Eurofighter
| Eurofighter Typhoon | |
|---|---|
 |
|
| A Eurofighter Typhoon of the Royal Saudi Air Force over Malta in 2010 | |
| Role | Multirole fighter |
| National origin | Europe |
| Manufacturer | Eurofighter Jagdflugzeug GmbH |
| First flight | 27 March 1994 |
| Introduction | 4 August 2003 |
| Status | In service |
| Primary users |
Royal Air Force German Air Force Italian Air Force Spanish Air Force See Operators below for others |
| Produced | 1994–present |
| Number built | 495 (January 2017) |
| Unit cost |
€90 million (system cost Tranche 3A)
£125m (including development + production costs) |
| Developed from | British Aerospace EAP |
| Variants | Eurofighter Typhoon variants |
| Cutaway diagram of Eurofighter Typhoon | |
 Cutaway of Eurofighter Typhoon by Flight Global, 2006. |
The Eurofighter Typhoon is a twin-engine, canard-delta wing, multirole fighter. The Typhoon was designed and is manufactured by a consortium of Alenia Aermacchi (Leonardo since 2017), Airbus Group, and BAE Systems that conducts the majority of the project through a joint holding company, Eurofighter Jagdflugzeug GmbH formed in 1986. NATO Eurofighter and Tornado Management Agency manages the project and is the prime customer.
The aircraft's development effectively began in 1983 with the Future European Fighter Aircraft programme, a multinational collaboration among the UK, Germany, France, Italy, and Spain. Disagreements over design authority and operational requirements led France to leave the consortium to develop the Dassault Rafale independently. A technology demonstration aircraft, the British Aerospace EAP, first took flight on 6 August 1986; the first prototype of the finalised Eurofighter made its first flight on 27 March 1994. The aircraft's name, Typhoon, was adopted in September 1998; the first production contracts were also signed that year.
Political issues in the partner nations significantly protracted the Typhoon's development; the sudden end of the Cold War reduced European demand for fighter aircraft, and debate existed over the aircraft's cost and work share. The Typhoon entered operational service in 2003; it has entered service with the Austrian Air Force, the Italian Air Force, the German Air Force, the Royal Air Force, the Spanish Air Force, and the Royal Saudi Air Force. The Royal Air Force of Oman and the Kuwait Air Force are export customers, bringing the procurement total to 599 aircraft as of 2016[update].
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