2003
December 2003
Eurofighter Typhoon participated in a memorial event organized by the Italian Ministry of Defence. Location was the Italian Aeronautica Militare air base at Grosseto, home of the 4th Stormo (Wing) comprising 9th and 20th Squadrons – the first Italian units to receive Typhoon in Italian service. The event featured a unique presentation of Eurofighter Typhoon IPA 2, flown by Alenia Aeronautica Chief Defence Aircraft Test Pilot, Maurizio Cheli, and the Ferrari F1 F2003-GA car driven by F1 2003 World Champion, Michael Schumacher. The presentation included a series of race challenges over 600 m, 900 m and 1200 m. The first race over 600 m was won by Ferrari, whereas the 900 m and 1200 m races were won by Eurofighter.
DA1 in Getafe, Spain (EADS CASA)
Eurofighter Typhoon DA1 has completed a first series of air-to-surface weapons flight test. The aircraft was armed with two 2000lb GBU-10 weapons, fitted under the wing in the central station. The flight lasted 55 minutes and during this time, EADS CASA Test Pilot Alfonso de Castro, performed different flight conditions at altitudes from 10,000 to 40,000 feet and at speeds of M 0.4 - M 0.9.
DA7 has completed a number of key milestones in firing trials conducted at the Air Weapons Range in Decimomannu. Tests included AIM-9L Sidewinder firing trials from the outboard wing station - conducted by Marco Venanzetti, Alenia Aeronautica, Eurofighter Typhoon Project Test Pilot. A second series of trials featured firing tests from the outboard wing station of the new generation short range air-to-air missile – ASRAAM. This trial was undertaken by Matteo Maurizio, Italian Airforce Experimental Pilot.
October 2003
Official designation of the first Eurofighter Squadron in Spain . The official ceremony was attended by His Majesty King Juan Carlos I. The first Spanish Eurofighter was handed over to Colonel Javier Salto, Commander of Wing 11, the first Eurofighter Squadron to be formed in Spain.
Start of integration of the METEOR Beyond-Visual-Range Air-to-Air Millie to the Eurofighter Typhoon, following recent ‘fit and form' trials at BAE SYSTEMS Warton facility. The trials were conducted with a representative METEOR missile and Eurofighter Typhoon IPA1.
August 2003
Delivery of first Series Production Aircraft to the German Air Force. This Aircraft, GT003, will be used for Service Pilot Instructor Training based at Manching, Southern Germany . Later in the year, this aircraft will be delivered to Laage in Northern Germany where the process of integration to the operational fleet will commence.
June 2003
Type Acceptance signature on 30 th June. This signature is the final stage in clearance by NETMA, the four-nation customer organisation. This will now allow the delivery process for Eurofighter Typhoon to commence with all four partner nations.
April 2003
The formal inauguration of the Aircrew Synthetic Training Aids Joint Integration Facility (ASTA JIF) in Manching, Germany. The facility will also be established as the National Support Centre for the German Air Force.
March 2003
The formal opening of the joint industry-operator International Weapon System Support Centre (IWSSC) in Hallbergmoos, Germany. This event marks the first formal operational step in establishing the joint service and support network for the Eurofighter Typhoon Weapon System ahead of Entry to Service later in the year.
March 2003
Delivery of the first major components of the single seat version Eurofighter Typhoon (designated PS001) to the Final Assembly line at EADS-CASA in Getafe, Spain. PS001 will make its first flight later this year.
February 2003
The first Single Seat Centre Fuselage PS001 was delivered following construction and assembly at EADS-Deutschland facilities in Augsburg and Manching, Germany.
The PS001 front fuselage completed and shipped from the BAE SYSTEMS facility in Samlesbury , UK , in just 10 months, from the first parts being put in jig to the delivery of a fully equipped front fuselage. This demonstrates the significant advances made since production of the first production standard twin-seat front fuselage (IPA1) which took 23 months to complete.
February 2003
Maiden flights of the first four Series Production Aircraft (SPA) in the four Eurofighter Partner Nations - Germany , Italy , Spain and the United Kingdom . This event is a milestone for the Eurofighter Typhoon programme as it approaches Entry to Service.
January 2003
The Royal Norwegian Ministry of Defence (RNMOD) and Eurofighter GmbH sign an overarching industrial participation agreement which will involve Norwegian industry in the further development of the Eurofighter Weapon System.
January 2003
Handover of CESST (Crew Escape Safety Systems Trainer) to the Technische Schule der Luftwaffe 1 in Kaufbeuren. This system is part of the Groundcrew Training Aids programme. It is the first Major Support Item (MSI) to be delivered to the Customer and represents a major landmark within the Support Phase. It was delivered to specification, on budget and on time.
July 2003
Eurofighter GmbH and Austria’s Ministry of Defence sign the first export contract for Eurofighter Typhoon in Vienna.