Eurofighter Typhoon

[PR19_Kit]

I've got a Pegasus EAP in my Loft somewhere.

It's like all Pegasus kits really, accurate, but needing detail attention. It suffers from being made from lots of small parts, but that's because of the size of the moulds that Chris was limited to I guess. It does have a good plan, like all Pegasus kits, and some excellent decals, and you won't get THOSE anywhere else for sure.

Does anyone know where the real aircraft is now? It surely must be worthy of museum space somewhere. I never saw it all the times I worked up at Warton, and no-one knew either, or they said they didn't.......

[Hobbes]

The EAP is at the Aeronautical and Automotive Engineering department of Loughborough University.

[Spey_Phantom]

BUMP:

speaking of EAP, did you know Gerry Anderson designed a Navalised version of that aircraft.
i recently spring cleaned my closet, and found my stash of (dutch translated) Thunderbirds comic books from 1994.
and look what i found in issue 11 

[Shasper]

Looks like the Sea Tiffie is making a comeback effort:

http://livefist.blogspot.com/2011/02/aero-india-naval-eurofighter-typhoon.html?utm_source=twitterfeed&utm_medium=twitter

[pyro-manic]

Interesting. Wish they had a view from underneath showing the new landing gear arrangement.

On the subject of the Typhoon, can anyone tell me what the intake at the base of the tail is for?

[Gondor]

Interesting. Wish they had a view from underneath showing the new landing gear arrangement.

On the subject of the Typhoon, can anyone tell me what the intake at the base of the tail is for?

I believe that it's for a heat exchanger, same as for the Tornado.

Gondor

[pyro-manic]

Ahh, thanks. That's great - means I can move it.

[dy031101]

Its nose landing gear looks kind of like that of MiG-29K except for being single-wheeled.

And thrust-vectoring engines...... 

[Mossie]

Hmmm, the design of the conformal tanks is a new as well, the ones I've seen previously are more or less standard drop tanks with the undersides shaped to fit.

[GTX]

Another picture:



+ media release by Eurofighter GmbH

Naval Typhoon: An Aircraft Carrier Version Under Development
   
(Source: Eurofighter GmbH; issued Feb. 9, 2011)

   The development of carrier aviation during the 20th century led to a dramatic paradigm shift in military capability. For the first time, navies had the ability to exert their influence far over the horizon – supporting land campaigns and allowing hostile fleets to be engaged from beyond the range of a battleship's guns. From Pearl Harbour to more recent conflicts in the Falklands and the Middle East, the carrier and its aircraft provide commanders with an unrivalled ability to project military and political influence; several acres of sovereign territory which can be moved close to potential trouble spots at short notice.

Historically, carrier aircraft have been highly specialised and designed specifically for the role. In the majority of cases, there is little or no commonality between the aircraft operated by a nation's air force, and the different aircraft performing the same role in the Navy. Design decisions taken in order to optimise an aircraft for carrier operations can lead to trade-offs elsewhere – such as additional weight and low-speed handling characteristics that compromise performance in other areas of the envelope.
A classic example today is the F-18 in all its versions, heavy, slow and not capable of facing the most advanced threats emerging around the world.

For a number of years, Eurofighter GmbH and its industrial partners have been studying the feasibility of adapting Eurofighter Typhoon for the naval role. These studies have included the assessment of required design changes, piloted simulations to refine the aircraft's handling qualities and discussions with key suppliers. The studies indicate that these changes are feasible, and would lead to the development of a world-beating, carrier-based fighter aircraft.

READY FOR LAUNCH

Modern carrier aircraft typically take off with the use of a catapult that attaches to the nose gear. These catapults are expensive to procure, maintain and operate. Catapult launch also leads to a heavier aircraft as a result of the additional weight on the aircraft's structure.

Typhoon is well known for its exceptional thrust-to-weight ratio which has been regularly demonstrated at air shows and in customer flight trials. It also allows the aircraft to take off from a carrier using a "ski-jump". Detailed simulations have shown that the aircraft will be able to take off in this way with a full weapon and fuel load – providing a nation with a truly potent naval aviation capability.

LANDINGS

Clearly one of the major challenges for any carrier-based aircraft is the arrested landing. Carrier aircraft fly a steep approach path and are brought to a halt rapidly by the arrestor gear. This leads to much higher loads being generated than would be the case for a land-based aircraft. Navalised Typhoon tackles this problem in two ways.

