The Weapons’ Repository - Eurofighter Typhoon

WEAPON NAME	Eurofighter Typhoon Multirole Combat Aircraft

The Eurofighter Typhoon is the world's most modern swing-role fighter. It can carry up to six bombs and six missiles, a cannon and a targeting pod, with sufficient processing power to simultaneously support missile in-flight updates and bomb in-flight targeting. Combining a proven, agile airframe built from stealth materials with the latest sensor, control and weapons systems delivers optimum combat capability – both beyond visual range (BVR) and in close combat.

Eurofighter Typhoon is built on a consortium of 4 European nations: United Kingdom, Germany, Italy and Spain, and their leading aerospace and defence companies. While Eurofighter Jagdflugzeug GmbH coordinates the programme on Industry side, the NATO Eurofighter and Tornado Management Agency (NETMA) acts as the single point of contact for customers and governments. Each partner company assembles its own national air force, but builds the same parts for all aircraft (including exports). → eurofighter.com

COMPONENTS

Eurofighter Typhoon Left Wing (IT)

Leonardo’s Aircraft Division (with 19% programme share and the final assembly line in Caselle, near Turin) develops the Left Wing. The avionics and sensors are also developed by Leonardo’s Electronics Division (total programme share rises to 36%). → leonardocompany.com/eurofighter-typhoon

Eurofighter Typhoon Right Wing (ES)

The Spanish division of Airbus Defense and Space develops the Right Wing of the Eurofighter Typhoon. The prodution is in parallel with the Italian one. → airbus.com/madrid

Eurofighter Typhoon Centre Fuselage (DE)

The German division of Airbus Defense and Space develops the main centre fuselage of the Eurofighter Typhoon. Fuselage sections for are made by Premium AEROTEC (subsidiary of Airbus) at Varel, and then assembled in Augsburg, Germany. Final assembly location is in Manching, Germany. → airbus.com/manching

Eurojet EJ200 Engine

The Eurojet EJ200 is a military low bypass turbofan used as the powerplant of the Eurofighter Typhoon. The engine is largely based on the Rolls-Royce XG-40 technology demonstrator which was developed in the 1980s. The EJ200 is built by the EuroJet Turbo GmbH consortium. The engines deliver 1,000 flying hours without needing unscheduled maintenance. → eurofighter.com/engine

Captor-E Radar

Leonardo company leads the Euroradar consortium responsible for developing the Typhoon’s primary sensor, the Captor-E radar. It gives the pilot an enhanced wide field of regard which offers significant benefits for both Air-to-Air and Air-to-Surface engagements. → eurofighter.com/sensors

Eurofighter-Typhoon-Pirate-Infra-Red-Search-and-Track

Pirate Infra-Red Search and Track (IRST)

The Pirate Sensor is the first in the world design derived from the weapon system specification and an ideal supplement to Radar and the DASS (Defensive Aid Sub System). Developed by the Leonardo-led Eurofirst international consortium, the Pirate Infra-Red Search and Track (IRST) allows the Typhoon aircrew to simultaneously detect and track single or multiple targets across a wide field of regard against the most heavily congested operational environment. → leonardocompany.com/eurofighter-typhoon

BEurofighter-Typhoon-BVRAAM-Meteor-Missile

BVRAAM Meteor Missile (UK)

Meteor is a Beyond Visual Range Air-to-Air Missile (BVRAAM) system designed for air-to-air combat, manufactured by a joint program of six nations. Guided by an advanced active radar seeker, Meteor provides all weather capability to engage a wide variety of targets from fast jets to small UAV and cruise missiles. → defense-www.mbda-systems.com/meteor

MANUFACTURER

FRONT AND REAR FUSELAGE: BAE Systems, Warton, UNITED KINGDOM → baesystems.com
LEFT WING: Leonardo s.p.a., Caselle Torinese, ITALY → leonardocompany.com
RIGHT WING: Airbus Defence and Space, Getafe, SPAIN → airbus.com
CENTRE FUSELAGE: Airbus Defence and Space, Manching, GERMANY → airbus.com

