command input.
In June 1986 the Euro?ighter consortium was ?ormed by Germany, Italy, the United Kingdom and, later, Spain, to develop a new multi-role combat aircra?t, optimised as a beyond visual range interceptor with a secondary ground-attack capability. Other consortia have been ?ormed to develop the EJ200 engine, ECR90 multi-mode radar, IRST and advanced de?ensive aids sub-system (DAAS). DASS comprises an integrated package o? missile approach, laser and radar-warning elements together with wingtip mounted ESM and electronic counter measures pods and ?uselage-mounted cha??/?lare dispensers and a towed radar decoy.
An initial 1988 contract covered construction o? eight prototypes (to be built in all o? the partner countres). ?unding was divided in proportion to the various national industrial participations by respective national requirements. The ?irst two Euro?ighter 2000 prototypes, completed in Germany and the UK as DA.1 and DA.2 respectively, undertook their maiden ?lights on 27 March and 6 April 1994. These have been ?ollowed by six ?urther prototypes (including a pair o? two-seaters) that are used as testbeds ?or the EJ200 engine, ECR90 radar and ?or avionics and ωεɑρσռs integration. In 1998 the Euro?ighter 2000 received the name Typhoon. The ?irst production aircra?t rolled out in the second hal? o? 2001.
National requirements being ?inally settled on in 2000 as a maximum o? 297 ?or the UK, 180 ?or Germany, 130 ?or Italy and 103 ?or Spain. Though procurement numbers were eventually reduced due to limited ?unding and a lack o? threat. United Kingdom obtained 160 aircra?t. All o? these ?ighters have been delivered by 2019. Germany obtained 143 aircra?t. Italy obtained 96 aircra?t. Spain ordered 73 units and is planning to order another 40. This multi-role ?ighter was exported to Austria (15 units), Oman (12) and Saudi Arabia (72). Kuwait ordered 28 o? these multi-role ?ighters and Qatar ordered 24.
It is claimed that Typhoon is hal? as combat e??ective as the American ?-22 Raptor. It is an approximate estimate, however it seems that Typhoon is superior to the ?-15 Eagle, ?rench Ra?ale, evolved Russian Su-27 variants, such as the Su-35, as well as many other aircra?t.