1. The introduction of a thrust-vectored variant of the Eurojet EJ200 engine would allow for a reduction in the aircraft's approach speed and the resulting landing loads. Thrust vectoring (Engines with TVN are already tested on bench) could be fully integrated into the Typhoon's advanced Flight Control System (FCS), allowing the pilot to focus on flying the approach path while the FCS manages the engine nozzle position.

2. The basic design of Typhoon also works in its favour during an arrested landing. The aircraft's structure is exceptionally strong, having been designed from the outset for the high dynamic loads associated with extreme air combat manoeuvring. This helps to minimise the structural changes required to enable carrier operations – usually seen as the biggest obstacle to developing a carrier-based variant of the aircraft.

SIMILARITIES

In any discussion of a navalised Typhoon, the differences from the land-based aircraft are the natural focus. However, one should also focus on the similarities. A key design driver for a navalised Typhoon has been to maximise commonality between the two variants. Design changes are minimised, allowing for many spare parts and test equipment to be shared across a customer's air force and navy fleets. The sensors, systems and weapons available to both variants will be common, allowing for a reduction in the aircrew training requirements. And in addition, the two variants will benefit from a common upgrade path – new capabilities will be available to both the air force and navy in similar timescales.

The introduction of Thrust Vectoring potentially provides an additional boost to Typhoon's capability. The ability to change the angle of the engines' thrust will allow for a further enhancement in Typhoon's already outstanding manoeuvrability, supercruise performances, fuel consumption and the handling of asymmetric weapon configuration.

When this is added to capabilities such as the Helmet Mounted Symbology System (HMSS), AESA radar and advanced air-to-air and air-to-surface missiles, the result is a truly world-beating multi-role aircraft. One that could also operate from an aircraft carrier.

NO COMPROMISE

Eurofighter has already discussed a navalised Typhoon with a number of potential customers and is keen to pursue this exciting new phase in Typhoon's development. Naval aviation will undoubtedly continue to provide nations with a flexible option for projecting power over the coming years.

In an increasingly affordability-conscious world, commonality between a nation's air force and naval aviation fleets will be of increasing importance. A navalised Typhoon can deliver this commonality, without compromising on capability.

-ends-

I would tend to take anything that comes out of AeroIndia with a fistful of salt though - in other words, expect this to stay in whiffland for some time to come.

Regards,

Greg

[Gondor]

I like the idea on an Indian Eurofighter though 

Gondor

[Spey_Phantom]

Typhoon + CFT + Thrust Vectoring = WIN   (+ stealth = EPIC WIN)

although i do have my doubts about the single wheeled nose wheel, a beefed up 2-wheel gear would be much better, if not safer  
i remember doing a navalised typhoon in 1/144 a while ago, might do a new Indian Navy one, with the new revell kit as a basis  
although i think the Harpoon ASM looks much better on the aircraft  

EDIT:
with the F-35's ever increasing cost, would it not be atractive for the Royal Navy to buy at least a small number of Sea Typhoons as Carrier Air defence fighters and keep the F-35C for strike only (that is IF India buys into the naval typhoon idea)
but chances that a naval typhoon would be developed is in my eyes very little, if there are only a limited number of the aircraft needed (like less then 36) i dont think the product wont justify the developement cost.
Rafale and Superbug have a bigger chance of winning, as the aircraft are available in both land- and Sea-based variants.
if only Brazil had a requirement similar to India's 

[Mossie]

although i do have my doubts about the single wheeled nose wheel, a beefed up 2-wheel gear would be much better, if not safer  

Never did the Harrier any harm, that single nosewheel has taken some seroius punishment through the years!  Looks like a similar arrangement.

[rickshaw]

Mmmm, Indian Typhoon?  Monsoon! 

[Thorvic]

although i do have my doubts about the single wheeled nose wheel, a beefed up 2-wheel gear would be much better, if not safer  
i remember doing a navalised typhoon in 1/144 a while ago, might do a new Indian Navy one, with the new revell kit as a basis  
although i think the Harpoon ASM looks much better on the aircraft  

Its the STOBAR design using a Skijump rather than a catapult launch, so just needs the beefier nose leg rather than the twin wheels to allow the catapult to be attached to it