PADSpot From Germany, joined Jan 2005, 1676 posts, RR: 5 Posted (5 years 4 months 1 week 2 days 15 hours ago) and read 3095 times:
Today the first production standard Tranche 2 Eurofighter had its first flight at the German Final Assembly line at Maching.
Eurofighter also published the Tranche 2 production volumes that compensate the partner air forces for the Tranche 1 EFs that are being delivered to Austria. Germany will get 15 additional air frames (4 more than those passed on to Austria), the UK 2, Italy 1 and Spain 1.
Quote: First Tranche 2 Eurofighter Typhoon Has Flown
16 January 2008
Hallbergmoos - The first Tranche 2 Eurofighter Typhoon has made its first flight at EADS Military Air Systems’ site in Manching. Instrumented Production Aircraft Seven (IPA7) was piloted by EADS Test Pilot Chris Worning.
The aircraft, a German single seat variant, represents the full Tranche 2 build standard and its first prominent task will be to accomplish Type Acceptance for Block 8, the first capability standard of Tranche 2, in April 2008. This work will be carried out together with the BAE Systems-operated IPA6 based at Warton. IPA6 (BS031) is essentially a Tranche 1 standard aircraft but utilises the full Tranche 2 mission computer suite and avionics features. The first series of EJ200 engine flight testing for Tranche 2 was successfully concluded at the end of November with IPA2 in Italy.
The significant Tranche 2 capabilities focus mainly on the new mission computers which deliver the higher processing and memory capacity required for the integration of future weapons such as Meteor, Storm Shadow and Taurus. Differences in the build standard to Tranche 1 are related to changes in production technology or obsolescence.
Based on the Tranche 2 production contract, signed on 14 December 2004, and the original export contract with Austria, the Eurofighter consortium will deliver 251 Tranche 2 weapon systems: 91 to the United Kingdom, 79 to Germany (including 15 aircraft originally contracted by Austria), 47 to Italy and 34 to Spain. Deliveries of Tranche 2 Eurofighter Typhoons to all four Partner Nations will begin in Summer 2008 and are scheduled to run until 2013. 32 aircraft are already in final assembly at the partner companies Alenia Aeronautica, BAE Systems, EADS CASA and EADS Deutschland.
KC135TopBoom From United States of America, joined Jan 2005, 11711 posts, RR: 52 Reply 1, posted (5 years 4 months 1 week 22 hours ago) and read 2925 times:
Quoting PADSpot (Thread starter): Today the first production standard Tranche 2 Eurofighter had its first flight
Congrades. The EF has passed another milestone. It is (and will be) a great fighter.
EBJ1248650 From United States of America, joined Jun 2005, 1932 posts, RR: 2 Reply 2, posted (5 years 4 months 3 days 14 hours ago) and read 2760 times:
Does Tranche 2 offer the full air-to-ground capability? Can Tranche 1 airplanes be upgraded to full air-to-ground capability?
F27Friendship From Netherlands, joined Jul 2007, 1113 posts, RR: 5 Reply 3, posted (5 years 4 months 3 days 11 hours ago) and read 2724 times:
Quoting EBJ1248650 (Reply 2): Does Tranche 2 offer the full air-to-ground capability? Can Tranche 1 airplanes be upgraded to full air-to-ground capability?
what means full air to ground. The brits have managed to go quite far with their Tranche 1 frames. Tranche 2 already has better mission systems for it. I think integrated the right targeting pod is the "biggest" next step
PADSpot From Germany, joined Jan 2005, 1676 posts, RR: 5 Reply 4, posted (5 years 4 months 3 days 10 hours ago) and read 2704 times:
Quoting EBJ1248650 (Reply 2): Does Tranche 2 offer the full air-to-ground capability? Can Tranche 1 airplanes be upgraded to full air-to-ground capability?
The initial Block 8 of Tranche 2 offers the same capability as Tranche 1 Block 5.
The major difference to Tranche 1 is a new computer hardware standard. About 15 mission computers are being replaced by newer ones, which results in a vast increase in computing power and memory capacity. It also serves as a opportunity for component suppliers to introduce new production standards. One example might the engine control unit, which used to be a a two-part component in Tranche 1 and which has now been integrated into one, more enhanced component.
The newer and faster hardware will later be used for additional weapons integration (cf. Block 10 as "FCP1") and new radar modes (increased SAR resolution etc., better A/G modes) and new capabilities of the DASS defensive aids suite (LPI revelation etc.)
As a consequence of the new computing hardware, a new software revision will be introduced, but which is functionally to T1B5 function-wise.
Quoting PADSpot (Thread starter): Germany will get 15 additional air frames (4 more than those passed on to Austria), the UK 2, Italy 1 and Spain 1.
I also need to correct myself here as my initial source proved wrong. Germany will receive 11 additional Tranche 2 EFs, which is exactly the number of Tranche 1 EFs it passes on to Austria (some new, some after they went through the R2 programme).
PADSpot From Germany, joined Jan 2005, 1676 posts, RR: 5 Reply 6, posted (5 years 4 months 1 day 22 hours ago) and read 2590 times:
Quoting Scouseflyer (Reply 5): Does anyone know the status of the orders for Tranche 3 planes - are they still being argued about and will they become reality?
That depends on what you expect:
A new hardware standard and additional orders by all core nations? - Questionable.
Individual hardware enhancements (based on Tranche 2 standard) and additional orders by at least some nations - Yes.
Germany WILL order its third order batch. The fact that the UK; Spain, and Italy have been bitching about Tranche 3 orders is more related to different price agreements in the framework contract and internal rivalry in connection with the JSF (which in humble opinion will cease, once LockMart presents final prices).
The decision about Tranche 3 will be made in the first half of this year. Two topics that will also pop up in the near future are negotiations about the Enhanced/Future Capabilities Program II (FCP/ECPII) and a possible upgrade program for all Tranche 1 EFs to Tranche 2 standard after the R2 program has concluded.
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