photo:eurofighter The first Tranche 3 Eurofighter Typhoon fighter, BS116 has successfully completed engine ground runs at BAE Systems ...
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The first Tranche 3 Eurofighter Typhoon fighter, BS116 has successfully completed engine ground runs at BAE Systems de-tuner facility at Warton, United Kingdom.
The final Tranche 3 series jets offers additional capability in the future including e-scan radar, conformal fuel tanks and a high speed data network.
The engine ground runs were carried out in 3 distinct phases:
Green Screens
Involving a final check of the airframe for foreign object debris (FOD) using a wire mesh screen attached directly to the front of the engine. The engines are then started up and any FOD that has not been found in the production process, through manual and X-ray searches, is sucked towards the engine and caught on the green screen.
Installation runs
Carried out by the on-site Rolls Royce representative, each engine is operated individually before both are fired up together and run through the full performance range all the way up to maximum re-heat. These are the final checks and sign-off to ensure the engines meet all of the performance and design criteria.
Stage Cs
Once the engines have been certified as fully serviceable, tests were carried out to check the environmental control system, that’s cooling for the avionic equipment and also for the pilot, the fuel system to make sure the engine receives fuel in the correct way, life support to make sure the pilot’s oxygen generation system works, the electrical power generation to ensure it’s working correctly and also the hydraulic system that supplies the flying control system.
Engine ground runs are the last stage of testing before the aircraft makes its first flight which is currently on target to take place before the year end.
Tranche 3 capability includes over 350 modified parts designed, engineered and assembled ready to incorporate the most advanced capability enhancements.
Under the Tranche 3A contract signed in 2009, a total of 112 aircraft have been ordered for the four European partner nations of Germany, Italy, Spain and the UK, with 40 aircraft bound for the Royal Air Force.
Typhoon is a multi-role combat aircraft, capable of being deployed in the full spectrum of air operations, from air policing, to peace support, through to high intensity conflict. It is powered by 2 Eurojet EJ200 turbojet engines with a thrust of 20,000lbs each.
