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EUROFIGHTER EF 2000 (TYPHOON)

Sales and deliveries

• Germany 180 (including 40 for air-to-ground operations); 33 are two-seaters; maximum production: 12 - 15 a year
• Great Britain 232 (plus 65 options) ; 35 are two-seaters; maximum productiion 21 a year
• Italy 121 (plus nine options); 15 are two-seaters; maximum production: 10 a year
• Spain 87; 15 are two-seaters; maximum production 8 a year

Future Milestones

2010
Deliveries of the third batch of 236 aircraft starts, running to mid 2015.

2009
JG 72 "Westfalen" of the Luftwaffe at Rheine gets its first Eurofighters. Re-equipment will continue until 2011. Among the 34 aircraft will be five two-seaters.

2008
From this year to 2010, three Eurofighter squadrons will be formed by the Royal Air Force at Leuchars.

Fourth quarter 2007
JG 71 "Richthofen" of the Luftwaffe at Wittmund gets its first Eurofighters. Re-equipment will continue until third quarter 2009. Among the 34 aircraft will be five two-seaters.

2006
The first Eurofighters will arrive at Leeming, the second RAF base to get the type. Until 2008, two squadrons will form there.

2006
JG 74 "Mölders of the Luftwaffe at Neuburg gets its first Eurofighters. Re-equipment will conclude in 2007/2008. Among the 34 aircraft will be five two-seaters.

2005
Deliveries of Eurofighters to Greece are expected to begin.

2005
The first front-line Eurofighter squadron of the RAF will be declared operational at Coningsby.

End of 2004
Delivery of the second batch of 236 aircraft starts, running to mid-2010

July 2004
The Luftwaffe starts the conversion of operational pilots at the Laage training base, also home of JG 73

2003
Full Operational Clearance (FOC) is received.

April 2003
JG 73 "Steinhoff" of the Luftwaffe at Laage gets its first Eurofighters. Re-equipment will drag on until first quarter 2005. JG 73 will receive 21 single-seaters and 12 two-seaters for training.

2002
Spain gets its first EF2000s, and forms its first squadron with the aircraft.

August 2002
The German Luftwaffe gets its first Eurofighter to be used for crew training at Manching.

June 2002
First production aircraft after the five IPAs that are destined for test work is handed over to the Royal Air Force. The first pilots will be trained at Warton (BAe Systems).

Second half 2001
The military test centers of Germany, Italy and the UK receive their first Eurofighters. These are the so called Instrumented Production Aircraft (IPA), five of which will be used for the final tests.

November 2001
EADS Germany flies the first production Eurofighter at Manching. It is an instrumented aircraft (IPA), to be used for test work.

August 2001
First flight of the first Eurofighter from the series production run (PT001), assembled at Warton. Hand-over to the RAF by the end of the month.

March 2001
EADS CASA starts final assembly of the first Spanish Eurofighter at its Getafe plant.

Recent development achievements

Early December 2000
Final assembly of the first German series-production Eurofighter starts at the EADS plant in Manching. First, the centre fuselage and the tail section were mated, with the front fuselage arriving from BAE Systems by the mid of the month.

November 2000
Alenia starts final assembly of the first Italian Eurofighter

23. November 2000
SaabTech Electronics announces that it has got an order for 300 BOL countermeasures dispensers for the Eurofighter, valuaed at around 10 million Pounds. Delivery is planned to start at the end of 2001.

22. November 2000
BAE Systems has delivered the first Eurofighter Ground Proximity Warning System (GPWS). A total of 151 unts will be delivered over the next four years to cover the Tranche 1 aircraft.

25. October 2000
The first twin-seat initial production cockpit canopy and windscreen for teh Eurofighter have been delivered to BAE Systems by Aerospace Composites Technologies (ACT), a GKN Aerospace company.

October 2000
The Netherlands has been invited to join the Eurofighter programme as an equal partner. This offer was extended in a letter signed by the defence ministerrs of the four participating countries and adressed to their Dutch counterpart, Frank de Grave.

29. September 2000
Alenia has completed the lesft wing of the first production run Eurofighter at its Caselle facility . It was delivered within a few days to Warton.

29. September 2000
EADS CASA ahnds the first rith wing of teh Eurofighter over to BAE Systems at Getafe (Madrid).

7. September 2000
Final assembly of the first series-production Eurofighters begins at BAE Systems in Warton, after the first centre fuselage from EADS Germany had arrived the day before.

