Germany orders additional Eurofighter Tranche 5 fighters

On 5 June 2024, at the opening of the ILA Berlin 2024 airshow, Chancellor Olaf Scholz announced that Germany will buy 20 additional Eurofighter Typhoon fighter aircraft, supplementing previous orders for the Luftwaffe (GAF, German Air Force).

In November 2020, an order for 38 new (Tranche 4) Typhoons was confirmed under Project Quadriga. The total value of this order is 5,4 billion euros. These Typhoons will not be added to the current fleet but will replace the oldest Tranche 1 aircraft. This order includes thirty single-seat and eight twin-seat variants. Notable differences compared to previous tranches are the installation of the E-Scan European Common Radar (ECRS) system and updated software.

Airbus Defence and Space has expressed concerns about a potential production gap that could last up to 10 years between the end of Eurofighter production in 2030 and the start of the Future Combat Air System (FCAS) production in 2040. This gap could result in the loss of jobs, tax revenues, cutting-edge technologies, and expertise. The new order from the German government aims to prevent this gap and maintain production continuity.

Earlier, in November 2023, the German Budget Committee approved the acquisition of fifteen Typhoon Electronic Combat fighters for the Luftwaffe. These fighters, also known as the Typhoon EK, will be equipped with a transmitter location and self-protection system from Saab, as well as Advanced Antiradiation Guided Missile (AARGM) missiles from Northrop Grumman. The Electronic Combat variant will be NATO-certified by 2030 and will replace the Tornado ECR in the SEAD (Suppression of Enemy Air Defence) role.

Credit photo: Dietmar Fenners (Scramble Archive)