Faced with competition from the US, European aerospace firms are pressing ahead with fourth- and 4.5-generation platforms such as the Gripen, Typhoon and Rafale.
Beyond US platforms such as Lockheed Martin’s timeless F-16 and the new fifth-generation F-35 stealth fighter, the dominant indigenous fighter in Europe is, of course, the Eurofighter Typhoon, which began entering service with the four countries – Germany, Italy, Spain and the UK – from 2003.
The UK’s RAF, which has 160 Typhoons but intends to retire its older Tranche 1 aircraft by 2025, operates the type alongside the US-based Lockheed Martin’s F-35 Lightning II. In terms of the future fighter force mix, an RAF spokesperson told Air International: “The UK is committed to developing its combat air capability through continued capability growth in both the Lightning and Typhoon fleets, as well as significant investment in the Future Combat Air System (FCAS), as announced in the Integrated Review.
