The German Air Force’s Jagdbombergeschwader 31 “Boelcke” has received today its first four Eurofighter Typhoon aircraft. The Eurofighter Typhoons have been handed over in a ceremony at the Wing’s base, Nörvenich, in North Rhine Westphalia and will replace the Tornados today in service with the Wing by the end of June 2010.
The JaboG 31 “Boelcke” is the first Luftwaffe unit to use the Eurofighter Typhoon in an air-to-ground role. The Wing’s aircraft – currently running initial operations in cooperation with Training Fighter Wing 73 “Steinhoff” – is expected to be fully operational with all weather GBU-48 laser-guided bombs and the Laser Designator Pod by 2012.
The Fighter Bomber Wing 31 “Boelcke” is the third German Air Force Squadron equipped with the Eurofighter Typhoon. Fighter Wing 73 “Steinhoff” based in Laage-Rostock, in northern Germany, received its first aircraft in May 2004 and the Fighter Wing 74 in Neuburg –Donau, based in southern Germany, in July 2006.
Background information
Eurofighter Typhoon is the world’s most advanced new generation real multi-role/swing-role combat aircraft available on the market and has been ordered by six nations (Germany, Italy, Spain, United Kingdom, Austria and the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia). With more than 200 aircraft delivered and 707 aircraft under contract, it is Europe’s largest military collaborative programme and delivers leading-edge technology, strengthening Europe’s aerospace industry in the global competition.
More than 100,000 jobs in 400 companies are secured by the programme. Eurofighter Jagdflugzeug GmbH manages the programme on behalf of the Eurofighter Partner Companies: Alenia Aeronautica/Finmeccanica, BAE Systems, EADS CASA and EADS Deutschland, Europe’s foremost aerospace companies with a total turnover of approx. EUR 88 billion (2008).
