Eurofighter Typhoon variants The Eurofighter Typhoon is in service with five nations : United Kingdom , Germany , Italy , Spain and Austria . The aircraft has also been ordered by Saudi Arabia , with the first aircraft already delivered . The aircraft has so far been provided in a basic form and most of the major systems including the CAPTOR radar and the Defence Aids Sub - System ( DASS ) are expected to be improved and updated over time . However BAE states that even these early aircraft will be much more capable than the Tornado F3 and that the development of the Typhoon will exceed the learning curve of pilots . Development aircraft . Seven development aircraft ( DA ) were built with varying equipment fits and flight test roles . Instrumented production aircraft . The instrumented production aircraft ( IPA ) are five production standard aircraft fitted with telemetry instruments for dedicated flight testing and further systems development . Series production aircraft . These are the operational and training aircraft . The Eurofighter is known as Typhoon in the United Kingdom and export markets and as EF - 2000 in Germany , Italy and Spain . However all Italian aircraft carry the " Typhoon " logo on their tails . Operators . Italian Air Force aircraft . As of July 2006 the Italian Air Force ( Aeronautica Militare Italiana ) had one EF - 2000 wing , 4° Stormo ( 41st Wing ) , which received its first aircraft on 19 February 2004 . The 36° Stormo received its first Typhoon on 1 October 2007 . Spanish Air Force aircraft . As of December 2006 the Spanish Air Force ( Ejército del Aire ) has one squadron of aircraft . The first aircraft was delivered to Wing 11 in October 2003 at Moron airbase , Spain . In Spanish service , the aircraft is designated the C . 16 Typhoon . Luftwaffe aircraft . As of October 2006 Germany had two active EF - 2000 fighter wings , Jagdgeschwader 73 and Jagdgeschwader 74 . JG 73 began converting to the Eurofighter in April 2004 . JG 74 received its first aircraft on 25 June 2006 . Royal Air Force aircraft . The Typhoon replaced the RAF ' s Tornado F3 ( fighter ) and Jaguar ( ground attack ) forces . They will equip five front - line squadron s , one front - line flight and two reserve squadrons , ( the Operational Conversion Unit ( OCU ) and the Operational Evaluation Unit ( OEU ) . Proposed versions . Navalised Eurofighter . Originally proposed in the late 1990s as a potential solution to the UK Royal Navy ' s need for a Future Carrier - Borne Aircraft ( FCBA ) for its new ( ' Queen Elizabeth ' class ) aircraft carriers , In January 2001 , the UK Ministry of Defence formally discounted the option of a Navalised Eurofighter for its new aircraft carriers , in favour of the STOVL ( ' B ' ) variant of the F - 35 Joint Strike Fighter , which ( at that time ) promised to be a capable , low cost and more stealthy aircraft that would enter into service circa 2012 – a date that tied in well with the in - service date for the new UK aircraft Carriers as it stood at that time . It was rejected by the United Kingdom on " cost effectiveness grounds " . , the navalised Eurofighter remains only a proposal but there has been some interest expressed by other nations , such as India , in adapting Eurofighter for aircraft carrier operations . The proposed variant design would enable the Eurofighter to operate from carriers on a Short Take - Off but Arrested Recovery ( STOBAR ) basis , using a ' ski jump ' ramp for aircraft launch and arresting gear for conventional landing . In February 2011 , BAE debuted a navalised Typhoon in response to the Indian tender . The model offered is STOBAR ( Short Take Off But Arrested Recovery ) capable , corresponding to the Indian Navy ' s future Vikrant class aircraft carrier . The changes needed to enable the Typhoon to launch by ski - jump and recover by arrestor hook added about 500 kg to the airframe . If however the Indian Navy pursues a catapult launch carrier , the Typhoon is uncompetitive against tender rivals ( e . g . Rafale and Super Hornet ) since meeting " . . . catapult requirements would add too much weight to the aircraft , blunt performance and add substantially to modification costs " .