First Tranche 3 Begins Flight Test

The first of a new standard of Typhoon, known as Tranche 3, has started its series of flight tests.

Mark Kane, BAE Systems Managing Director - Combat Air said: “For casual observers the aircraft is little changed from its sleek predecessor but it has a number of provisions that will allow it to take on additional capability in the future. One of the few visual clues is a number of small panels on the fuselage which are there to accommodate the fitting of conformal fuel tanks. "

“Once fitted, these would give the aircraft greater range and free up positions under the aircraft for larger or additional weapons", Kane said. “At the nose a new internal structure has been built and work has been carried out on power, cooling and electronics so that a new E-Scan radar could easily be accommodated.”

The first Tranche 3 has been produced for the RAF by the Eurofighter consortium and assembled by BAE Systems.

Mark added: “While these test flights will help to demonstrate the effectiveness of the airframe there are a number of other ongoing test programmes that will add to Typhoon’s capability”.

In November the first in a major series of flight tests to integrate the MBDA Storm Shadow missile onto the aircraft took place. Earlier this year Eurofighter Typhoon announced a contract to develop the integration of the Meteor weapon system.

During the same period another development aircraft has been modified to take an E-Scan radar and is currently being prepared, at Warton, ahead of its first flight.

Under the Tranche 3A contract signed in 2009, a total of 112 aircraft have been ordered for the four European partner nations of Germany, Italy, Spain and the UK, with 40 aircraft bound for the Royal Air Force.