Eurofighter in Germany: Credible and capable

Tranches refer to the production lots of the Eurofighter that meet the technological standard at the time of delivery.

The German Air Force has already ordered several production lots: The jets in Tranche 1 feature the basic capabilities that have been improved and expanded in the jets in Tranches 2 and 3. Currently, 38 Eurofighters from Tranche 4 are in production. They are scheduled to replace the aircraft of Tranche 1 by 2030.

Tranche 5 was ordered in October 2025 and comprises 20 aircraft. It builds a the bridge towards the air combat systems of the future.

Quadriga is the official name of the fourth Tranche of Eurofighters for Germany. It comprises 38 new Eurofighters, which are to be delivered by 2030. The aircraft mark a major step in the modernisation of the German Eurofighter fleet and will gradually replace the Air Force's oldest models.

The first Quadriga Eurofighter successfully completed its maiden flight on 14 July 2026. During this Production Flight Acceptance Test (PFAT), the jet was put through its paces - everything worked perfectly.

The continuous development of the Eurofighter is ensured by so-called Phase Enhancements. These are development packages that give the jet new capabilities.

Phase 4 Enhancement (P4E) is currently on the agenda. It improves key systems such as the radar, cockpit, and aerodynamics. This will enable the Eurofighter to continue to meet the requirements of the German Air Force in the future. The first contracts for this were signed in June 2024.

LTE stands for Long Term Evolution. This mid-life upgrade is designed to keep the Eurofighter at the cutting edge of technology until 2060 and beyond. It includes fundamental improvements to the system architecture, computing power, sensor technology, and cockpit to prepare it for future missions and integration into the air combat systems of the future.

The Eurofighter EK (Elektronischer Kampf) is a specialised development of the jet for electronic combat. Its core tasks include identifying and locating enemy radar systems to protect friendly forces, as well as actively combating enemy air defence systems with anti-radar missiles.

Currently, 15 Eurofighters of the German Air Force are being equipped for electronic combat. By 2030, the Eurofighter EK is expected to receive NATO certification and replace the Tornado ECR.

The Eurofighter will soon carry out missions alongside uncrewed collaborative combat aircraft (UCCA). This joint approach is known as ‘crewed-uncrewed teaming’. The Eurofighter will act as the command centre, while the UCCAs will serve as the 'extended arm'. The pilot will set the mission objectives and the UCCA will carry them out with the desired degree of autonomy.