4. September 2000
Alenia Aerospazio delivers the first rear fuselage for final assembly to BAE Systems

September 2000
The Aircrew Synthetic Training Aids (ASTA) proposal is submitted to NETMA.

31. August 2000
EADS (formerly Dasa) hands over the first fully equipped centre fuselage section to BAE Systems at its Manching facility

July 2000
Dowty's Hamble Aerostructures unit has been awarded the series production contract for supersonic drop tanks for Eurofighter Typhoons. It is worth about 48 million US-Dollars.

June 2000
BAE Systems opens its Eurofighter final assembly hangar at Warton.

June 2000
Flight Control Sofware release 2B/2 is successfully flown for the first time.

24. May 2000
The Ground Support System contract is signed.

May 2000
The UK ministry of defence has choosen the Matra BAe Dynamics Meteor as the future advanced long-range air-to-air missile for the Eurofighter.

May 2000
It is revealed that the Royal Air Force will not fit a gun to its Eurofighters from the second batch, in attempt to achieve life-cycle cost savings.

May 2000
Prototype DA4 completes the first twin seater night flight from BAE Sysems at Warton.

May 2000
DA6 and DA1 complete environmental testing.

April 2000
The Netherlands Chief of Staff, Maj. Genreal Dröste, is treated to a VIP flight in the rear seat of DA4 at Warton.

8. March 2000
Greece confirms its commitment for 60 Eurofighter plus 30 options, worth around 10 billion DM. Negotiations on a detailed contract can now begin.

February 2000
The 1000th flight test hour is achieved with flight no. 75 of DA4 in Warton.

February 2000
Prototype DA5 undergoes in-flight icing tests behind a specially equipped Dornier 228 aircraft.

January 2000
The Spanish two-seater DA6 undergoes icing trials in the environmental hangar at Boscombe Down in the UK.

9. November 1999
British Aerospace selects Kongsberg Protech to supply parts for the Eurofighter.

4. November 1999
At Turin, Alenia, BAe, Casa and Dasa set up a dedicated export sales organisation - Eurofighter International. It will have sole responsibility for all export sales activities, providing the single contractual interface with the customers. Cesare Gianni has been appointed president. In parallel with EFI, the Eurofighter GmbH will continue to exist, concentrating on the technical development of the aircraft and the relationship with NETMA and the procurement executives of the four Eurofighter partner nations.

November 1999
Prototype DA3 notches up 200 flights.

Autumn 1999
Work has commenced on major subassemblies for the Eurofighter in all the partner companies.

14. October 1999
A delegation of the Royal Netherlands Air Force visits Dasa's Manching facility to be briefed on the Eurofighter. Holland is currently researching the market for an F-16 follow-on and is also part of the JSF programme.

October 1999
DaimlerChrysler briefs 23 Norwegian companies on possible co-operation opportunities in connection with the Eurofighter offer to the Royal Norwegian Air Force.

1. September 1999
Eurofighter submits its proposal in response to an RFP by South Korea in connection with its F-X programme. A requirement for 60+ aircraft exists, with deliveries from 2004.

Summer 1999
The Eurofighter test programme continues with a number of firsts. Alenia has carried out static drop tests with Mk.82 bombs. Dasa's DA5 has made the first simultaneaous radar engagement of four targets. Meanwhile, DA6 of CASA has made hot weather trials at Moron air base, with temperatures of up to 41 degrees.

August 1999
Major F. A. Evenson of the Royal Norwegian Air Force makes another two flights with DA5 at Manching. These focused on assessment of the autopilot/autothrottle functions based on the new standard of FCS software. Also, the operating modes of the ECR90 radar were evaluated.

12. July 1999
Eurofighter formally opens its Programme Office in Athens. This will handle the contract negotiations with Greece.

July 1999
Eurofighter responds to a request for information from Poland.

July 1999
The first radar test flight against four targets is performed.

9. June 1999
Lt. General Litzerakos, chief of Staff of the Hellenic Air Force, flies in the DA6.

June 1999
The prototypes have now made over 1050 flights with 850+ hours. 30 Pilots have flown the new fighter.

June 1999
The liquid cooling system for the aircrew is flown for the first time with DA6 in Spain.

