Germany Orders 20 Eurofighter Typhoons

GERMANY signed a contract for 20 new Eurofighters Typhoon Tranche 5 to be produced by Airbus at its final assembly line in Manching, near Munich in Germany. The first aircraft is scheduled for delivery to the German Air Force (Luftwaffe) in 2031, to be completed in 2034 in order to supplant the Luftwaffe Panavia Tornado fleet that will be retired from service in the coming years.

“This new order is further proof of the Eurofighter’s importance to the Luftwaffe and the strategic role it plays in our country’s air defence and NATO capabilities,” said CEO of Airbus Defence and Space Mike Schoellhorn said. “The continued evolution of the Eurofighter serves as an essential technological and operational bridge to a Future Combat Air System (FCAS), ensuring a seamless transition to the next generation of air power. With these additional Eurofighters, Germany strengthens its ability to conduct surveillance of its airspace and secure NATO’s skies, supporting its role as a reliable partner for collective security.”

Airbus will equip the 20 Eurofighters with the latest sensors, including the electronic E-Scan radar. In parallel, Airbus will add electronic warfare capabilities to the German Eurofighter fleet by integrating the Arexis sensor suite, developed by Sweden’s Saab, in existing and newly built aircraft. These significant technological upgrades will further enhance the already broad operational capabilities of Luftwaffe Eurofighters.

As the largest European defence programme, involving Germany, Italy, Spain and the UK, the Eurofighter secures more than 100,000 jobs in Europe, 25,000 of them in Germany alone. 120 German suppliers are involved in the programme. With this new contract, nine countries have ordered more than 740 Eurofighters, namely Germany, Italy, Spain, the United Kingdom, Austria, Saudi Arabia, Oman, Kuwait and Qatar – making the Eurofighter the most successful European fighter jet programme in production.

The Eurofighter is planned to remain in service with the German Air Force until the 2060s. In the FCAS, which is scheduled to be operational from 2040, the Eurofighter will also operate networked with current and future crewed and uncrewed aircraft – and continue to help pilots fulfil their missions.

Chief Executive of Eurofighter Jorge Tamarit-Degenhardt said, “This order is excellent news for the Eurofighter programme and our industrial partners, as the programme closes in on the historic milestone of one million flying hours.”–-shp/adj/dl (Pix:LUFTWAFFE)