Breaking News: Europe plans to triple Eurofighter Typhoon jet production to answer demand from allies and partners
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At the 2025 Paris Air Show, Jorge Degenhardt, CEO of the Eurofighter Typhoon consortium, confirmed that the annual production rate of the Eurofighter Typhoon fighter jet will be raised from the current 12 units to 20 aircraft per year, with the potential to reach 30 units depending on the evolution of future sales. According to Gareth Jennings, Degenhardt cited “the total madness” of the current geopolitical situation as the reason for this planned increase.Follow Army Recognition on Google News at this link
The Eurofighter Typhoon fighter jet, developed by a consortium including Airbus, BAE Systems, and Leonardo, originally reached its peak production during Tranche 2 deliveries, with up to 60 new aircraft per year. (Picture source: Eurofighter GmbH)
The decision was made in anticipation of both confirmed new orders and projected foreign sales, with the objective of aligning production capacity with growing demand. The CEO’s statement reflects a coordinated strategy to adjust output levels in response to both partner nation requirements and international interest, and confirms a change of tempo from previous years when production had declined.
Historically, Eurofighter production peaked around 2010 during the execution of Tranche 2 deliveries, with output levels reaching approximately 60 aircraft annually. Following the completion of initial orders from the United Kingdom, Germany, Italy, and Spain, the production rate progressively declined, reaching around 14 aircraft per year by 2023–2024. The decline corresponded to the delivery completion of Tranche 3 contracts and a relative lull in new procurement activity. However, a recent series of contracts from core consortium nations has driven a partial recovery in output, pushing the rate back up to around 20 aircraft per year. The production lines, operated by Airbus, BAE Systems, and Leonardo, have resumed a pace aligned with newly signed agreements, and the stated goal is to raise this further to 30 units annually if market conditions permit.
Germany placed an order in November 2020 for 38 Tranche 4 Typhoons under the Quadriga program, valued at €5.4 billion. In June 2024, Germany confirmed a further order for 20 units, securing its production needs through 2032. Spain signed contracts for 45 additional Typhoons across the Halcón I (June 2022) and Halcón II (September 2023) phases, scheduled for delivery between 2026 and 2035 and amounting to approximately €6.5 billion in total. Italy joined with a December 2024 order for 24 aircraft, in conjunction with Spain. Although the United Kingdom has not issued new domestic procurement contracts since 2009, it remains involved in Eurofighter-related export projects and final deliveries. These three recent national orders alone account for 127 new aircraft, enabling a sustained production baseline at 20 aircraft per year through at least the early 2030s. Meanwhile, Qatar remains a customer with ongoing deliveries and is reportedly considering an additional 12 units, though this follow-on has not yet been finalized.
On the export front, Eurofighter GmbH estimates a potential for 150 to 200 additional sales between 2023 and 2025. A report by PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC), published in April 2024, outlines a scenario with up to 287 new sales, comprising 74 to existing partners and 213 to foreign customers. Export prospects include Saudi Arabia, which is exploring the acquisition of up to 60 further aircraft, as well as new bids submitted to Austria, Poland, Greece, and Portugal. In 2024, Turkey expressed formal interest in acquiring 40 Typhoons, and preliminary authorization was granted. However, the German government exercised its veto power in April 2025, halting the proposed sale due to political concerns related to Ankara’s domestic developments and bilateral tensions. This veto has suspended the Turkish case, and future decisions will depend on changes in German policy or international diplomatic conditions.
In parallel to production increases, the consortium and its partner governments are supporting industrial and technological continuity ahead of the Global Combat Air Programme (GCAP), the sixth-generation fighter project led by the United Kingdom, Italy, and Japan. To maintain the necessary skills and infrastructure during this transition, the UK has committed £204.6 million for the development and serial production of the ECRS Mk2 radar, with integration into Typhoon platforms expected to begin in 2028. This investment is designed to ensure continued industrial activity until GCAP becomes operational in 2035. The radar upgrade project is intended to enhance the Typhoon’s electronic warfare capabilities while also securing supplier engagement in radar and avionics systems relevant to both Eurofighter and future platforms. The program serves as a bridging mechanism, avoiding production gaps and workforce attrition in critical aerospace domains.
