Eurofighter Typhoon 2000

Author: Qin Changgeng
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2003-10-01
Features: The European "Typhoon" (Eurofighter Typhoon) fighter is jointly developed by four countries: Germany, the United Kingdom, Italy, and Spain. It features a forward (canard) configuration, twin engines, a single vertical stabilizer, and an underbelly air intake layout. It is a multi-purpose air superiority fighter capable of beyond-visual-range (BVR) combat, air-to-air supermaneuverability, and air-to-ground attack capabilities. It also has short takeoff and landing (STOL) capabilities, "supercruise" capabilities, and certain ground attack capabilities, allowing it to fly at supersonic speeds without afterburners. In July 1984, defense ministers from France, Germany, the United Kingdom, Italy, and Spain reached an agreement to jointly develop a fighter for the 1990s, naming it the "European Fighter Aircraft" (EFA). Several variants were developed for evaluation, with the main ones being the British and French proposals. The British EAP (Experimental Aircraft Program, a technology demonstrator for the EFA) became the prototype for the EF-2000, while the French proposal became the prototype for the "Rafale" fighter. After evaluation, the British EAP proposal was selected. In July 1985, France withdrew from the joint development program due to the aircraft's unsuitability for carrier operations and the choice of the multinational EJ-200 engine instead of the French M-88 engine, opting to develop the "Rafale" multi-purpose fighter independently. However, the other four countries continued development, with investment shares of 33% each for Germany and the United Kingdom, 21% for Italy, and 13% for Spain. A series of adjustments were made, primarily to reduce costs, resulting in the new design called EF2000. It is estimated that the unit cost of the EF2000 is 100 million Deutsche Mark (66.7 million USD). The EF-2000 passed all tests in 1999 and was named "Typhoon." Subsequent air shows featured the EF-2000 with its vertical stabilizer painted with the "Typhoon" logo. This book begins with the development history of the "Typhoon 2000" fighter and provides a comprehensive explanation of its various aspects, accompanied by numerous color photographs and structural disassembly diagrams.