EUROJET EJ200: EuroJet Turbo GmbH (Rolls Royce/UK, Avio/IT, Industria de Turbo Propulsores/ES and MTU Aero Engines/DE) → eurojet.de
CAPTOR E-RADAR: Euroradar Consortium (Indra/UK, Airbus, Leonardo) → leonardocompany.com
PIRATE INFRA-RED IRST: Airborne and Space Systems Division, Leonardo s.p.a. → leonardocompany.com

ARMS EXPORT

Saudi Arabia is a major buyer of UK weapons, and has been since the 1960s. The UK government is intimately involved in these deals as they are operated through Government-to-Government contracts. These contracts are complemented by those between the UK government and the prime contractors. The Al Yamamah (dove) agreements of the mid-1980s were between the Thatcher government in the UK and the Saudi Arabian government. Military equipment, especially Tornado and Hawk jets, were to be supplied by what is now BAE Systems. The deals also included servicing, spares and ancillary services. Al Yamamah was originally designed as a barter agreement with Saudi Arabia paying in oil. However, an oil price crash in the mid-1980s meant that the UK government had to use its Export Credits Guarantee Department (ECGD), now UK Export Finance, to underwrite the deal for £1 billion. The Bank of England and the Treasury had doubts about these arrangements. In 2007, BAE sold 72 of its Eurofighter Typhoons to Saudi Arabia in a £4.4 billion deal called The Salam Project. Outstanding price issues were finally agreed in February 2014 after a visit from Prince Charles. The Typhoons replace the Air Defence Variant Tornados supplied under the Al Yamamah deals; the remaining Tornados continue to be upgraded and serviced under what is now called Saudi British Defence Co-operation Programme. (caat.org.uk)

Transfer of Eurofighter Typhoons from United Kingdom to Saudi Arabia

NAME	TYPE	ORDER	#	DELIVERY	#	COMMENTS
Typhoon Block-20	FGA aircraft	2007	24	2015-2017	24	Part of £4.4 b deal (part of up to £20b ‘Project Salam’); Typhoon Block-25C (Tranche-3A) version
Typhoon Block-8	FGA aircraft	2007	48	2009-2015	48	Part of £4.4 b deal (part of up to £20b ‘Project Salam’); Typhoon Block-8BC, Block-8C, Block-9C, Block-10C, Block-11C and Block-15C (Typhoon Tranche-2)
Meteor	BVRAAM	2015	/	2015-2018	20	€1 b deal; for Typhoon combat aircraft

MAINTENANCE

BAE Systems and Al-Salam Aircraft have jointly established a repair and maintenance facility in Saudi Arabia to support the Royal Saudi Air Force’s (RSAF) Eurofighter Typhoon aircraft. The capability, which began operations in June 2015, is able to perform repair, maintenance and overhaul of windscreen and transparency on RSAF jets. BAE also delivered on-site training in the first quarter of this year and work on the site began recently after the completion of certification and BAE supplier approval. (flightglobal.com, Jul. 2015)

IDENTIFICATION	Saudi Air Force Typhoon from the 10th sq getting refuelled by an RSAF A-330 MRTT over the southern borders. (Nov. 11, 2016)

Tweet by @MBKS on 11 November 2016. Location: 17°42’34.0”N 43°30’59.6”E. (https://euarms.com/weapon/50jq9YroCMI5gBZlEl75v9)

On December 3, 2018, flighradar24 information shared by the Twitter account @CilMilAir is showing flight details of an Airbus MRTT in Yemeni airspace. (https://euarms.com/weapon/50jq9YroCMI5gBZlEl75v9)

GEOLOCATION	Dharan, Saudi Arabia → 17°42’34.0”N 43°30’59.6”E

Satellite Image, Apple Maps

(Verified Investigation → EUArms Project)