Eurofighter Typhoon (RAF)

[shark bait]

Sucking up to the Navy in case the Navy takes away the new shiny F-35's? Be a good time to argue for that in the upcoming review.

Or perhaps thay are finally being whipped into the modern interconnected forces they should be . joint force command is doing well and is set to grow .

[Ron5]

I sure hope so!

[ArmChairCivvy]

Sucking up to the Navy in case the Navy takes away the new shiny F-35's? Be a good time to argue for that in the upcoming review.

Or perhaps thay are finally being whipped into the modern interconnected forces they should be . joint force command is doing well and is set to grow .

Not for long... as they were given the IT coordination responsibility across across all the Commands. That is a poisoned chalice, just like becoming the Home Secretary to any wannabe party leader (PM?).

[The Armchair Soldier]

The Battle of Britain 75th anniversary flypast over Buckingham Palace on 10 July:

[The Armchair Soldier]

[Ron5]

Very good to see.

A full squadron of Typhoons would have improved things as would the absence of the Ruritainian half wits. Never could understand why they're allowed to wear uniforms they didn't earn.

[RetroSicotte]

As a note, if anyone gets a chance to see the Typhoon display at Yeovilton Air Day from this year online somewhere, watch it. The Typhoon display this year absolutely blew every single other aircraft out of the water, and it did it all in that sexy sexy Battle of Britain camo while carrying a 1000lb drop tank and 2 ASRAAMs to boot.

It's hands down the best Typhoon demo yet.

All the cheekily better, because it went up directly after the Rafale and seemed to very specifically make a harder first turn just to make a point.

[The Armchair Soldier]

Flight-Test of Eurofighter Aerodynamic Upgrades Completed

Airbus Defence and Space has successfully completed flight-testing of a package of aerodynamic upgrades to the Eurofighter Typhoon swing-role fighter that promises to enhance further the aircraft’s agility and weapons-carrying ability.

The Aerodynamic Modification Kit (AMK) is part of a wider Eurofighter Enhanced Manoeuvrability (EFEM) programme with the potential to help ensure the type’s continuing superiority for many years to come.

It entails primarily the addition of fuselage strakes and leading-edge root extensions, which increase the maximum lift created by the wing by 25% - resulting in an increased turn rate, tighter turning radius, and improved nose-pointing ability at low speed – all critical fighter capabilities in air-to-air combat.

The introduction of the AMK will not only enhance the Eurofighter’s current capability as a swing-role fighter-bomber, but will provide additional growth potential, enabling easier integration of future air–to-surface configurations and much more flexible applications, vastly enhancing the aircraft’s mission effectiveness in the air-to-surface role.

Read More: http://airbusdefenceandspace.com/newsro ... completed/

[whitelancer]

Want to see Typhoon, Vulcan the Red Arrows and much more, with a day by the sea thrown in? Try the Bournemouth Air Festival in August.

[-Eddie-]

A series of tweets from Tim Robinson at RIAT. All pretty good news for the RAF Typhoon.

Upgrades to the Typhoon are happening much more quickly and cheaply, Typhoon will be ready to take over from Tornado at its OSD in 2019 and will form 75% of the RAF's 'combat air mass'. It won't have the Tornado's RAPTOR pod but ISR plans will be looked at for the SDSR. Meteor will be test fired next month from a Typhoon in Scotland and the Storm Shadow will be released from Typhoon in September/October, SPEAR 3 in August. Brimstone 2 will be integrated on Typhoon around December 2018/early 2019.

[Jdam]

I very happy with this news (especially SPEAR 3) but I feel we are neglecting the F-35 a bit here.

SPEAR 3 will be a powered release, is that drop and motor ignition but with no seeking to target or so forth?

[downsizer]

A series of tweets from Tim Robinson at RIAT. All pretty good news for the RAF Typhoon.

Upgrades to the Typhoon are happening much more quickly and cheaply, Typhoon will be ready to take over from Tornado at its OSD in 2019 and will form 75% of the RAF's 'combat air mass'. It won't have the Tornado's RAPTOR pod but ISR plans will be looked at for the SDSR. Meteor will be test fired next month from a Typhoon in Scotland and the Storm Shadow will be released from Typhoon in September/October, SPEAR 3 in August. Brimstone 2 will be integrated on Typhoon around December 2018/early 2019.

