- Yes
- No
Hello and welcome to my suggestion for the First Single seat version of the Eurofighter Typhoon used by the RAF, The Tranche 1 F.2! I feel this should definitely come to game in the near future alongside other nations counterparts given its place in the Modern history of the RAF.
History
Spoiler
The story of the Eurofighter is a long one, and I could not hope to fit it into one suggestion, but the story begins all the way back in the early 1970s when research was started on a Multirole aircraft capable of replacing the Jaguars (Then just entering service) by the Turn of the 21st Century, this led to a plethora of designs including the P.96, P.110 and most notably the Anglo-French European Combat Fighter (ECF) Project, all of which were either canned or fell apart due to various reasons during the late 70s and early 80s.
This is where the Eurofighters story truly begins, in 1982 the Panavia partners (BAe, MBB and Aeritalia) Launched the Agile Combat Aircraft (ACA) project which was to be powered by a modified version of the RB199 Turbofan engine used on the Tornados. Whilst the German and Italian governments withdrew funding the UK government agreed to fund 50% of the project whilst the companies would pay the other 50% themselves and as all the Companies signed up it was agreed the construction would take place at two sites: BAe Warton and an MBB Factory in Germany. Subsequently in 1983 BAe announced its contract for a ACA demonstrator, something that would lead to the BAe EAP (Experimental Aircraft Project)
In 1983 Italy, Britain, Germany, Spain and France launched another joint project, this time the FEFA (Future European Fighter Aircraft) Project capable of STOL and BVR capabilities, however this project initially was fraught with difficulties as France Withdrew from the Project to pursue its own ACX project, that would become the Dassault Rafale, because of its desire for a Carrier capable version to be produced. Spain also shared some uncertainty, leaving the project alongside France in 1984 however Re-joined the project in late 1985.
Now you may think this was the end of the Troubles, however that is far from the truth, by 1986 the Projects cost had reached £180 Million and to make things worse, the Equal funding agreement began falling apart as the West German and Italian governments wavered on their agreement, this lead to Britain having to front an extra £100 Million to keep the project from dying out. However despite the issues the BAe EAP demonstrator was rolled out of BAe Warton and was first displayed at Farnborough in late 1986.
Despite further delays due to the Post Reunification Germany trying to withdraw and subsequently reducing its share of the workload the First Eurofighter Prototype (DA.1) made its maiden flight on the 27th of March 1994 with the First production orders being placed in January 1998, the Procurement Details were as follows: UK 232, Germany 180, Italy 121, Spain 87.
The Typhoon name was officially adopted in late 1998 and continued on from the Panavia Tornados Naming theme of storms, this was resisted by Germany as the Hawker Typhoon was a British WW2 Fighter-Bomber that was used widely against German targets, the name Spitfire II was also rejected for a similar reason. However despite the Complaints and Issues the first Tranche 1 Eurofighters were delivered in late 2003 and so far almost 600 airframes have been built with many more either on order or in the plans for ordering.
As of 2021 all of the RAFs Tranche 1 Eurofighters are to be Retired by 2025, this is due to them being incapable of the Project Centurion Upgrade that came to the Tranche 2 and above Eurofighters as the Tranche 1 Airframes are incompatible with modern Equipment such as the MDBA Meteor and Brimstone missiles.
The F.2 Variant is the First Single seat version of the Aircraft and has seen use in Libya, Afghanistan, and most notably in the QRA role over the North Sea against Russian Aircraft trying to violate UK and NATO Airspace. the F.2 was the Mainstay of the Typhoon force up until the Project Centurion Upgrades that made the F.2 obsolete compared to its FGR.4 counterparts.
