Eurofighter Test Fleet surpasses 6,000 Flying Hours

(November 18, 2008) -- The international test fleet of Eurofighter Typhoon surpassed the 6,000 Flying Hours mark recently.

With flight testing now focusing on further enhancements of Eurofighter Typhoon, recent major highlights were the conclusion of In-flight refuelling trials of the Italian Air Force and Alenia Aeronautica with KC-130J Hercules tankers and the beginning of similar trials of the German Air Force, the German Operational Test Centre Wehrtechnische Dienststelle 61 and EADS with Airbus A310 MRTT (Multi-Role Tanker Transport).


Also the first phase of flight tests for Phase 1 Enhancements were concluded at Alenia with IPA2 flying air-to-surface weapon Paveway IV in various configuration for flutter trials. Further trials will follow on IPA1 at BAE Systems and IPA4 at EADS CASA with Paveway IV and the 1000lb dual mode precision guided EGBU-16 bomb. The test data gained in these trials will allow the air vehicle aspects of the P1E capability development to be progressed.

The current test fleet consists of six Instrumented Production Aircraft plus one Instrumented Series Production Aircraft (ISPA1), while IPA3 is on loan to EADS for a flight evaluation in Switzerland.

Source : Eurofighter