Typhoon potential.

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Member for

19 years 4 months

Posts: 5,707

I am sure that everybody is aware of the Typhoon and its current capabilitys aswell as its seeming inabilityto win export contracts (obviously excluding Austria).
I feel that the biggest problem the Typhoon currently has is a lack of commitment. There hav been a number of potential upgrades that have been proposed but none have been sufficiently implemented. The obvious 3, are uprated 3d TVC engines (potentially 27000lbs), conformal fuel tanks (2x1500litre) and an AESA radar. If these could be garunteed as future upgradesor possibly even as initial standard on export examples I think the Typhoons future would be a lot brighter.
As it stands such options seem to be at the whim of four governments with a reputation for defence programme cuts and sudden changes of heart. No export customer wants to be left with an aircraft for which it has to fund entire development and intergration programmes in order extract the maximum potential.
The Typhoon (despite the rantings of the British Liberal Democrat Party) has good potential as a strike aircraft with weapons such as Storm Shadow and Brimstone planned for it, but one of the big problems is range, the addition of 2 1500litre conformal tanks would help reduce the issue and the more powerfull engines would enhance cruising speed and load carriage whilst TVC engines and an AESA radar would further enhance the already awesome A2A capability. Such an aircraft would likely be second only to the F/A22 in terms of capability.

Thoughts?

A very very good website http://www.eurofighter-typhoon.co.uk/

Original post

Member for

20 years 7 months

Posts: 1,515

Eurofighter GMBh would need a blank cheque right here right now to implement any of this in the short term. The AESA is going to happen most likely, but only when it is mature enough to outperform the current ECR90. To date, no AESA(s) do because the ECR is mature tech and AESA isn't. The Typhoon is already receiving rolling engine upgrades and in time may even reach the 27000lb/st you mentioned, just not yet.

Don't forget the Typhoon is still under development, thats not to say it is deficient, of course it isn't. Even 20+ year old designs are still under development it is part of the natural cycle of any production aircraft. I will say though that 3d thrust vectoring is, IMO, the least likely of the development points that you have outlined though I do think that leaving it out would be a mistake.

Don't forget either that Typhoon is not the only aircraft having issues in the export department. Even if Rafale wins the Singapore contract the size of the order is only similar to Austria's order for the Typhoon. Its a buyers market I'm afraid and economic conditions are not the best they have ever been.

Phil :)

Personally, I think many countries have able fleets of modern fighters. True these will need to be replaced in the next 10-15 years. Yet, many are unsure of the forthcoming Stealth Features of the F/A-22 and F-35 JSF. If, they work as advertise. Well, everything else will be obsolete. If, not you will see a boom in Tyhpoons, Rafales, Su-37's, etc. Really, a very expensive gamble either way when you think about it. So, its basically a wait and see for most! :o

Member for

20 years

Posts: 1,574

The trouble with the Typhoon is that the UK, Germany, Italy and Spain are in no hurry to get the full potential out of it.

When these countries finally demonstrate the Typhoon's swing-role capabilities operationally it will be able to compete with the proven US designs.