Aircraft
Eurofighter Approaching True Potential
The UK has driven the integration timetable for air-to-ground weapons on the Typhoon, because the RAF is retiring its Tornado strike jet fleet in 2019.
The Eurofighter Typhoon is shown here flying in a multirole configuration with Brimstone missiles and Paveway bombs, as well as Meteor and ASRAAM air-to-air missiles.
The Eurofighter Typhoon is shown here flying in a multirole configuration with Brimstone missiles and Paveway bombs, as well as Meteor and ASRAAM air-to-air missiles.

Development of the Eurofighter Typhoon into a multi-role combat jet has taken a long time. But the aircraft displayed here by BAE Systems test pilot Nat Makepeace shows that this capability is finally nearing. It is carrying six MBDA Brimstone air-to-ground missiles on two three-rail under-wing launchers, plus two Raytheon Paveway IV laser and GPS-guided bombs. In addition, four MBDA Meteor BVRAAMs nestle on under-fuselage stations, and two MBDA ASRAAM shorter-range AAMs occupy the outer pylons.