114 The Aircraft of British Aerospace and BAE SYSTEMS 1977 - 2017
by IPA2 using the UK ‘s Hebrides range in
2016, were intended to continue to
expand the clearance envelope of the
weapon. As Typhoon is an
aerodynamically unstable aircraft unlike
Tornado, it is very sensitive to additional
shapes and loads which may impinge
upon the flight control system ability to
maintain stability.
Germany’s IPA3 98+03 was used for
under-wing load tests. Casa’s IPA4
C.16-20 is now testing Weapons System
Performance and Communications.
Warton-assembled IPA5 ZJ700 was
tasked with handling and transonic tests
and in July 2016 started trialling the
developed Captor-E radar.
The first Tranche 2 aircraft was
German single-seater 98+07 designated
as IPA7 was tasked with achieving
clearance for that variant. IPA 6 ZJ938’s
most recent tasks have been flight trials
with the Air-to-Surface MBDA Brimstone
precision strike missile ahead of firing
trials as part of a programme of work to
integrate the weapon with the aircraft.
The final Instrumented Production
Aircraft, IPA8 98+08 took to the air on
12th September 2016 and will join BAE’s
IPA5 trialling the Captor-E radar.
Five Typhoons were also specially
instrumented for trials and onward
delivery to their air forces. Two were built ZJ699 in Tranche 3e configuration with four Meteor BVRAAM missiles, two Brimstone 2 precision strike weapons
(each comprising 3 missiles), two ASRAAM missiles and two Paveway IV laser guided precision weapons. Typhoon
FGR4 ZK356 was displayed in this configuration at RIAT 2016, and the Farnborough International Air Show 2016.
(BAE SYSTEMS)