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TYPHOON WARNING: EUROFIGHTER TAKES ON THE EXPORT MARKET

by Karl Schwarz

After the (political) turmoil Eurofighter has caused in the last few years, the new name of the multi purpose fighter is especially fitting: It is supposed to conquer international markets under the name of Typhoon. As was to be expected, even giving the aircraft its name caused problems. Since eager marketing experts had neglected to consult with customers in Germany, Great Britain, Italy and Spain, some upset Air Force Chiefs of Staff put the spanner in the works.

One was finally able to put the faux pas right, and according to the Hardthöhe (German Defence Ministry), Eurofighter is now allowed to use the name Typhoon for "marketing purposes outside Europe". A change of name for Germany and other European countries does not seem to be necessary.

After this had been agreed, nothing could hinder the official unveiling of the Typhoon in Farnborough. During a small celebration, that took place a few days ahead of the Show, Air Cadets of the Royal Air Force pulled the cover off the appropriately painted mock-up. The prototype DA5 being shown in flight displayed the same carefully crafted logo, which the manufacturer has patented all over the world.

Whether the new image will help sales remains to be seen, but at Eurofighter Headquarters everyone is bursting with optimism. Managing Director Brian Phillipson is convinced that they "have the appropriate product and are entering the market at the best possible time". In the time between 2005 and 2025 he sees an accessible market for more than 800 fighters valued at 200 billion DM. It is hoped that half of these orders will be placed with Eurofighter.

The initial position is favourable, because according to Eurofighter the main competitors have some crucial handicaps: The Lockheed Martin F-16 "isn't an aircraft for the 21st century" and the French Dassault Rafale cannot boast a satisfactory production base, because so far only 13 have been ordered.

However, since the ratification of the basic agreement in January, the Eurofighter has excellent prospects, i.e. 620 aircraft are scheduled for delivery to 2014 to the partner nations alone. This does not mean that everything is going smoothly. There are problems in Great Britain since the Royal Air Force and industry cannot agree on a sensible worshare split for maintenance and logistics. To have these "discussions" now is, according to Phillipson, still better than to wait until the aircraft are being delivered in 2002.

At least they did not block the signing of the additional contract No 2 over the first batch of 148 aircraft and 363 engines. It was signed on 18 September in Munich by the customer, i.e. NET-MA Boss Jack Gordon as well as Brian Phillipson (Eurofighter) and Ken Greenall (Eurojet). According to Dasa the fixed price contract is over 14 billion DM. This includes parts that take a long time to deliver for the next batch as well. Dasa informs that "the integrated logistic measures, which are needed by every Air Force will be put in place once content and cost are known".

In the partners' companies the production of some parts has already been started, e.g. Dasa in Augsburg has already machined the first fuselage frame of the aircraft. From a block of aluminium weighing 800 kg an only 16 kg weighing very tight structure with honeycomb shapes for stiffening is being crafted.

British Aerospace has also manufactured the first parts in Samlesbury. To guarantee efficient production, the company invested more than #20 million in modern production units. "Lean Production" is also important for military aircraft, if - in view of precisely calculated fixed prices - profit margins of "five to six per cent" are to be realised.

According to current plans the final assembly of the first production aircraft will start in autumn of 2000. This and four further planes will be fitted with special instruments and will start their flight test program in 2001. From June 2002 the first Eurofighters will be handed over to the RAF and Aeronautica Militare.

Until then, quite a few changes will have to be made. For instance the windscreen has to be fitted differently, (better maintenance access to the instruments is needed) and the computing system has to be updated, (currently Motorola Processors of the 1986 generation are used on board). The three screens in the cockpit will be replaced by 15x15 cm liquid crystal displays made by Smiths Industries. These offer higher reliability.

This potential for growth is one of the advantages of the Eurofighter. Up to 15 per cent more engine thrust and 100 per cent more traffic on the internal data busses are taken into account. In the long term a radar system with active array technology could be installed as well as thrust-vercotring. Additional tanks that are fitted to the fuselage are also being designed. Studies of a variant that can touch down on aircraft carriers are undertaken because the Royal Navy has expressed an interest. According to Brian Phillipson, the necessary structural alterations are not too difficult to carry out.

Modernisation plans like these will only be worthwhile if the aircraft in question is expected to have a long life expectancy. The demanded 6,000 hours, which correspond to 30 years' service, were proved successfully on 4 September.

On this day the IABG in Ottobrunn finished the Major Airframe Fatigue Test, the so-called MAFT, with no fewer than 18,000 simulated flight hours. Since 1993 there have been repeated strain tests through 17 different mission profiles on the airframe by over 70 hydraulic acutators. 450 sensors registered every reaction of the structure. As was the case after 6,000 and 12,000 test hours, a thorough inspection, looking for possible undiscovered damage will follow now. Here as well, Eurofighter lives up to its reputation of being "the most extensively analysed project in history" (Phillipson).

From page 18 of FLUG REVUE 11/98