Eurofighter Typhoon procurement is the planned selection and purchase of the Eurofighter Typhoon jet fighter by various countries.
The Typhoon was conceived from the start of the project as a collaborative venture by several European countries under the Eurofighter GmbH consortium. Initial participants in the Future European Fighter Aircraft programme were the UK, Germany, France, Italy and Spain, but France later withdrew.
Since then, several other countries have shown interest in the procurement of the Eurofighter Typhoon.
Procured aircraft
Summary OperatorsEurofighter Typhoon OrdersEurofighter Typhoon DeliveriesNotesTranche 1Tranche 2Tranche 3 / 3ATranche 4Tranche 5TotalTranche 1Tranche 2Tranche 3 / 3ATranche 4Tranche 5Total15––––1515––––15337931382020133793100143284721–24120284721–096––28––28––15––15––12––12––12––12––2412–36––220–2204824––72–4824––7219342020251181934200073––––20+2020––––00536740––160536740––160TOTAL148275200906978214827518500608
Primary customers
Germany (143 + 58 on order) On 4 August 2003, Germany accepted the first series production Eurofighter (GT003).Hoeveler, Wolfdietrich. "German Air Force take Delivery of First Series Production Eurofighter." Eurofighter GmbH, 4 August 2003. Retrieved: 3 July 2011.
The final Tranche 3A aircraft was delivered in 2019.
As part of the replacement of the Tornado, Germany made several decisions:
Replacement of the Tornado ECR: For this programme, the Eurofighter was in competition with the Boeing E/A-18G Growler. For the SEAD, DEAD and electronic warfare missions, Germany decided to adapt 15 of its Typhoons in November 2023. This new variant is known as the Eurofighter EK / ECR. Replacement of the Tornado IDS and Eurofighter T1: A part of the fleet was replaced by 35 F-35A for the NATO nuclear deterrence mission. The rest of the fleet will be replaced by the Eurofighter Quadriga. A first order was placed in 2020 for: 30 single-seat Typhoon T4 8 twin-seat Typhoon T4 As part of the replacement of the Panavia Tornado, Germany was still looking for fighter bombers. At ILA Berlin 2024, the Chancellor announced that Germany would order 20 additional Typhoons. The order was planned for the end of the legislative session in Autumn 2025. In October 2025, the purchase of 20 Eurofighter Tranche 5 was approved by the parliament.
Italy (96 + 24 on order) Italy operates the Eurofighter EF-2000 Typhoon.
The final Tranche 3A aircraft was delivered in 2020.
24 additional Eurofighter ordered in 2024 to replace the T1.
Spain (73 + 45 on order) In 2003, Spain took delivery of its first series production aircraft.Hoeveler, Wolfdietrich. "Spanish Air Force take Delivery of First Series Production Eurofighter." Eurofighter GmbH, 5 September 2003. Retrieved: 3 July 2011.
The final Tranche 3A aircraft was delivered in 2019.
The Halcon programme was launched to replace the F/A-18 A/B of the Spanish Air Force:
Halcon I: In November 2023, 20 Eurofighter T4 ordered. Halcon II: In November 2024, 25 Eurofighter T4+ ordered
United Kingdom (160)
On 9 August 2007, the UK's Ministry of Defence reported that No. 11 Squadron RAF of the RAF, which stood up as a Typhoon squadron on 29 March 2007, had taken delivery of its first two multi-role Typhoons."11 Squadron." Raf.mod.uk, 9 January 2007. Retrieved: 3 July 2011. The RAF Typhoons were declared combat ready in the air-to-ground role by 1 July 2008. The RAF Typhoons were projected to be ready to deploy for operations by mid-2008.
In July 2012, UK Defence Secretary Philip Hammond suggested that a follow-on buy of F-35A aircraft would be determined by the Strategic Defence and Security Review in 2015, with the aim of replacing the UK's Typhoons around 2030.Hewson, Robert. "UK slashes F-35B numbers but might look to split buy with F-35As." IHS Janes, 27 July 2012. The UK is to decide what mix of manned and unmanned aircraft will replace its Eurofighters sometime between 2015 and 2020."Britain, US hail F-35 fighter as tightening ties." Reuters, 18 July 2012.
It was announced in December 2013 that No. 2 Squadron would be the fifth Typhoon Squadron to convert from the Panavia Tornado and reform at RAF Lossiemouth from 1 April 2015.
By July 2014, a dozen RAF Tranche 2 Typhoons had been upgraded with Phase 1 Enhancement (P1E) capability to enable them to use the Paveway IV guided bomb; the Tranche 1 version had used the GBU-12 Paveway II in combat over Libya, but the Paveway IV can be set to explode above or beneath a target and to hit at a set angle. The British are aiming to upgrade their Typhoons to be able to carry the Storm Shadow cruise missile and Brimstone air-to-ground missile by 2018 to ensure they have manned aircraft configured with strike capabilities with trained crews by the time the Tornado GR4 is retired the following year; the Defence Ministry is funding research for a common launcher system that could also drop the Selective Precision Effects at Range (Spear) III networked precision-guided weapon from the Typhoon, which is already planned for the F-35. RAF Tranche 1 Typhoons are too structurally and technically different from later models so the British have decided that, beginning in 2015 or 2016, the older models will be switched out for Tranche 2 and 3 versions, a process that will remove the Tranche 1 aircraft from service around 2020 to be stripped for parts to support newer versions.U.K. Gears Up For Typhoon Enhancements – Aviationweek.com, 9 July 2014
In the 2015 Strategic Defense and Security Review (SDSR), it was decided to retain some of the Tranche 1 aircraft to increase the number of front-line squadrons from five to seven and to boost the out-of-service date from 2030 to 2040 as well as implement the Captor-E AESA radar in later tranches.
