Thanks Scorpion82. I will dig out the Eurofighter magazine but I wonder if the P3E will happen in one go or in phases with completion by 2018? It is an achingly slow pace to add those new weapons, when testing has begun last year- 4 years to operational usage ?

It will be done in one package. Bear in mind that P3E will be based on the outcome of P2Eb and we aren’t even at P2Ea yet. Of course it will take some time, but things are now moving faster in comparison due to the baseline being established which is P1Eb. We’ll see how this works out in the end, but there is something moving and the programme has gained some momentum. If you considered how long it took from signature of the original P1E contract to P2Ea and now we are already at P3E, the radar is finally contracted. There is some drive now, though it’s argueably overdue.

Btw some hints about P4E are included in the latest EF World issue available at eurofighter.com. It will be a more extensive upgrade and driven by all four nations. P3E is an exemplaric example how the programme is now configured to adress more pressing operational requirements more quickly as in the past.

Yawn, Sprey at his best. Unbelievable that this idiot has designed any aircraft, though designing an aircraft as such is not a task that can be done by a single individual nowadays and over the past few decades either. The nature of complexity alone requires several different disciplines in structures, aerodynamics, propulsion, flight controls, general aircraft systems, avionics, sensors etc and no one in the world is skilled enough in all those disciplines, let alone capable to work on them simultaneously. Those who work on those aircraft or are involved in such a programme know what challenges are encountered and there is a lot that’s not even known to the public and there is lot that isn’t sufficiently explained when it becomes public, mostly to make the headlines and get as many papers sold, links clicked and TV programmes watched. Are there complaints from operators? Of course there are, not just from the Germans. Doesn’t mean that they are entirely dissatisfied with the aircraft as it comes across in the news. There are issues, there are challenges and not everything is going fine on all fronts, but that’s the cold reality in all of these programmes! Just because some won’t communicate as openly as does the Germans, British or Americans doesn’t mean that similar problems aren’t present on weapon systems operated by other nations of various origins. Some problems are organisational, some are due to more restrictive directives/laws, some are technical etc. Problems can be manifold and are sometimes not even an issue with the aircraft itself. Unfortunately the sensational press is more interested in making headlines and influence opinions in support for this or that party, rather then informing the public for the purpose of informing it.

Emergency landings aren’t that unusual in military aviation and are often enough just a precautionary measure. I don’t think it’s worth to make a big fuzz about it or trying to draw conclusions on that base. Those diverts to Malta where logical given the bases they operated from and as there is usually no military air traffic it certainly didn’t pass by unnoticed.

In any case we are drifting away…

There aren’t too many potential customers left for the Typhoon within the production time scales, so any new order is highly desirable. No new orders = end of production = loss of profit and opportunities

The situation isn’t too different for most competitors and that puts potential customers in a comfortable position to have a lever.

That BAES doesn’t bid on markets where the F-35 is on offer is more coincidence than intentional. Each EPC is responsible for certain customers/regions usually based on previous buisiness experience and political ties. Exceptions may exist or existed but are rather rare.

About 1500?

:eagerness:

@EEL
Tranches are divided in batches and blocks. There four batches as of now two for T1 and one respectively for T2 & T3A. T3B would most certainly be batch 5.

Concerning the numbers:
Block 1 TS were T.1
Block 2 TS were T.1A
Block 2 SS were F.2
Block 5 onwards TS T.3
Block 4 onwards SS FGR.4

If you want it really accurate you would need to add a “Mk” after the letter for the Ts and F.

Saudi examples are FGR.50 (SS) and T.51 (TS).

We will see whether there will be a T.5 and FGR.6 with P1Eb. Haven’t heard or seen such references.

Greets