1. June 1999
Eurofighter submits its commercially binding proposal to the Norwegian Air Force Material Command, regarding a requirement for 20 aircraft plus an option for up to a further ten. The value of the contract would be around 10,7 billion Kroner. The documents were handed of by a delegation led by Erwin Obermeier, Director Series Production Eurofighter at Dasa Military Aircraft.

27. May 1999
Major General Per Oscar Jacobsen, Chief of Air Staff of the Royal Norwegian Air Force, flies in the Eurofighter. The sortie is in DA4, from BAe facilities in Warton, with test pilot Keith Hartley.

May 1999
In a joint letter, the defense ministers of Germany, Great Britain, Italy and Spain invite Norway to become a member of the NETMA if the Eurofighter decision turns out to be a positive one.

18. May 1999
Prototype DA5 flies the 1000th sortie of the seven-strong test fleet, with Wolfgang Schirdewahn at the controls. In total, over 830 hours flying has now been achieved, with over 90 per cent of the flight envelope required for IOC being covered. 62 flights have been made in the last five weeks.

11. - 13. May 1999
DA4 is visiting Caselle, conducting demonstration flights with Italian VIPs. Among them the chief of Defence Staff, General Arpino and the Chief of the Air Staff, General Fornasiero.

4. May 1999
At Manching, Dasa takes opportunity of the visiting DA4 two-seater to offer flights to Lieuteneant General Rolf Portz, Chief of Staff of the Luftwaffe, and Dr. Jörg Kämpf, National Armament Dircector. On the next day, Lieutenant General Jürgen Höche, Commander German Air Foce Command, also gets a ride.

30. April 1999
Greece confirms its decision to procure the Eurofighter, with a requirement for 60 to 90 aircraft. Negotiations for offsets etc. have already started and should be concluded by the end of 1999.

27. April 1999
UK Secretary of State for Defence, George Robertson, flies in the DA4 at Warton. The 60 minute flight was with project pilot John Turner at the controls.

April 1999
DA5 and DA4 take to the air with a new standard of Flight Control System software that allows autopilota nd autothrottle functions. Both aircraft fly the latest version of the ECR 90 radar. DA4 also has active rear seat capability.

April 1999
DA2, equipped with the new aircrew services pacakge, reaches an altitude of 50000 ft.

April 1999
General Chief Inspector Carmine Cianci replaces Jack Gordon, who retires, as General Manager of NETMA.

March 1999
Eurofighter opens an office in Oslo to intensify marketing of the aircraft in Norway.

March 1999
DA3 flies Mach 1.6 with two 1000 litre external fuel tanks.

March 1999
The Royal Air Force announces its plans for Eurofighter service introduction and basing. First to receive the new aircraft is Coningsby, where an operational evaluation unit, an operational conversion unit and two front-line squadrons will be based from 2002. Next is Leeming (2006 -2008) and then Leuchars (2008 - 2010).

March 1999
Alenia starts assembly of first left wing for production aircraft.

16. February 1999
BASE (British Aerospace Systems and Equopment) has been selected to supply its TERPROM Ground Proximity Warning System for the Eurofighter programme. The programme initially covers the development of a GPWS line-replaceable unit, associated test equipment and map preparation software to meet the requiremenhts of the customer.

12. February 1999
Declaration of Intent from the Greek defense council KYSEA (prime minister an d functional sections) to procure 60 to 90 Eurofighters and to participate in the program.

11. February 1999
Norway shortlists the Eurofighter and the F-16 and issues a Letter of Request to submit a proposal for 20 aircraft plus an option for up to ten more. The requests include a demand for 100 per cent industrial co-operation (offset).

11. February 1999
Prototype DA3 conducts test flights with 2500 liter external tanks, pumping fuel from them into the system.

February 1999
Assembly of the first centre fuselage sections start at Das in Augsburg.

January 1999
The Integrated Logistics Support contracts 3, 4 and 10 are signed.

January 1999
First parts for the first right wing for production aircraft are machined at CASA.

15. - 16. December 1998
Major F. A. Evenson of the Royal Norwegian Air Force conducts three test flights with the Eurofighter DA5 at Manching.

December 1998
The test aircraft fleet achieves 900th sortie.

3. December 1999
Dasa and Hellenic Aerospace Industry have signed a contract for the manufacture of 1200 external tanks for the Eurofighter in Greece.

