Eurofighter Typhoon Instrumented Production Aircraft (IPA) 7 has flown for the first time at its ‘maximum-load’ take-off weight, including two MBDA Storm Shadow cruise missiles. The aircraft, which wears German military registration 98+07 (GS029), was photographed departing Manching, home of the German military’s WTD 61 flight test centre, on May 18.
As well as the long-range cruise missiles the aircraft also carried AIM-120 AMRAAM and IRIS-T air-to-air missiles and a centreline fuel tank. In March, the same aircraft undertook heavy-load trials with a complement of six AMRAAMs and a pair of IRIS-Ts.
First flown on January 16, 2008 as the initial series aircraft completed to the Tranche 2 standard, IPA7 was the first German EF2000 to incorporate Block 8 software and is used as a test aircraft to demonstrate future configurations and equipment levels.
On the German side, Block 8 has included the initial integration of a laser designator pod (LDP). This is used to mark ground targets for attack by the 1,000lb GBU-48 Enhanced Paveway II precision weapon.
The Storm Shadow is not destined for German service. In Luftwaffe hands, the Typhoon uses the similar Taurus KEPD 350 weapon, flight testing of which began on IPA7 in December 2013. The two missiles are being tested concurrently to ease their integration onto the Typhoon.
