Global Aircraft -- Eurofighter
Eurofighter Specifications
| Primary Function: |
Fighter |
| Contractor: |
Germany, Italy, Spain, UK |
| Crew: |
Pilot |
| Unit Cost: |
N/A |
| Powerplant |
| |
Two EJ200 Turbofan Engines rated at 20,000 lbf (90 kN) afterburning each |
| Dimensions |
| Length: |
49.08 ft |
| Wingspan: |
35.93 ft |
| Height: |
5.28m |
| Weights |
| Empty: |
21,495 lb (approx.) |
| Maximum Takeoff: |
46,297 lb (approx.) |
| Performance |
| Speed: |
1,320 mph (2125 km/h) |
| Ceiling: |
60,000 ft |
| Combat Radius: |
air defence with 10-min loiter : 1389 km |
| Armament |
| |
Internally mounted 27mm Mauser gun; Mix of Beyond Visual Range Air-to-Air Missiles (BVRAAM) and Short-Range Air-to-Air Missiles (SRAAM) carried externally; Four BVRAAM under fuselage in semi-conformal carriage configuration; Laser guided bombs; Advanced anti-armour weapons; Conventionally armed stand-off missiles |
| Service Life |
| First Flight: |
August 1986 (prototype)
March 27, 1994 (EF-2000) |
| End of Service: |
N/A |
| Number Built: |
[~698 in production] |
Eurofighter Achievements
No known major achievements
Eurofighter Background
Following the tri-national Tornado program, the Eurofighter program began in June of 1986. The Eurofighter program was once again tri-national with Germany, Britain, and Italy(Later Spain would also become part of the program soon after the original countries came together, Germany would also withdrawal later in the program). Their objective was to produce an air superiority fighter by the late 1990's.
Main Eurofighter concepts include: an unstable aerodynamic configuration with forward canards, a digital fly-by-wire system, complex avionics, multi-function cockpit displays, carbon-fibre composites and the extensive use of aluminium-lithium alloys along with titanium.
Donald, David, and Jon Lake. The Encyclopedia of World Military Aircraft. N.p.:
Barnes & Noble, Inc., 2000.
