Germany’s first Tranche 4 Eurofighter took flight in Manching. Radar, strategy, and exports: Can Berlin now compete with the Rafale?
In Summary
The first German Eurofighter built as part of Project Quadriga made its maiden flight on July 14, 2026, from Manching, Bavaria. Aircraft 34+02 remained airborne for about an hour for a production acceptance test. This milestone paves the way for the delivery of 38 Eurofighter Tranche 4 aircraft intended to replace the Luftwaffe’s older Tranche 1 aircraft. The program, authorized at approximately 5.5 billion euros, also includes parts, maintenance equipment, and test facilities. The real breakthrough lies in the ECRS Mk1 AESA radar, although the first aircraft will receive a transitional Step 0 version prior to the standard Step 1. Quadriga strengthens Germany’s industrial sovereignty and the position of Airbus Defence and Space. However, Germany still lacks the commercial and technological autonomy enjoyed by France. In competition with the Rafale, it is gaining in power, but not yet in freedom of action.
The maiden flight finally paves the way for German deliveries
On July 14, 2026, the Eurofighter bearing the military registration 34+02 took off from the Airbus Defence and Space military aviation center in Manching. The flight lasted about an hour. It was a Production Flight Acceptance Test.
This type of flight is not a tactical evaluation mission. Its primary purpose is to verify the aircraft’s overall performance. The pilot checks the engines, flight controls, hydraulic systems, electrical power generation, navigation, and major onboard systems. The goal is to confirm that the production-built aircraft can proceed through the acceptance process before its transfer to the Luftwaffe.
This distinction is important. This flight is an industrial milestone, not full operational capability. It does not yet demonstrate that all radar, electronic warfare, and weapons functions are certified in their final configuration.
The aircraft is expected to be delivered to the Luftwaffe before the end of 2026. Airbus had initially announced deliveries between 2025 and 2030. The program is therefore at least one year behind the schedule presented at the industrial launch. This delay is manageable for a new combat variant, but it shows that the qualification of the avionics and radar remains complex.
Aircraft 34+02 should not be confused with 34+03, which was publicly unveiled in May 2026 during the Airbus Defense Summit in Manching. The latter had been used as an industrial showcase. The former is the aircraft that actually kicked off the Project Quadriga production flight campaign.
Project Quadriga Replaces a Generation That Has Become Too Limited
Germany ordered 38 Eurofighter Tranche 4 aircraft in November 2020. The announced configuration includes 30 single-seat and eight two-seat aircraft. Three aircraft are also to be used for testing, integrating new equipment, and future system development.
The program has been authorized for a total of 5.5 billion euros. This amount does not correspond solely to the price of the aircraft. It includes spare parts, ground control equipment, special tooling, and various support equipment.
A simple calculation yields an average budget cost of nearly 145 million euros per aircraft. This figure should not be interpreted as the price of the airframe alone. It represents the average cost of a military package comprising the aircraft and part of their operational environment.
The new aircraft are intended to replace the Eurofighter Tranche 1 models acquired between 2003 and 2008. These earlier aircraft were designed primarily for air defense. Their electronic architecture is less scalable. Certain parts are no longer in production. A complete overhaul would have required extensive modifications, particularly to the computers, wiring, and internal digital networks.
Berlin has therefore chosen to build new aircraft rather than refurbish the older ones. This decision may seem costly, but it is consistent with the overall strategy. Extensively modernizing an older airframe can become nearly as expensive as a new aircraft, while still subject to structural fatigue and maintenance constraints.
Tranche 4 aircraft have a theoretical service life extending beyond 2060. They must provide a platform compatible with future software upgrades, new weapons systems, collaborative combat, and electronic warfare capabilities.
The AESA radar represents the major technological breakthrough
The most visible innovation in Project Quadriga is the introduction of the ECRS Mk1 radar. This is an active electronically scanned array (AESA) radar. Its antenna comprises numerous electronic modules capable of transmitting and receiving individually.
A traditional mechanical radar physically moves its antenna to direct its beam. An AESA radar electronically adjusts its direction. It can therefore scan multiple areas very quickly, track more targets, and switch modes almost instantly.
This technology enables the radar to search for aircraft, map the ground, and track multiple targets with greater resistance to jamming. It also offers a lower probability of interception, as the radar can rapidly change its frequencies, waveforms, and transmission sequences.
The initial standard remains an intermediate configuration
However, it would be inaccurate to claim that the first Quadriga already possesses all the capabilities promised by the future ECRS Mk1.
