Eurofighter Typhoon is Europe’s largest military programme, with the four founding nations – Germany, Spain, United Kingdom and Italy – all using the aircraft in their own air forces. Upgradeability and flexibility was at the core of the specification to ensure that the platform could be used highly effectively by all air forces providing unrivalled global partnership.

The construction of the first Eurofighter Typhoon prototypes began in 1989 and it was agreed that each of the four parent nations would host the production line and final assembly for the components of the aircraft it was responsible for: Warton for BAE Systems, Manching for EADS Germany, Turin for Leonardo – Aircraft Division and Getafe for EADS CASA.

In 1994, the Chiefs of Air Staff of Germany, Spain, UK and Italy all agreed on their advanced aircraft requirements, with DA1 and DA2 Eurofighter Typhoons making their first test flights that same year. By 1996, the nations had agreed on the workshare production, and a year later the 500th test flight took place in Manching, Germany. Over the late 1990s and early 2000s the aircraft undertook extensive environmental, weapon firing, in-flight fueling and supersonic speed tests.

Between 2003 and 2005 the Eurofighter Typhoon was introduced into service across the 4 core nation's Air Forces. During this period aircraft received the defensive aids sub system (DASS), the multinfunctional information and distribution system (MIDS), initial direct voice input (DVI) and sensor fusion systems.

In 2005, the UK signed an understanding with Saudi Arabia that Eurofighter Typhoon would replace the Saudi Tornados. In 2006 the aircraft was operational and patrolling the skies of Italy during the Winter Olympics. The Austrian Air Force (Luftstreitkräfte) received its first Eurofighter Typhoon in 2007, with Saudi Arabia receiving its first aircraft in 2008.

A year later, the 4 core nations of the founding consortium received the second tranche of aircraft, which undertook a unique advanced medium range Air-to-Air missile (AMRAAM) firing trial. The objective was to fire a missile while the radar was in passive mode, demonstrating a key stealth capability. Also in that year, it was established that the aircraft would receive upgrades every two years and major hardware upgrades every four years. By 2010, the aircraft featured an advanced helmet-mounted symbology system (HMSS).

The Eurofighter Typhoon began combat missions in Libya on 21 March 2011 as part of the United Nations’ Odyssey Dawn operation. On deployment RAF Typhoons carried Enhanced Paveway II bombs and totalled 3,000 flying hours and over 600 sorties during a six month period on Operation Ellamy.

In November 2011, the 300^th aircraft was delivered to the Spanish Air Force. In December 2012, a contract for the supply of 12 Typhoon aircraft to the Sultanate of Oman was signed. In 2013, contracts were signed for the Meteor integration and Phase 2 Enhancements (P2E). In the same year, the 400^th Eurofighter was delivered to the German Air Force.

During 2014, the P1E upgrade entered into service, the Storm Shadow integration contract was signed as well as a contract for the development of Captor-E (E-Scan) radar for Typhoon. In Feb. 2015, the Phase 3 Enhancements (P3E) contract was signed during the IDEX Defence Exhibition and 2015 also saw RAF Typhoons performing numerous engagements over Syria and Iraq. In April 2016, a contract was signed for the supply of 28 Typhoon aircraft for the State of Kuwait. 2016 also saw a P2E upgrade enter into service.