The final Tranche 3A aircraft was delivered in 2019.
In 2021 it was decided to retire the Tranche 1 Typhoons by 2025.
Export
Austria (15)
On 2 July 2002 the Austrian government announced its decision to buy the Typhoon as its new air defence aircraft, it having beaten the General Dynamics F-16 and the Saab JAS 39 Gripen in competition.Green, Peter. "World Business Briefing, Europe: Austria: Eurofighter Selected." International Herald Tribune via NYTimes.com, 3 July 2002. Retrieved: 9 January 2012. The purchase of 18 Typhoons was agreed upon on 1 July 2003, and included training, logistics, maintenance and a simulator. On 26 June 2007 Austrian Minister for Defense Norbert Darabos announced a reduction to 15 aircraft.Heinrich, Mark. "Austria, Eurofighter agree cut in jet purchase." Reuters, 26 June 2007. Retrieved: 27 June 2007. The first aircraft was delivered on 12 July 2007 and formally entered service in the Austrian Air Force."Eurofighter Typhoon in Service." eurofighter.com. Retrieved: 3 July 2011 A 2008 report by the Austrian government oversight office, the Rechnungshof, calculated that instead of getting 18 Tranche 2 jets at a price of €109 million each, as stipulated by the original contract, the revised deal agreed by Minister Darabos meant that Austria was paying an increased unit price of €114 million for 15 partially used, Tranche 1 jets.Rhys Thompson, Andrew. "Austria: Eurofighter Saga Continues." ISN Security Watch via isn.ethz.ch, 17 June 2009. Retrieved: 9 January 2012.
Austrian prosecutors are investigating allegations that up to €100 million was made available to lobbyists to influence the original purchase decision in favour of the Eurofighter. Agence France-Presse via Defensenews.com, 2 September 2011. Retrieved: 9 January 2012. By October 2013, all Typhoons in service with Austria had been upgraded to the latest Tranche 1 standard. In 2014, due to defense budget restrictions, there were only 12 pilots available to fly the 15 aircraft in Austria's Air Force. In February 2017, Austrian Defense Minister Hans Peter Doskozil accused Airbus of fraudulent intent following a probe that allegedly unveiled corruption linked to the order of Typhoon jets.
In July 2017, the Austrian Defense Ministry announced that it would be replacing all of its Typhoon aircraft by 2020. The ministry said that continued use of its Typhoons over their 30-year life–span would cost about €5 billion with the bulk being for maintenance. It estimated that buying a new fleet of 15 single–seat and 3 twin–seat fighters would save €2 billion over that period. Austria plans to explore a government-to-government sale or lease agreement to avoid a lengthy and costly tender process with a manufacturer. Possible replacements include the Saab Gripen and the F-16."Austria plans to end Eurofighter program early amid row with Airbus". Business News, 7 July 2017.
The Austrian courts ended the fraud case in 2020 due to lack of evidence.
Kuwait (28) In June 2015, it was reported that Kuwait was in talks with the Italian Air Force and Alenia Aermacchi about the potential purchase of up to 28 Eurofighter Typhoons for two squadrons. On 11 September 2015, Eurofighter confirmed that an agreement had been reached to supply Kuwait with 28 aircraft. On 1 March 2016, the Kuwaiti National Assembly approved the procurement of 22 single-seat and six twin-seat Typhoons, which will be assembled at Caselle, Italy. On 5 April 2016, Kuwait signed a contract with Leonardo valued at €7.957 billion (US$9.062 billion) for the supply of the 28 aircraft, all to third tranche standard. The Kuwaiti aircraft will be the first Typhoons to receive the Captor-E active electronically scanned array radar, with two instrumented production aircraft from the UK and Germany currently undergoing ground-based integration trials. The Typhoons will be fitted with Leonardo's Praetorian defensive aid suite and the PIRATE infrared search and track system. The contract involves the production of aircraft in Italy and covers logistics, operational support and the training of flight crews and ground personnel. It also encompasses infrastructure work at the Ali Al Salem Air Base, where the Typhoons will be based. Aircraft deliveries will begin in 2020.
Oman (12) During the 2008 Farnborough Airshow it was announced that Oman was in an "advanced stage" of discussions towards purchasing Typhoons as a replacement for its SEPECAT Jaguar aircraft."Oman Nears Eurofighter Typhoon Deal." Aviation Week. Retrieved: 30 November 2009.Barrie, Douglas. "Farnborough Airshow." Flight International via flightglobal.com, 18 July 2008. Retrieved: 28 November 2009. Through 2010 Oman remained interested in ordering Typhoons."Oman 'wants to buy' Eurofighter planes from the UK." BBC, 2 April 2010. though the Saab JAS 39 Gripen was also being considered."Royal Air Force of Oman, JAS 39 Gripen and Eurofighter Typhoon." Tactical Report, 3 June 2010. Retrieved: 1 August 2010. In the interim Oman ordered 12 additional F-16s in December 2011.Hoyle, Craig. "Omani F-16 deal means continued wait for Eurofighter." Flight International via flightglobal.com, 14 December 2011. Retrieved: 18 December 2011. On 21 December 2012, the Royal Air Force of Oman became the Typhoon's seventh customer when BAE Systems and Oman announced an order for 12 Typhoons to enter service in 2017."BAE Systems wins £2.5bn Hawk and Typhoon contract" BBC ,' 21 December 2012. Retrieved: 21 December 2012. The first of the Typhoons (plus Hawk Mk 166) ordered by Oman were, according to a BAE Systems' press release, "formally presented to the customer" on 15 May 2017. The presentation included a flypast by a Royal Air Force of Oman Typhoon.
Qatar (24 + 12)