25. November 1998
An Eurofighter prototype is at the Italian Air Force base of Grosseto to conduct compatibility tests with current facilities.

November 1998
The fleet achieves more than 700 flying hours.

October 1999
A Norwegian liaison officer joins NETMA.

September 1998
The Spanish Chief of the Air Staff flies in DA6.

18. September 1998
The fixed price agreement for the production of the first 148 aircraft (Production Supplement 2) is signed between NETMA, eurofighter GmbH and eurojet GmbH.These agreements translate the maximum prices defined in the Production Umbrella contracts into firm orders and fixed prices for the first tranche. The value is approximately 14 billion DM.

8. September 1998
During the Farnborough Air Show, DA5 completes its 100th flight, with Chris Worning at the controls.

September 1998
The Eurofighter prototpye DA5 participates in the Farnborough Air Show, with daily flight displays, piloted alternatively by Chris Worning (Dasa) and John Turner (BAe).

2. September 1998
The EF2000 is officially named Typhoon for the export market.

September 1998
The fleet of test aircraft achieves the 800th flight.

September 1998
The ling-time structural fatigue test is sucessfully completed after 18000 simulated flying hours - three times the value of the lifetime to be guaranteed.

20. July 1998
Eurofighter prototype DA6 (two-seater) begins a series of tests under high-temperature conditions. The aircraft operates out of Moron Air Base in Spain, where temperatures at this time of the year are frequently above 42 degrees Celsius. Temperatures registered in the cockpit reached 80 degrees Celsius after a day in the sun.

19. July 1998
Filippo Bagnato, head of Alenia Aerospazios Aeronautics division, has been named Chairman of the Board of Directors of Eurofighter GmbH. He will hold this position for the next two years. Bagnato succeeds Aloysius Rauen of Dasa, which relinquished the post according to the normal rotation procedures agreed by the four partner countries.

July 1998
Greece publishes a request for proposal for 60 Eurofighters.

Summer 1998
Prototypes DA1 and DA2 are now in a major lay-up to fit EJ200 engines and other new systems. Total flight time has reached 630 hrs in 750 flights. 24 pilots have flown the EF2000, and the aircraft has operated out of 14 air bases.

June 1998
The Eurofighter development aircraft fleet achieves the 750th flight over 630 flying hours.

17. June 1998
Italian single-seat DA7 undertakes drop-tank tests from Decimomannu air base in Sardinia. The empty 1000 litre drop tank is jettisoned from the inner hard-point on the starbord wing at 350 kts and 5000 ft.

June 1998
DA4 undergoes lightning stike trials at British Aerospace in Warton.

2. - 5. June 1998
Eurofighter presents the EF2000 prototype DA5 at Rygge airbase near Oslo to the Royal Norwegian Air Force, one of the potential export customers. Dasa test pilot Chris Worning is flying the DA5 for the visit, which includes shelter compatibility tests as well as trials with existing ground support/armament equipment. Briefings are held for soldiers of all ranks, including general Per-Oscar Jacobsen, chief-of-staff of the RNAF. Norway is interested in 30 to 40 aircraft to replace an F-5 unit.

24. May 1998
Eurofighter protoype DA3 is displayed at the Italian Air Force 75th anniversary show at Pratica die Mare near Rome.

May 1998
Eurofighter prototype DA5 is flown at the ILA show in Berlin. As the carefree handling envelope is now fully opened up, the aircraft can demonstrate for the first time its outstanding maneuvrability in a program which beats the very similar F-16 display in climb rates and turn radii.

5. May 1998
At the Dasa plant in Augsburg, the first aluminium fuselage frame for the Eurofighter starts its machining process. At the end of it, the 821 kg metal block is reduced to just 16 kg, with a shape of complex integral stiffeners.

May 1998
The Eurofighter prototypes have now completed 600 flight hours in 700 flights.

April 1998
Eurofighter opens an office in Seoul to promote the aircraft in South Korea.

9. February 1998
Eurofighter tests reach the 600 flight mark. Since October last year alone, there were 100 missions flown.

