There will be different standards of Typhoons. Block 5/T1, block 10+/T2 and block X/T3. It’s certainly not possible to fully upgrade T1 Typhoons to higher standards hardware wise, except you accept expensive rebuilds of the structure (primarily wings and nose structure). Avionics can be upgraded as has been done with IPA2/4/6 and T2s aren’t too dissimilar to T3 examples wrt airframe. There are differences such as the plums for CFTs and the fuel dump, dunno how much it would take to add those to the T2s, but other than that it should be possible to sustain a relative homogeneous fleet of T2 & T3 at least. T1s will likely be employed for QRA taskings and training in the first place, though it would be possible to employ them for AG missions to a more limited extend (no heavy weapons like Taurus or Storm Shadow, but lighter weapons such as PW IV, Brimstone etc.). The UK may retire their T1s (that’s the current position), but not all will do that. The other partners have no intention to offload their T1s and all previous attempts were linked to the purchase of T3B as a replacement for possible sales of used T1s. With T3B more than unlikely to materialise for the core nations we’ll probably not see most of the T1s being dumbed either. Maybe even the UK will rethink its position, there is still some time left and they aren’t in hurry!
As Sintra stated operating different “standards” of aircraft types isn’t that unusual at all. Look at the various different block standards of F-16s the USAF and even some other customers operate, the different F-15s (Israel uses all variants f.e.) etc. Even smaller countries do things like this, including France f.e. which operates Mirage 2000C, RDI and -5F! It’s apparently not that “special”, nor is it a first. However it’s interesting to see how some people can spin things in the one or other way.
@Sintra
There are just 5 operators of T1s not 6. 😉
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