Heaviest ever Eurofighter Typhoon test configuration flying

Eurofighter has released a series of photographs of the Typhoon fighter aircraft in its heaviest configuration to date as it continues its evolution into a multi-role strike aircraft.

EADS’s IPA3 is pictured carrying four Raytheon Paveway II 450kg (1,000lb) laser-guided bombs, an air-to-air missile fit of four Raytheon AIM-120 AMRAAMs and two BGT IRIS-Ts and three external fuel tanks at a maximum take-off weight of almost 24t.

View the pics >>

Surely this is the Tranche-2. The Eurofighter will soon be a true multirole fighter. Way to Go

Eurofighter is now making rapid progress towards achieving an air-to-ground capability on the Typhoon – a capability whose absence was believed to be behind the type’s rejection from Singapore’s fighter competition last year.

Article >

However I wonder when the much publicised 'swing role' capability will be featured.

[edit on 25-2-2006 by Stealth Spy]

many missiles eh... Kinda reminds me of a fully loaded Su-32...

BTW, Anybody of you know if missiles could be placed under the canards...?? (not in the EF, just a general question)


[edit on 25-2-2006 by Figher Master FIN]

Thats a sweet article

Ok I may think the euro fighters ugly as sin, but heck thats one hell of a load to haul into the sky! Nice colour scheme for the test rig though: bright yellow - visible to say the least

As for missles under the canards? no way at all. The canards in aircraft are part of its aerodynamic lift and control system / stability. Mix this with missles hung on a weak point like a canard and your planes going to be in deep trouble!

A question :

Israel's Rafael has been chosen as the provider of laser designation pods for the RAF's Tranche 2 Eurofighter's ( link ). After the recently concluded Eurofighter deal with Saudi Arabia, it has been discolsed that the Saudis will get Tranche 2 Typhoons from the RAF's Eurofighter quota.

Now will the UK transfer the Tranche-2's to the Saudis with the Israeli LDP's ? These LDP's are critical to providing guidence to several laser guided weapons that the Tranche 2 will feature .... will Israel approve of such a sale ... will the Saudis accept Israeli weaponry equipment ? Doing away with LDP's will siverely dent the Typhoons capability ... so what will the Saudis do ? At present there does not seem to any alternative LDP ... unless France offer the Rafale's Damo'cls LDP and the Eurofighter people are able to integrate it with the Typhoon and its weapons....and the whole proposition seems very unlikely.... does this place the Saudi EF deal in quandarry

Thats one hell of a point. Whos going to buckle first? Israel or Saudi on this?
Will israel allow a saudi defence team to take a look at some of its top tech? especially if the eurofighter may seen as possibly tobe used against israel at some time in the future?

heres a thought. Would saudi let the Iranians look at the tech with a view to making a counter measure system to the designator?

Originally posted by Figher Master FIN

many missiles eh...

Kinda reminds me of a fully loaded Su-32...

BTW, Anybody of you know if missiles could be placed under the canards...?? (not in the EF, just a general question)


[edit on 25-2-2006 by Figher Master FIN]

You mean like this?



(Tupolev Tu-138, rival to MiG 25. Unbuilt) 1963

[edit on 26-2-2006 by waynos]

No, like this. lol

[edit on 26-2-2006 by SpittinCobra]

Duh, I know what a Typhoon is dude

Originally posted by waynos
Duh, I know what a Typhoon is dude

It was a joke. Im sure you know what it is.

heres a thought. Would saudi let the Iranians look at the tech with a view to making a counter measure system to the designator?

Short answer.... No.

Long answer.... Nooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo..

Saudis are Sunni, Iran is Shia. They both view each other as potential enemies..

Oops, it went right over my head, I was too busy thinking abouut FIN's weapons on the canards question.

I have to say thats something the F-22 cant do. Even if it had external mounts it would be losing some major Stealth points. External weapons are a no no for stealth.

Well, here is a picture of the Su-32FN (a.k.a Su-34/ a.k.a Su-27IB) Deep Penitration Bomber loaded with weapons :



To be loaded :



Other views :






What a beauty.

What is the capacity of those fuel tanks the Typhoon os carrying ?

Thats a great looking plane Stealth Spy but the SU-47 is still my favorite in the looks department

They have to paint that Su-32FN black like the Su-47 with the red missiles it would look so sweet

Originally posted by ShadowXIX
External weapons are a no no for stealth.

Well, the folks at Dassult are working on some kind of tubes for the Rafale, in which armament is to be placed ... this is believed to negate the RCS increasing quality of external weapons.... i'd like to get more info on this concept myself.

Don't be surprising, As I know ef-2000 could carry much more heavier load as shadowstrom!
plus CFT

External tubes to cover the Missiles thats a new concept too me interesting.

Even the Russians decided to go with a internal weapon bay for the stealthy SU-47. When both Russia and the US share a design aspect I tend to think thats the best way to go but I could be wrong.

I have heard of something simmilar for external stores on the F-22

I have to say thats something the F-22 cant do. Even if it had external mounts it would be losing some major Stealth points. External weapons are a no no for stealth.

Shadow the Raptor could do that if it wanted, but it would loose stealth features, looking at that Typhoon I was just thinking how brightly it would light up the radar screen. The Raptor can carry upwards of 14 missiles on both internal and external positions.

I have heard of something simmilar for external stores on the F-22

Yeah they were being considered as a way for the Raptor to carry external missiles, they would be placed in these so called “stealth pods”. Stealth futures would be compromised but its better than having a gazillion fins sticking in every which way.

[edit on 26-2-2006 by WestPoint23]