30. January 1998
The contracts covering production and support of 620 Eurofighters have been signed today at Munich between the Government management agency NETMA (NATO eurofighter andTornado Managing Agency) and Eurofighter Jagdflugzeug GmbH and Eurojet GmbH. The nine documents, which describe the conditions for the whole weapons system, are valued at over 55 billion DM. They are the result of detailed negotiations on terms, conditions and prices. According to Eurofighter, over 400 companies in the partner nations will be involved, securing more than 150000 skilled jobs. Signatories were Jack Gordon (general manager NETMA), Brian Phillipson (managing director Eurofighter) and Ken Greenall (managing director Eurojet).

23. December 1997
Eurofighter prototype DA2 in the UK reaches the design goal of Mach 2 flight. DA 2 was also used for air-to-air refuelling test with a VC-10 tanker of the Royal Air Force. This allowed a flight time of four hours, the longest yet.

22. December 1997
The defence ministers of Germany (Volker Rühe), Italy (Benjamino Andreatta), Spain (Eduardo Serra) and the UK (George Robertson) meet at the defence ministry in Bonn to sign the Memoranda of Understanding No. 6 and No.7 covering the production investment, production and integrated logistics support for the Eurofighter. These are the basis on which contracts between the NETMA management agency and industry will be finally negotiated and signed in January. 620 Eurofighters are to be procured (232 for the UK, 180 for Germany, 121 for Italy and 87 for Spain) at a price put at 32 billion pounds (93,7 billion DM) by Robertson. He also claimed that Eurofighter would "sustain, in the UK alone, 14000 high quality jobs at the peak of production". The first aircraft are expected to be delivered in 2002 to the air forces of the four partner nations.

17. December 1997
Protoype DA7 releases an AMRAAM for the first time. The test at Mach 0.8/500 kts is conducted over the Decimomannu range on Sardinia. Italian prototype DA3 has meanwhile flown with external tanks.

15. December 1997
For the first time, the Eurofighter launches a missile. The flight test took place over the Decimomannu range on Sardinia with the DA7 prototype and involved and AIM-9L Sidewinder.

9. December 1997
The defence committee of the Italian Chamber of Deputies (lower house) votes eight to three to buy 121 Eurofighters, its chairman Valdo Spini says. The plan does not need approval by the full Chamber, so that defence minister Andreatta is now clear to sign the production MoU with its partners. The cost is put at around 15,759 trillion Lire (9.3 billion US-Dollars) between now and 2014. Of these, 12,691 trillion are assigned to industrialization and production and 3,068 for integrated logistical support. Italy has already spent about 4,0 trillion lire in the development phase.

5. December 1997
An Italian Eurofighter flies for the first time with two 1000 litre tanks.

26. November 1997
The German Bundestag (parliament) approves the 1998 defence budget and thus gives the green light for production investment and procurement of 180 Eurofighters for the Luftwaffe. 847 million DM are in the 1998 budget as a first tranche. Proposals by both the Bündnis 90/Die Grünen and the SPD opposition parties to cut the programme were rejected in individual voting: 331 to 296 in the case of the SPD move(four abstentions), 348 to 75 concerning the greens petition (213 abstentions). This means that even some opposition party parlamentarians voted in favour of the fighter, while a few coalition members were against, namely because not much of the work on the aircraft will be done in Eastern Germany.

11. November 1997
The Major Airframe Fatigue Test (MAFT) has now accumulated 15000 simulated flying hours including the respective take-off and landing cycles. Required lifetime of the EF2000 will be 6000 hrs.

4. November 1997
Dasa-base Eurofighter DA1 flies at Mach 1.94, currently the highest speed achieved by the seven-prototype test fleet.

October 1997
An evaluation team of the Royal Norvegian Air Force is visiting the Manching flight test base near Ingolstadt to look at the Eurofighter prototpyes DA1 and DA5 and get more briefings on the programme.

30. October 1997
The finance committee of the Bundestag (German parliament) approves the Eurofighter procurement bill. 22 members from the CDU/CSU and FDP coalition voted in favour while 17 parlamentarians of the opposition parties were against and some did not vote.

29. October 1997
The defence procurement committee and the defence committee of the German parliament (Bundestag) approve the acquisition of 180 Eurofighters for the Luftwaffe, despite "no"-votes from SPD and Bündnis 90/Die Grünen members.

27. October 1997
According to a survey by the Emnid institute, 80 per cent of the German population are against the procurement of the Eurofighter. Even among supporters of the ruling CDU/CSU party, 65 per cent don't want to buy the fighter.

