Aircraft
British Pilots Push Eurofighter Typhoon Upgrades
Delivery of the costly P2E and P3E enhancement packages are vital to the RAF plan for retiring the Tornado strike jet
The complete set of weapons planned for the RAF’s Typhoon fleet are displayed on the full-scale model. From left to right: ASRAAM; Brimstone; Storm Shadow; Paveway and Meteor. (Photo: Chris Pocock)
The complete set of weapons planned for the RAF’s Typhoon fleet are displayed on the full-scale model. From left to right: ASRAAM; Brimstone; Storm Shadow; Paveway and Meteor. (Photo: Chris Pocock)

British Royal Air Force (RAF) test and evaluation pilots have flown a Eurofighter Typhoon equipped with the Phase 2 Enhancement (P2E) software and avionics. The service is keen to ensure that the P2E and follow-on P3E phases of development are completed on time by the end of 2018, so that it can withdraw its last three remaining Tornado strike aircraft squadrons in 2018-19. The RAF will not be replacing the Tornado squadrons one-for-one with the F-35 Lightning II stealth fighter, as was once planned.