200th Eurofighter delivered.
Thursday 26 November 2009By EU Reporter Correspondents
The 200th Eurofighter Typhoon produced by the four partner companies of the European consortium, was delivered by EADS Deutschland to the German Luftwaffe this week.
The Typhoons – produced by EADS Deutschland, EADS CASA, BAE Systems and Alenia Aeronautica - are now in service with 12 units in six air forces replacing 11 aircraft types. To date the fleet has flown over 70,000 flying hours in total with above average operational availability and unmatched operational performances.
A total of 707 aircraft are on order, with a number due to be exported to Saudi Arabia, although it remains uncertain if these are new orders, or if the aircraft will represent the reduction in the British requirement - Britain will continue to purchase "off the shelf" strike fighters from the US, for operation on its planned fleet aircraft carriers.
Recently, four Royal Air Force Typhoon aircraft flew a record breaking flight of 18 hours to the Falkland Islands in the South Atlantic Sea, to take over Quick Reaction Alert (QRA) duties from the Tornado F3s. In similar operational roles, the Luftwaffe has been on NATO air policing duties in the Baltic states; the Italian Air Force is carrying out air policing duties over Albania and the Austrian Air Force - that has received all 15 ordered aircraft - provided security for the air space over a NATO Defence Ministers event in Slovakia.
Enzo Casolini, Eurofighter GmbH CEO, said: “The Eurofighter Typhoon is not only the world’s leading frontline combat aircraft but is also the biggest industrial collaboration in Europe. Confirming the plan agreed in the past by the four nations for the production of this aircraft means the Eurofighter can keep securing 100,000 jobs across 400 different companies and the huge benefits provided to the four nations’ economies for long terms”.