21. October 1997
The Eurofighter prototypes achieve their 500th flight. This was conducted by DA5 from Manching. 20 test pilots from industry and government agencies have now flown the EF2000 up to Mach 1.8 and an altitude of 12 km.

8. October 1997
The German cabinett approves the Eurofighter procurement, stating a need for 140 air defence fighters to replace the F-4F and the MiG-29 as wel as 40 fighter bombers to complement the Tornados. Prices mentioned are: 63,4 million DM fly-away, 99,1 million DM including production investement and taxes, and 125,4 million DM including logistics. In total this means 22,922 billion DM (prices at 12/96) including a reserve of 250 million DM and 100 million for infrastructure measures.The aim will be to get fixed prices, adjusted for inflation, defence minister Rühe says. He also mentions that to squeeze this money into his tight budget, he will delay purchase of a new support ship, stop modernization of the Flugbereitschaft and delay improvements to the Patriot SAM system by a year.

8. August 1997
Eurofighter prototype DA1 completes its 100th flight at the Warton base of British Aerospace. The German aircraft is in the UK for a week-long campaign of high speed trials over the Irish sea to assess airframe characteristics at supersonic speeds. Maximum Mach number is 1.87, the fastes registered so far by any prototype despite the use of the less-powerful RB199 engines.

25. July 1997
The Eurofighter DA4 completes a four day deployment to RAF Leeming, where it has conducted compatibility tests with hardened aircraft shelters and other squadron facilities. Vibration and noise readings were taken, and according to BAe the resutls are exceeding expectations.

11. July 1997
At its last meeting before the summer recess, the German cabinett approved the 1998 budget, which includes 847 million DM for the production investment phase of the Eurofighter programme. In future years, 1,183 billion DM, 1,35 billion DM and 1,578 billion DM are earmarked for EF2000. After much debate concerning additional finance for the defence budget through early repayment of Airbus loans by Dasa, all this money will now have to come from Defence Ministry sources, raising fears of a squeeze on other programmes. Anyway, both Dasa and the other aerospace companies in the country are applauding the overdue decision, which demonstrates the clear will of the Government to safeguard a military aircraft sector in Germany. Discussion and approval by Parliament will be necessary in the autumn, though, for a real go-ahead and signature of new MoUs.

June 1997
Two Eurofighter prototypes, Italian DA7 and the Spanish two-seater, participate at the Aerosalon at Le Bourget. DA7 is in the flying programme to show off progress made in software development since the first presentation at last years Berlin Air Show. More than 21 pilots have now flown the EF2000. As of 5 June, 411 flights were performed, and carefree handling trials have now started. Also at the show, the labour representatives of the European Aerospace Industry "appealed almost emphatically to their governments to come to a decision to procure the Eurofighter and to jointly implement the programme".

4. June 1997
The German Aerospace Industries Association (BDLI) is urging the Government to move ahead with the EF2000. "Our patience is running thin", says president Dr. Hans Eberhard Birke at a press conference in Bonn. For months now the companies are quietened with lots of talks but no positive action, he complained. At the same event, Dasa military aircraft chief Aloysius Rauen confirms that his company alone has invested 200 million or more of own funds to keep work on series preparation going. If no decision is taken before the summer recess, Dasa will stop this speculative investment and start laying of workers, he declared, at the same time noting that his company is willing to use early paybacks of Airbus support money to help finance the next phase. If Germany will not go along with its partners on EF2000, the position of the German aerospace industry in forthcoming European rationalisation would be severely damaged, all speakers at the press confernce said.

2. June 1997
Leaders of the Dasa works council are handing over around 20000 postcards with demands to continue the EF2000 programme to the office of German chancellor Helmut Kohl. They urge the government to no longer delay the much overdue decison concerning the start of the production investment phase of the programme. Over 50000 jobs at companies in Germany, Great Britain, Italy and Spain are at stake, it is claimed. Small firms are even at risk to go bankrupt.

30. May 1997
New UK secretary of defence George Robertson has confirmed that the Labour government will fully support the Eurofighter programme. It will honour commitments by the previous Conservative government concerning numbers and financial conditions, Robertson said before parliament.

May 1997
Eurofighter prototype DA5 completes its first supersonic flight, reaching Mach 1.2.

23. May 1997
German finance minister Theo Waigel says that Dasa is prepared to pay back part of the mony it received for Airbus development not from 2000 as scheduled but earlier, in an attempt to cover a budget shortfall for the financing of the EF2000. Defence minister Volker Rühe welcomes these new talks.

