Design Features

Eurofighter Typhoon has a foreplane/delta wing configuration that is aerodynamically unstable in the subsonic range. The "delta canard" design shape of the aircraft is driven by a need for:

• Subsonic/supersonic instantaneous and sustained turn rate performance
• Agility
• Lift and STOL (Short take-off and landing)
• Exceptional acceleration
• Reduced drag

Combining this with a low wing loading, high thrust-to-weight ratio, excellent all-round vision and carefree handling results in a truly exceptional aircraft.

Low observability technology is incorporated in the basic design. The combination of low visual detection; low radar reflection; use of passive,  systems; defensive aids; secure communications and the capability of supercruise supported by a cockpit, that gives the pilot a clear tactical picture and continuous and instant control over the level of emissions from the aircraft, ensure that the Eurofighter Typhoon has high survivability and the ability to operate independently from ground and airborne control agencies in dense electronic warfare environments. The Eurofighter Typhoon is, by any standard, a low observability aircraft with a fleet effectiveness superior to any other competitor.

The airframe is constructed mainly from Carbon Fibre Composites (CFCs), lightweight alloys, titanium and Glass Reinforced Plastics (GRP).