Features Of The Eurofighter Typhoon That Make It One Of The Best Fighter Jets Ever Built

The history of the fighter jet is the also a record of some of the greatest innovations in aeronautics. The German Messerschmitt Me 262 was perhaps the mightiest weapon in the Luftwaffe's arsenal during World War II. Its jet engines (Junkers Jumo 004B-1s) made it a versatile, powerful and formidable aircraft. Such a jet had never been seen before, and might have been decisive in the war if the new technology could have been completed, perfected, and prioritized in time to have done so.

This was not the way things happened, of course, perhaps in part because the Me 262 had the great honor and misfortune of being the very first jet fighter ever. As such, it was learnt from, adapted, and iterated upon; a crucial precursor for what was developed in years to come. This technological feat led, decades later, to the Eurofighter Typhoon, among the most extraordinary fighter jets ever.

Here's a look at the history of this astonishing aircraft, and exactly what it can do.

Like a lot of military technology, development of the Eurofighter Typhoon began around the Cold War. It was intended as a revolutionary aircraft that would defend Europe as a new time of uncertainty unfolded, as a joint venture between Spain, Germany, Italy, and the United Kingdom.

Equipped with a pair of Eurojet EJ200 afterburning turbofan engines and at a cost of $90 million each, the Eurofighter was also expected to keep pace with the developments such aircraft as the United States' formidable Lockheed Martin F-22 Raptor, according to Aerocorner. Alas, its fielding was no easy ride: The collaborative nature of development proved difficult to manage, and certain futuristic elements of the aircraft made its development time-consuming and costly. It wasn't until 2002 that it began serving the U.K., German, Spanish, and Italian militaries, before being purchased by Austria and Saudi Arabia as well.

The Eurofighter Typhoon boasts revolutionary technology to aid in both defensive and offensive endeavors.

The aircraft is officially described as "a true swing-role combat aircraft." To be able to adapt to the objectives of any given flight, it has heavy weaponry optional while its low profile and agility give it the ability to pursue objectives with stealth.

It is not intended to excel in any of these roles in particular, but it has powerful air-to-ground and air-to-air ordinance allowing it to engage at close to long range. Its maximum weight on take off is much lower than that of the F-22 Raptor at 51808 lbs versus 83,775 lbs according to Aerocorner, and though it has a lower speed of 2,124 kmph/1147 knots compared with the Raptor's 3,635 kmph/1963 knots, its range of 3,791 kilometers far outstrips that of its U.S. competition.

Since its introduction, the aircraft has seen a number of updates. Future enhancements like a wide-view digital cockpit and Helmet Mounted Display Striker II are planned, with a view to keeping iterations of the Typhoon in action through 2060 and beyond. It's a formidable jet indeed.