14. May 1997
Luftwaffe Chief-of-Staff General Bernhard Mende visits Manching airfield to get briefings on the EF2000 and follow a test-flight in a chase Alpha Jet. Mende says he is still cinvinced that the Eurofighter will be approved, so no studies for alternatives are necessary.

9. May 1997
According to Alenia, the second official Eurofighter 2000 "Official Preview" has been succesfully completed at its Caselle facility in Italy. The evaluation by a team of test pilots and experts from the test centers of the four nations' Air Forces was conducted from April 11 to May 9. It consisted of seven test flights, including a supersonic flight, five ground tests and two "taxi tests". Prototype DA7, fitted with the EJ200 engine, was used.
Total time for all flights was six hours 31 minutes. Comments by flight crews and satisfactory test results point to the ability of this weapons system to meet its performance guarantees, Alenia claimed. The new EJ200 engine provided exceptional performance, and onboard systems were reliable and highly efficient, it was stated.

May 1997
The Major Airframe Fatigue Test (MAFT), which is being conducted at the Industrieanlagen-Betriebsgesellschaft (IABG) at Ottobrunn, has now successfully accumulated about 13000 Simulated Flight Hours. This is equivalent fo more than double the design life of the production aircraft. The fuel tank leak tests as part of the MAFT were successful.

April 1997
German finance minister Theo Waigel states in a TV interview that Germany will follow through with the EF2000-programme: "Experts say that we urgently need such a fighter. If we need it, it should be built in Germany because we have already spent billions on research and development and because we have clear agreements with several other European countries".

19. March 1997
Dr. David Clark, shadow minister of defence of the UK Labour Party, writes to German Defence Minsiter Volker Rühe to make it clear that its party will fully support the Eurofighter programme if elected on May 1.

17. March 1997
A United Arab Emirates Air Force spokesman says that "the UAE Armed Forces are now in the process of evaluating the Eurofighter bid, as it is a very special offer". British Aerospace is pushing EF2000 against the F-16 and the Rafale in a competition to supply up to 80 aircraft.

14. March 1997
DA4 bekomes the last of the seven Eurofighter prototypes to get airborne. Piloted by Derek Reeh, British Aerospace's Chief Test Pilot, the first flight lasted one hour and 20 minutes. It included some handling and radar work and reached an altitude of 25000 feet. DA4 is the second two-seater and will be used in radar and avionics integration work as well as two-seat specific performance evaluations.
Current flight test status is now as follows:

• DA1 - 84 flights, 84:47 hrs
• DA2 - 150 flights, 116:45 hrs
• DA3 - 82 flights, 76:01 hrs
• DA4 - 1 flight, 1:20 hrs
• DA5 - 5 flights, 5:47 hrs
• DA6 - 13 flights, 12.45 hrs
• DA7 - 3 flights, 2:26 hrs

24. February 1997
Prototype DA5 takes off at Manching for the first time, with Dasa chief test pilot Wolfgang Schirdewahn at the controls. The flight lasts about an hour and includes the operation of the ECR90 radar for the first time. DA5 is also fitted with an EJ200 engine and thus the first Eurofighter to have the complete fit of high-tech equipment. ECR90 is developed by GEC marconi Avionics, Dasa Sensorsysteme, FIAR and Enosa (Spain).

17. February 1997
The Norwegian Ministry of Defence announces that it has downselected the Eurofighter 2000 and the Lockheed Martin F-16 for its KFE-96 fighter requirement to replace ageing F-5s. This decision, which eleminates the Rafale and F-18, is based on a thorough study by the agency for defence research. It is the first time that Eurofighter reaches the final round in a fighter competition abroad. Lead company for the marketing in Norway is Dasa.

February 1997
Though negotiations with industry are ostensibly completed, the German cabinet declines to look at the programme and decide on the product investment phase. Other problems seem more pressing, and in any case, it is paramount to limit deficits in the run-up to the Maastricht decisions for a single European currency. This state of affairs makes life the the German aerospace industry difficult.

30. January 1997
Eurofighter DA3 and DA7, both Italian prototypes, make the first formation flight, lasting 37 minutes. DA2 flew for the first time in June 1995 and has now recorded 74 flights and 68 hours.