Pictures
Spoiler
An F.2 Aircraft as it flies through the Mach Loop in North Wales
The P.106 and P.110 Projects that led to the Birth of the Eurofighter
The British Aerospace EAP that was the First Eurofighter Demonstrator
Typhoon F.2 taxiing at RAF Lossiemouth
Underside of an F.2, showing off 4 ASRAAMs and 4 AIM-120s
Typhoon F.2 on patrol above the North Sea
F.2 firing an ASRAAM
Specifications/ Armament
Spoiler
General characteristics
- Crew: 1
- Length: 15.96 m (52 ft 4 in)
- Wingspan: 10.95 m (35 ft 11 in)
- Height: 5.28 m (17 ft 4 in)
- Wing area: 51.2 m2 (551 sq ft)
- Empty weight: 11,000 kg (24,251 lb)
- Gross weight: 16,000 kg (35,274 lb)
- Max takeoff weight: 23,500 kg (51,809 lb)
- Fuel capacity: 4,996 kg (11,010 lb) / 6,215 L (1,642 US gal; 1,367 imp gal) internal
- Powerplant: 2 × Eurojet EJ200afterburning turbofan engines, 60 kN (13,000 lbf) thrust each dry, 90 kN (20,000 lbf) with afterburner
Performance
- Maximum speed: 2,125 km/h or 1,320 mph at 11,000 m altitude1,530 km/h (950 mph; 830 kn) / Mach 1.25 at sea level(1,530 km/h or 950 mph), Supercruise: Mach 1.5
- Range: 2,900 km (1,800 mi, 1,600 nmi)
- Combat range: 1,389 km (863 mi, 750 nmi) air defence with 10-min. loiter / ground attack, hi-lo-hi (with 3 × external 1,000 l tanks), 185 km (100 nmi; 115 mi) air defence with 3-hr combat air patrol (with 3 × external 1,000 l tanks), 601 km (325 nmi; 373 mi) ground attack, lo-lo-lo (with 3 × external 1,000 l tanks)
- Ferry range: 3,790 km (2,350 mi, 2,050 nmi) with 3 × drop tanks
- Service ceiling: 19,812 m (65,000 ft)
- g limits: +9 / -3
- Rate of climb: 315 m/s (62,000 ft/min)* Wing loading: 312 kg/m2 (64 lb/sq ft)
- Thrust/weight: 1.15 (interceptor configuration)
- Brakes-off to Take-off acceleration: <8 s
- Brakes-off to supersonic acceleration: <30 s
- Brakes-off to Mach 1.6 at 11,000 m (36,000 ft): <150 s
Armament
- Guns: 1 x Mauser BK-27 Revolver Cannon with 150 rounds
- Hardpoints: Total of 13: 8 × under-wing; and 5 × under-fuselage pylon stations; holding in excess of 9,000 kg (19,800 lb) of payload
- Air to Air Missiles
- AIM-9 Sidewinder (Demonstrator and IPA aircraft only)
- AIM-132 ASRAAM
- AIM-120 B/C AMRAAM
- Bombs
- Paveway Guided Bombs
- Avionics/ Other
- LITENING III Targeting pod
- Up to 3 Drop tanks (2 wing, 1 centreline)
- Euroradar CAPTOR radar
- Praetorian DASS Countermeasures Suite
- Passive Infra-Red Airborne Tracking Equipment (PIRATE)
Place in game
Spoiler
Personally I feel there are two main reasons to add this to game, the First is that at Higher tiers the UKs tech Tree is lacking in aircraft and could really use an early Tranche 1 Eurofighter to help keep it competitive in the Near future as other nations gain advanced aircraft like the Su-30, F-15E and others.
This would basically be a pure air to air fighter due to its extremely limited Air to ground loadout with very powerful missiles to back it up, both the ASRAAM and AMRAAMs are considered to be some of the best missiles in the world and would certainly give other nations a run for their money on such a manoeuvrable airframe like the Eurofighters.
Personally I believe the F.2 is a MUST for the British Tech Tree given it was the First main variant of the Eurofighter and should come to game alongside its counterparts in the near future, given its very good manoeuvrability paired with excellent weapons I feel that this aircraft will be a very good aircraft to play and breath life into Top Tier Britain once more.
Sources