Planes and Choppers Photos

Eurofighter Jagdflugzeug GmbH was formed by an alliance between Germany, Italy, Spain and the UK in 1986 to manage the European Fighter Aircraft programme, with its headquarters in Munich. Later that year the BAe EAP (Experimental Aircraft Programme demonstration aircraft) was rolled out at BAe Warton, by this time also partially funded by MBB, BAe and Aeritalia. Design work continued over the next five years using data from the EAP. Initial requirements were: UK: 250 aircraft, Germany: 250, Italy: 165 and Spain: 100. The share of the production work was divided among the countries in proportion to their projected procurement – DaimlerChrysler Aerospace (33%), British Aerospace (33%), Aeritalia (21%), and Construcciones Aeronáuticas SA (CASA) (13%). The aircraft was known as Eurofighter EFA from the late 1980s until it was renamed EF 2000 in 1992. The Eurofighter prototype first flew in 1994, and the first production contract was signed on 30 January 1998 between Eurofighter GmbH, Eurojet and NETMA (NATO Eurofighter and Tornado Management Agency) which acts as the prime customer. In 1998 the aircraft was formally named the Typhoon. There are single-seat and two-seat training versions.