27. January 1997
DA7, the second Eurofighter 2000 Development Aircraft assembled by Alenia, makes its maiden flight. Napoleone Bragagnolo is at the controls. DA7 will be used for navigation and communications systems tests and for weapons systems integration. It will also be in demand for the second Official Assesment period by representatives from the four nations air forces in April

11. November 1996
The German coalition Government has again delayed the decision on the production investment phase of the Eurofighter. Despite intense lobbying by industry, there is no money yet in the 1997 budget. A new target date for the go-ahead is now sometime in the first quarter of next year.

29. October 1996
BDLI president Dr. Manfred Bischoff declares that "a delay of the production investment phase beyond 1. January 1997 will make the programme considerably more expensive and will endanger the very existence of some equipment companies."

21. October 1996
The Spanish government has secured funding for the Eurofighter 2000 production investment phase. To bypass a severe squeeze in the defence budget, a special credit facility is set up by the industry ministry. Loans of up to 25 billion pesetas (190 million US-Dollars) will be available to participating companies, repayabel after deliveris of the new fighter start after 2000. Total volume for production from next year to 2010 es estimated at 980 billion Pesetas. Spain will get 87 aircraft.

October 1996
Discussions in Germany continue on how to finance the production investment phase of Eurofighter 2000. No money is in the 1997 budget, whereas industry wants over 300 million DM. Any failure to move on now will cost jobs and make the programme more expensive, it says.

2. September 1996
Michael Portillo, Secretary of State for Defence, announces that the UK is ready in principle to proceed to the production and in service support phases of Eurofighter. The UK will now work with its German, Italian and Spanish partners with the aim of finalising and signing the inter-governmental arrangements and contracts for the production and support phases early next year, it is stated. This is hailed as a "crucial step forward" in the programme. In the UK, over 6000 jobs currently depend on the Eurofighter development phase and this is expected to rise to some 14000 at the peak of production.

31. August 1996
The fourth Eurofighter flies ins Spain. DA6, the first two-seater, takes-off from the CASA facilities at Getafe for its one-hour test programme, with Alfonso de Miguel Gonzalez at the controls. DA6 already has the flight-control software version 2A loaded for extended capabilities.

28. August 1996
British Aerospace reports the latest flight test figures: DA1 in Germany (54 sorties), DA2 in the UK (126) and DA3 in Italy (51).

August 1996
Britains National Audit Office releases its latest figures on Eurofigher 2000 costs, reporting an overspend of 1,2 billion pounds (47 per cent above original estimates). In service date with the Royal Air Force is not now expected before December 2001.

16. July 1996
British Aerospace reports the latest flight test figures: DA1 in Germany has now 51 flights, DA2 in the UK 104 and DA3 in Italy 50.

July 1996
The first C-model (flight standard) ECR-90 radar begins its airborne trials in the BAC 1-11 used by GEC Marconi Avionics as its testbed from Edinburgh. "The radar performance results were outstanding ... giving great confidence for the future", it was said.

24. June 1996
The Eurofighter fin mock-up and tooling arrives at British Aerospaces Samlesbury plant, marking the first major step in the transfer of work from Dasa to BAe in line with the revised workshare agreement.

June 1996
GEC Marconi Avionics of Edinburgh delivers the first ECR-90 radar to Dasa. This radar will be used to integrate the system into the Attack and Ident sub-systems. Later deliveries will provide radars for flight trials and further rig testing.

May 1996
Eurofighter protoype DA1 tmakes first pulic flight displays in Germany at ILA airshow in Schönefeld near Berlin.

April 1996
WTD 61 at Manching is evaluating the EF2000 in the first of five planned "previews". Government test pilots put the DA1-prototype through its paces to verify company test results. A report is due on May 3 as one of the preconditions for series production approval.

March 1996
Eurofighter submits its offer for production preparation and series production of the EF2000 to the four-national NETMA management agency.

February 1996
In his report on a coherent air defence concept submitted to the German parliamentary defence committee, Minister of Defence Volker Rühe definitely acknowledges the need for a new fighter.

January 1996
Germany announces that it will order 40 more Eurofighters (180 instead of 140) to resolve the long standing problems regarding production workshare. This will now be kept at 30 per cent for Dasa.

September 1995
First rumours surface in Bonn concerning a possible use of EF2000 as a replacement for Tornado fighter bombers.

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