The Eurofighter consortium operates multiple final assembly lines across four partner nations: Warton in the United Kingdom, Manching in Germany, Turin in Italy, and Getafe in Spain. To accommodate the projected output increase from 20 to 30 aircraft annually, these lines will require synchronized capacity adjustments across component and subsystem supply chains. The industrial plan includes coordination with EuroJet Turbo GmbH for EJ200 engine deliveries and with companies such as Leonardo and Hensoldt for radar production. The modular structure of the program allows each nation to produce the same components for all aircraft regardless of final assembly location, which supports scalable output levels. Logistical adjustments are ongoing to prepare for the potential expansion, with emphasis placed on maintaining schedule integrity and delivery timelines for confirmed and future contracts.
The current production trajectory confirms that the Eurofighter Typhoon remains a key component of European defense aviation planning into the 2030s. The confirmed increase from 12 to 20 aircraft per year reflects stable demand across the consortium’s domestic customer base, while the possible increase to 30 aircraft annually is dependent on the successful conclusion of pending foreign contracts. Political factors such as export licensing and intergovernmental approvals continue to influence sales outcomes, particularly in cases such as Turkey. Meanwhile, procurement by Germany, Spain, and Italy has ensured a stable production outlook for the near future. The expansion supports both operational force modernization and the maintenance of aerospace manufacturing capability until the GCAP platform enters full-rate production in the following decade.
The Eurofighter Typhoon is a twin-engine, canard delta wing multirole combat aircraft capable of performing air-to-air and air-to-ground missions with a focus on agility, sensor integration, and multirole adaptability. In its current configuration, it is equipped with the mechanically scanned Captor-M radar, the PIRATE infrared search and track system for passive detection, and the Praetorian defensive aids subsystem that includes radar warning receivers, missile approach warning systems, towed decoys, and electronic countermeasures. It can carry and employ a wide range of munitions, including beyond-visual-range air-to-air missiles such as Meteor and AMRAAM, infrared-guided short-range missiles like IRIS-T and ASRAAM, as well as precision air-to-ground weapons such as Brimstone, Paveway series laser-guided bombs, and the Storm Shadow cruise missile. The aircraft supports networked operations through the MIDS Link 16 datalink and can conduct simultaneous swing-role missions. Current upgrades in operational service include the Phase 1 Enhancement Package (P1Eb) and Project Centurion modifications, which integrate full strike capabilities and advanced targeting systems. The Typhoon also features advanced human-machine interfaces, including a wide-angle HUD, voice control, and a helmet-mounted symbology system, enabling high situational awareness in complex combat environments.
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At the 2025 Paris Air Show, Jorge Degenhardt, CEO of the Eurofighter Typhoon consortium, confirmed that the annual production rate of the Eurofighter Typhoon fighter jet will be raised from the current 12 units to 20 aircraft per year, with the potential to reach 30 units depending on the evolution of future sales. According to Gareth Jennings, Degenhardt cited “the total madness” of the current geopolitical situation as the reason for this planned increase.
Follow Army Recognition on Google News at this link
The Eurofighter Typhoon fighter jet, developed by a consortium including Airbus, BAE Systems, and Leonardo, originally reached its peak production during Tranche 2 deliveries, with up to 60 new aircraft per year. (Picture source: Eurofighter GmbH)
The decision was made in anticipation of both confirmed new orders and projected foreign sales, with the objective of aligning production capacity with growing demand. The CEO’s statement reflects a coordinated strategy to adjust output levels in response to both partner nation requirements and international interest, and confirms a change of tempo from previous years when production had declined.
Historically, Eurofighter production peaked around 2010 during the execution of Tranche 2 deliveries, with output levels reaching approximately 60 aircraft annually. Following the completion of initial orders from the United Kingdom, Germany, Italy, and Spain, the production rate progressively declined, reaching around 14 aircraft per year by 2023–2024. The decline corresponded to the delivery completion of Tranche 3 contracts and a relative lull in new procurement activity. However, a recent series of contracts from core consortium nations has driven a partial recovery in output, pushing the rate back up to around 20 aircraft per year. The production lines, operated by Airbus, BAE Systems, and Leonardo, have resumed a pace aligned with newly signed agreements, and the stated goal is to raise this further to 30 units annually if market conditions permit.
Germany placed an order in November 2020 for 38 Tranche 4 Typhoons under the Quadriga program, valued at €5.4 billion. In June 2024, Germany confirmed a further order for 20 units, securing its production needs through 2032. Spain signed contracts for 45 additional Typhoons across the Halcón I (June 2022) and Halcón II (September 2023) phases, scheduled for delivery between 2026 and 2035 and amounting to approximately €6.5 billion in total. Italy joined with a December 2024 order for 24 aircraft, in conjunction with Spain. Although the United Kingdom has not issued new domestic procurement contracts since 2009, it remains involved in Eurofighter-related export projects and final deliveries. These three recent national orders alone account for 127 new aircraft, enabling a sustained production baseline at 20 aircraft per year through at least the early 2030s. Meanwhile, Qatar remains a customer with ongoing deliveries and is reportedly considering an additional 12 units, though this follow-on has not yet been finalized.
