Eurofighter GmbH
| Company type | Consortium |
|---|---|
| Industry | Aerospace, Defence |
| Founded | 1986 |
| Headquarters | Hallbergmoos , Germany |
Area served | Worldwide |
| Products | Eurofighter Typhoon combat aircraft |
| Owner | Airbus Defence and Space (46%), BAE Systems Military Air & Information (33%), Leonardo (21%) |
| Website | www |
Eurofighter Jagdflugzeug GmbH is a multinational consortium headquartered in Germany that oversees the development, manufacturing, and modernization of the Eurofighter Typhoon combat aircraft. Established in 1986, its main office is situated in Hallbergmoos, Germany. The company’s ownership is distributed among leading aerospace firms from the four nations partnering in the Eurofighter project:
- 46%: Airbus Defence and Space (France, Germany, Spain)
- 33%: BAE Systems Military Air & Information (United Kingdom)
- 21%: Leonardo (Italy)
The jet’s propulsion system is manufactured by EuroJet Turbo GmbH, another European collaborative entity. The principal client is the NATO Eurofighter and Tornado Management Agency (NETMA), which handles procurement on behalf of the partner countries. The production framework follows the model established by the earlier Panavia Tornado initiative.
History
The initial production agreement was finalized on 30 January 1998 among Eurofighter GmbH, Eurojet, and NETMA. The original purchase quantities were: UK 232, Germany 180, Italy 121, and Spain 87 aircraft. Correspondingly, production responsibilities were divided as follows: BAE (37.42%), DASA (29.03%), Aeritalia (19.52%), CASA (14.03%). After the Cold War, reductions in orders sparked disagreements over workshare allocations; Germany initially opposed cutting its share but consented in 1996 to acquire an extra 40 aircraft, leading to a revised distribution of 43% for EADS MAS (Germany/Spain), 37.5% for BAE Systems (UK), and 19.5% for Alenia (Italy).
The Eurofighter prototype conducted its inaugural flight on 27 March 1994 in Bavaria. Subsequent testing phases included Cold Environmental Trials in Sweden during 2004 and the first flight of a fully equipped Tranche 2 aircraft in January 2008.
Contracts for 148 Tranche 1 aircraft and long-lead items for Tranche 2 were signed in September 1998. The last Tranche 1 aircraft was delivered by March 2008; all following deliveries complied with Tranche 2 specifications. The initial pair of the 91 Tranche 2 fighters was handed over to RAF Coningsby in October 2008.
By October 2008, negotiations commenced regarding the allocation of the Tranche 3 order totaling 236 jets. Despite potential cutbacks, the UK confirmed its commitment to Tranche 3A in May 2009, placing an order for 112 aircraft across the partner states: UK (40), Germany (31), Italy (21), Spain (20). This order satisfied the UK's project commitments amid escalating costs. In February 2019, Germany procured an additional batch of 33 Typhoons to replace its aging Tranche 1 fleet.
The Eurofighter Typhoon program operates four distinct assembly lines managed by partner firms producing uniform components for all aircraft, including export variants: Premium AEROTEC manufactures the center fuselage; EADS CASA handles the right wing; BAE Systems assembles the front fuselage and tail sections; Leonardo produces the left wing and rear fuselage.
Production is segmented into three tranches representing funding cycles and manufacturing lots rather than incremental capability levels; Tranche 3 is further divided into A and B subgroups featuring enhancements over previous batches. Production standards are also categorized into blocks and batches that do not always align—for instance, the RAF’s FGR4 variant corresponds to Tranche 1, block 5. On 25 May 2011, BAE Systems’ Warton facility completed its hundredth production aircraft.
| Tranche | Austria | Germany | Italy | Kuwait | Oman | Saudi Arabia | Spain | UK | Qatar | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tranche 1 | 15 | 33 | 28 | – | – | – | 19 | 53 | – | 148 |
| Tranche 2 | – | 79 | 47 | – | – | 48 | 34 | 67 | – | 275 |
| Tranche 3A | – | 31 | 21 | 28 | 12 | 24 | 20 | 40 | 24 | 200 |
| Total | 15 | 143 | 96 | 28 | 12 | 72 | 73 | 160 | 24 | 623 |