And it will be in service by 2000. Oh wait....

There's a lot of work to be done here yet. Steps, slowly, in the right direction.

[Little J]

Why's it not getting RAPTOR? Budget or is there something new on the horizon that I've missed?

[ArmChairCivvy]

Big, and the pod does not fit (well) with Typhoon's body form. The current FJ bearing them being much boxier.
- does not mean that the pods should not be deployed by other means (e.g. keeping a few Tornados as dedicated recce machines... that can also shoot back)

[jimthelad]

I seem to remember Reaper being mentioned with Raptor.

[ArmChairCivvy]

Me too, but I think weaponising them has since been ramped up.

No statistics (yet) but UAV loss rates tend to be more than with FJs, and I wonder if a Raptor going down (with a Reaper) and being sent for close scrutiny somewhere would be such welcome news?

[ArmChairCivvy]

Only in January the MoD confirmed that a lot of Reapers had been boxed up for storage, and the crews would remain current through rotation.

There are some interesting unit prices here (not vouching for their accuracy, but will do as a ball park):

http://www.theregister.co.uk/2011/04/05 ... to_double/

Further, without going into the interwebs at this hour, but just relying on my memory, I think the number of Raptor pods for Reapers were put at 5 (at a time). Would this neuter them (as for carrying weapons, without further mods)... don't know? With the number doubled (and only one from the UK numbers lost so far), the plan would still make sense.
- but I guess the ISTAR budget is under strain (Sentinel extension, Airseekers coming into service und so weiter...) and this is a decision that remains an option even if it is not taken now

[arfah]

..............

[RetroSicotte]

Only in January the MoD confirmed that a lot of Reapers had been boxed up for storage, and the crews would remain current through rotation.

There are some interesting unit prices here (not vouching for their accuracy, but will do as a ball park):

http://www.theregister.co.uk/2011/04/05 ... to_double/

Further, without going into the interwebs at this hour, but just relying on my memory, I think the number of Raptor pods for Reapers were put at 5 (at a time). Would this neuter them (as for carrying weapons, without further mods)... don't know? With the number doubled (and only one from the UK numbers lost so far), the plan would still make sense.
- but I guess the ISTAR budget is under strain (Sentinel extension, Airseekers coming into service und so weiter...) and this is a decision that remains an option even if it is not taken now

Oh Lewis Page, you just can't keep from your Typhoon soapbox even in another article, can you?

[seaspear]

Is it known if the upgrades would prevent the addition of conformal tanks ,or would adjustments have to be made again for that addition

[RetroSicotte]

Physically, no, they wouldn't get in the way. The modifications are all forward on the fuselage nearer the cockpit.

Aerodynamically? I would be surprised if it made a huge difference, given the modifications seem to enhance flight anyway.

What I'm more interested in is that "increased lift" factor. Wonder if it might translate into greater overall payload...now wouldn't that be a nice little gap closer with competitors, especially as the AoA upgrade puts it above, shall we say, a certain rival in AoA.

Now if only they could get the targeting pod off that damn centreline. Surely it could fit onto a BVRAAM hardpoint with a proper stem.

[downsizer]

I seem to remember Reaper being mentioned with Raptor.

Eh? You're never going to fit a Raptor pod to a Reaper, or do you mean Reaper replacing Raptor?

[ArmChairCivvy]

Err... why not

http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-muIdgPHJG0g/V ... RAPTOR.jpg

[jonas]

Stormshadow Typhoon trials :-

https://www.eurofighter.com/news-and-ev ... n-italy-uk

[downsizer]

Err... why not

http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-muIdgPHJG0g/V ... RAPTOR.jpg

Not having seen the Reaper RTS I can't be certain, but the CofG issues their must be enormous. I'm not sure how credible this is....it also doesn't quite look like a Raptor pod to me, but it is a pretty low res picture.