The fourth-generation Eurofighter Typhoon has served many NATO member states since the early 2000s.
NATO fighters were dispatched to “monitor the air situation” following Russia’s latest missile and drone barrage targeting Ukraine. According to Romania’s Ministry of Defense, a pair of German Typhoon fighter jets were deployed to the NATO borderline from the country’s Mihail Kogalniceanu Air Base. Romanian officials detected the incoming Russian projectiles and coordinated with NATO forces to respond as per standard protocol. Despite US president Donald Trump’s recent visit with his Russian counterpart last week, it appears Moscow is not slowing down its offensive barrages amidst the war. In response to one of these recent overnight attacks that struck residences, Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky took to X to respond: “All of these are demonstrative strikes that only confirm the need to put pressure on Moscow, the need to impose new sanctions and tariffs until diplomacy is fully effective,” adding that “I thank all partners who are helping to stop this Russian war. Together with the United States, Europe, and all those who seek peace. We need strong security guarantees to ensure a truly reliable and lasting peace,” he added.
Introducing the Eurofighter Typhoon
Considered to be a fourth-generation platform, the Eurofighter Typhoon has served many NATO member states since the early 2000s. Today, the respected aircraft is operational with the air forces of Austria, Germany, Italy, Spain, Saudi Arabia, Oman, and the United Kingdom. Its origins extend to the Cold War. In the 1980s, Italy, France, Germany, the UK, and Spain established the Future European Fighter Aircraft program. Ultimately, France backed out of the collaborative effort to field its own domestic Dassault Rafale fighter. Following the collapse of the Soviet Union and the subsequent end of the Cold War, progress on the Typhoon slowed considerably. While its eventual introduction in 2003 was certainly behind schedule, the presence of the platform is significant.
The Typhoon series is not stealth; however, its design does feature low observable qualities, making it a formidable aerial asset in the modern fighter climate. The jet was built with a quadruplex fly-by-wire control system, ensuring the Typhoon is extremely stable. Due to this relaxed stability design, this platform is highly agile at both low and supersonic speeds. Two EJ200 engines power the Typhoon, providing an impressive thrust-to-weight ratio. As detailed by manufacturer Airbus, “At the heart of this state-of-the-art weapon system is its identification and sensor fusion capability, based on the CAPTOR-E AESA radar and the PIRATE FLIR sensor, protected by the PRAETORIAN Electronic Defensive Aid Sub System (DASS). No other fighter has integrated such a large number of European and U.S. weapons, making it combat-ready for any mission.” In terms of armament power, the Typhoon can launch an array of top-tier weapons, including air-to-ground munitions like the Storm Shadow cruise missiles and air-to-air missiles like the AIM-120 AMRAAM.
Based on these specs and capabilities, the Typhoon’s success on the global export market makes sense.
About the Author: Maya Carlin
Maya Carlin, National Security Writer with The National Interest, is an analyst with the Center for Security Policy and a former Anna Sobol Levy Fellow at IDC Herzliya in Israel. She has bylines in many publications, including The National Interest, The Jerusalem Post, and The Times of Israel. You can follow her on Twitter: @MayaCarlin.
Image: Victor Maschek / Shutterstock.com
