The first of 38 Tranche 4 Project ‘Quadriga’ Eurofighters for the Luftwaffe and a Taurus cruise missile were showcased during at Airbus’ Defence Summit 2026 in Manching, Germany, on 20 May 2026. (Michaela Stache / AFP via Getty Images)
Airbus has presented the first Eurofighter EF-2000 combat aircraft destined for the Luftwaffe under Germany’s Project ‘Quadriga’ programme.
Aircraft 34+03 was rolled out at the company’s inaugural Defence Summit in Manching on 20 May 2026. The Luftwaffe is acquiring 30 single-seat and eight twin-seat Eurofighter Tranche 4 jets under Project ‘Quadriga’ to replace the same number of Tranche 1 Eurofighters that are being retired.
These newbuild Tranche 4 aircraft will be equipped with the European Common Radar System (ECRS) Mk 1 Step 0 (essentially the same standard as the ECRS Mk 0 radar for Kuwait and Qatar, but with some modifications) before being upgraded to ECRS Mk 1 Step 1, ‘future-proof’ hardware, and updated software.
The Bundeswehr previously told Janes that 15 of these 38 Project ‘Quadriga’ aircraft are to be fitted with the Saab Arexis wingtip pods under Step 1 of the Luftwaffe’s Eurofighter EK electronic warfare programme. Eurofighter 34+03 was presented with the standard EuroDASS wingtip pods, suggesting that Arexis will be retrofitted after the aircraft is in service.
The aircraft presentation milestone came some three-and-a-half years after production was launched at Manching’s assembly line in November 2022. At that time, the in-service date was expected to be 2025.
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