Eurofighter Test Fleet Surpasses 6,000 Flying Hours

Eurofighter Test Fleet Surpasses 6,000 Flying Hours

(NSI News Source Info) HALLBERGMOOS, Germany - November 18, 2008: The international test fleet of Eurofighter Typhoon surpassed the 6,000 Flying Hours mark recently. With flight testing now focusing on further enhancements of Eurofighter Typhoon, recent major highlights were the conclusion of in-flight refuelling trials of the Italian Air Force and Alenia Aeronautica with KC-130J Hercules tankers and the beginning of similar trials of the German Air Force, the German Operational Test Centre Wehrtechnische Dienststelle 61 and EADS with Airbus A310 MRTT (Multi-Role Tanker Transport).

Also the first phase of flight tests for Phase 1 Enhancements were concluded at Alenia with IPA2 flying air-to-surface weapon Paveway IV in various configurations for flutter trials. Further trials will follow on IPA1 at BAE Systems and IPA4 at EADS CASA with Paveway IV and the 1000lb dual mode precision guided EGBU-16 bomb. The test data gained in these trials will allow the air vehicle aspects of the P1E capability development to be progressed.

The current test fleet consists of six Instrumented Production Aircraft plus one Instrumented Series Production Aircraft (ISPA1), while IPA3 is on loan to EADS for a flight evaluation in Switzerland.

Eurofighter Typhoon is the world's most advanced new generation multi-role/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 the Eurofighter Partner Companies Alenia Finmeccanica, BAE Systems, EADS CASA and EADS Deutschland, Europe's foremost aerospace companies with a total turnover of EUR 72.8 billion (2007).