The Austrian Armed Forces is looking for a successor for its Tranche 1 Eurofighter. According to Militär Aktuell research a total of seven candidates of the fourth and fifth generation – including the Eurofighter Neo, a very logical choice.
The Austrian Armed Forces Eurofighter Typhoon from Airbus from the first series Airbus/Eurofighter is impressive due to its twin-engine thrust, high maneuverability, modern avionics and, compared to Tranche 1, a significantly broader range of applications – from air superiority to precision air-to-ground missions and electronic warfare.
Tranche 4 of the multinationally developed multi-role combat aircraft is currently in production – more than 80 aircraft are planned for Germany, Italy and Spain, including 13 of the 38 German Quadriga jets.
With Tranche 5, which was decided in October 2025 (-> Eurofighter Tranche 5: What we know so far) marks the beginning of a decisive modernization phase: the Bundeswehr has initially Bundeswehr 3.75 billion euros (including spare parts and engines) for an initial 20 aircraft. This version is to form the backbone of German air defense from 2031, secure the capabilities of the Eurofighter far into the future and would probably also be offered to Austria as a government-to-government model (G2G).
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The other Eurofighter successor candidates for the Austrian Armed Forces
- The all-rounder: F-35A from Lockheed Martin
- The most efficient: Saab Gripen E/F
- The underdog: Rafale F5
- The exotic: KAI KF-21
- The underdog: TAI Kaan
- The surprise candidate: F-16 Block 70
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Airbus is also investing in the Long Term Evolution (LTE) program, which includes the development of a Wingman UCAV based on the Kratos XQ-58A Valkyrie. This is to be a European, collaborative combat stealth drone system by around 2029 – a future project that could also offer interesting starting points for Austria.
In welche Richtung entwickelt sich das Eurofighter-Programm?
The core of the Tranche 5 modernization is the new ECRS Mk1 radar (Eurofighter Common Radar System) – an actively electronically controlled AESA radar developed by Hensoldt and Indra. It is currently being prepared for use on an A320 test carrier and in a new test facility in Manching. It is supplemented by a large cockpit display and new mission computers.
Eurofighter Tranche 4
Manufacturer Airbus/Eurofighter
Engine 2 × EJ200
Power 191 kN thrust per engine (with afterburner)
Top speed Mach 2.0
Armament Air-to-air missiles, air-to-ground precision weapons, 27-millimeter cannon
Wingspan 10.95 meters
Length 15.96 meters
In the long term, the Tranche 5 jets are to be combined with the capabilities of the originally planned 15 “EK” special versions for combating enemy ground-to-air systems and for electronic warfare – as a successor to the German Tornado ECR, potentially also relevant for Austria.
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There are currently (as of early 2025) 613 Eurofighters in service – mainly with the four core nations of Germany, the UK, Italy and Spain. While the British RAF is already phasing out its Tranche 1 jets and, like Italy and, in future, Germany, is also relying on F-35s, the Typhoon remains the backbone of European air defense.
Here for more news about Airbus Defense & Space, here to further Eurofighter news and here to further army news.
