The fifth part of our series examining the British aviation industry during Elizabeth II’s reign focuses on the period between 1992 and 2002, when the days of going it alone ended
The prototype Eurofighter 2000 flew for the first time from Manching, Germany, in March 1994. This marked an important milestone in the collaborative programme with critical UK input, having its roots in BAe proposals from the early 1980s. Britain ended up being responsible for the greatest share of production, at 37 per cent. Yet the sheer complexity of the new aircraft and its systems — as well as the inevitable politics — meant it would be a further decade before full service entry was possible.