On the export front, Eurofighter GmbH estimates a potential for 150 to 200 additional sales between 2023 and 2025. A report by PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC), published in April 2024, outlines a scenario with up to 287 new sales, comprising 74 to existing partners and 213 to foreign customers. Export prospects include Saudi Arabia, which is exploring the acquisition of up to 60 further aircraft, as well as new bids submitted to Austria, Poland, Greece, and Portugal. In 2024, Turkey expressed formal interest in acquiring 40 Typhoons, and preliminary authorization was granted. However, the German government exercised its veto power in April 2025, halting the proposed sale due to political concerns related to Ankara’s domestic developments and bilateral tensions. This veto has suspended the Turkish case, and future decisions will depend on changes in German policy or international diplomatic conditions.
In parallel to production increases, the consortium and its partner governments are supporting industrial and technological continuity ahead of the Global Combat Air Programme (GCAP), the sixth-generation fighter project led by the United Kingdom, Italy, and Japan. To maintain the necessary skills and infrastructure during this transition, the UK has committed £204.6 million for the development and serial production of the ECRS Mk2 radar, with integration into Typhoon platforms expected to begin in 2028. This investment is designed to ensure continued industrial activity until GCAP becomes operational in 2035. The radar upgrade project is intended to enhance the Typhoon’s electronic warfare capabilities while also securing supplier engagement in radar and avionics systems relevant to both Eurofighter and future platforms. The program serves as a bridging mechanism, avoiding production gaps and workforce attrition in critical aerospace domains.
The Eurofighter consortium operates multiple final assembly lines across four partner nations: Warton in the United Kingdom, Manching in Germany, Turin in Italy, and Getafe in Spain. To accommodate the projected output increase from 20 to 30 aircraft annually, these lines will require synchronized capacity adjustments across component and subsystem supply chains. The industrial plan includes coordination with EuroJet Turbo GmbH for EJ200 engine deliveries and with companies such as Leonardo and Hensoldt for radar production. The modular structure of the program allows each nation to produce the same components for all aircraft regardless of final assembly location, which supports scalable output levels. Logistical adjustments are ongoing to prepare for the potential expansion, with emphasis placed on maintaining schedule integrity and delivery timelines for confirmed and future contracts.
The current production trajectory confirms that the Eurofighter Typhoon remains a key component of European defense aviation planning into the 2030s. The confirmed increase from 12 to 20 aircraft per year reflects stable demand across the consortium’s domestic customer base, while the possible increase to 30 aircraft annually is dependent on the successful conclusion of pending foreign contracts. Political factors such as export licensing and intergovernmental approvals continue to influence sales outcomes, particularly in cases such as Turkey. Meanwhile, procurement by Germany, Spain, and Italy has ensured a stable production outlook for the near future. The expansion supports both operational force modernization and the maintenance of aerospace manufacturing capability until the GCAP platform enters full-rate production in the following decade.
The Eurofighter Typhoon is a twin-engine, canard delta wing multirole combat aircraft capable of performing air-to-air and air-to-ground missions with a focus on agility, sensor integration, and multirole adaptability. In its current configuration, it is equipped with the mechanically scanned Captor-M radar, the PIRATE infrared search and track system for passive detection, and the Praetorian defensive aids subsystem that includes radar warning receivers, missile approach warning systems, towed decoys, and electronic countermeasures. It can carry and employ a wide range of munitions, including beyond-visual-range air-to-air missiles such as Meteor and AMRAAM, infrared-guided short-range missiles like IRIS-T and ASRAAM, as well as precision air-to-ground weapons such as Brimstone, Paveway series laser-guided bombs, and the Storm Shadow cruise missile. The aircraft supports networked operations through the MIDS Link 16 datalink and can conduct simultaneous swing-role missions. Current upgrades in operational service include the Phase 1 Enhancement Package (P1Eb) and Project Centurion modifications, which integrate full strike capabilities and advanced targeting systems. The Typhoon also features advanced human-machine interfaces, including a wide-angle HUD, voice control, and a helmet-mounted symbology system, enabling high situational awareness in complex combat environments.