The first aircraft are set to receive the ECRS Mk1 Step 0. This version is derived from the ECRS Mk0 used on the Eurofighters of Kuwait and Qatar. It includes German adaptations and a new antenna, but it does not yet meet the expected final standard.
The real improvement is expected to come with the ECRS Mk1 Step 1. For this version, Hensoldt and Indra are developing a multichannel receiver, a new processor, and a more powerful antenna power supply. The first Step 1 systems are scheduled for delivery to Germany and Spain starting in 2027.
The new processor is designed to increase computing capacity and speed up the transition between different modes. It is also intended to support functions such as automatic recognition, parallel processing, data fusion, and pilot assistance.
The architecture provides for advanced air-to-air capabilities, high-resolution air-to-ground mapping, and passive and active electronic warfare functions. However, some of these capabilities will depend on future software updates.
The new computers do not yet transform the cockpit
Tranche 4 features a modernized avionics architecture and greater processing capacity than previous tranches. Above all, it offers greater room for growth in software, communications, and weapons integration.
Nevertheless, one should avoid attributing to it in advance all the developments planned for the next-generation Eurofighter. The large panoramic display, the new flight computers, the new mission computers, and the more open software architecture are primarily part of the Long-Term Evolution program and the future Tranche 5.
Quadriga is preparing this evolution. It will not be fully delivered with the very first aircraft. This distinction is essential for honestly assessing the gap between an industry promise and an actually available capability.
The Luftwaffe Is Building a Multi-Tiered Fleet
Quadriga should not be analyzed in isolation. Germany is establishing a combat aviation force composed of several complementary platforms.
The 38 Tranche 4 aircraft are intended to replace the Tranche 1 aircraft. Berlin also ordered 20 additional Eurofighters in October 2025. These aircraft, generally referred to as Tranche 5, are scheduled for delivery between 2031 and 2034.
Germany will therefore have 58 new Eurofighters from these two successive orders, in addition to the newer aircraft already in service. The German Ministry’s long-standing goal has been to maintain a sustainable fleet of approximately 140 Eurofighters.
At the same time, 15 Eurofighters are to be adapted for electronic warfare as part of the Eurofighter EK program. These aircraft will use, among other things, Saab Arexis equipment and AGM-88E AARGM anti-radar missiles to detect, locate, and attack enemy surface-to-air defenses.
This mission is strategic. It is intended to replace part of the capabilities of the Tornado ECR, which specializes in suppressing air defenses. Certification of the Eurofighter EK is targeted for around 2030. Some Quadriga aircraft are scheduled to receive the necessary equipment after their initial delivery.
Finally, Germany has purchased 35 F-35As for nearly 10 billion euros, including weapons, spare parts, and five years of support. The F-35 will notably carry out NATO’s nuclear sharing mission. The first German training sessions are scheduled to begin in the United States in 2026, prior to the aircraft’s arrival at Büchel starting in 2027.
The future Luftwaffe will therefore rest on three pillars. The F-35 will provide stealth and penetration capabilities. The Eurofighter will handle air defense, interception, and a portion of conventional strikes. The Eurofighter EK will be responsible for electronic warfare and radar neutralization.
This approach is more credible than seeking a single aircraft capable of performing all missions. It will also be costly. Two families of fighter jets mean two supply chains, two training programs, two support systems, and different infrastructures.
Germany Consolidates Its Industrial Position in Europe
Project Quadriga has an industrial dimension as significant as its military one. Final assembly in Germany takes place in Manching. Airbus Germany also produces the central section of the fuselage.
The Eurofighter, however, relies on a shared production structure. BAE Systems supplies the forward fuselage and the vertical stabilizer. Leonardo produces the left wing and contributes to the rear fuselage. Airbus Spain manufactures the right wing.
The program involves more than 400 companies and supports approximately 100,000 skilled jobs in Europe. Germany officially accounts for 33% of the program’s industrial structure and approximately 25,000 jobs. More than 120 German suppliers are directly involved in the value chain.
The order for the 20 Tranche 5 aircraft extends operations at Manching through 2034. Without it, the German production line would have been at risk of closing after the delivery of the last Quadriga in 2030.
This continuity is crucial. A fighter jet production line cannot be easily shut down and then restarted. Expertise is lost. Engineers switch to other sectors. Suppliers dismantle their facilities. Industrial processes must then be recreated and recertified.
The Quadriga is therefore a safeguard against the loss of German industrial sovereignty. It maintains the teams capable of assembling, testing, integrating, and supporting a modern fighter aircraft.
The abandonment of the SCAF fighter changes the scope of the program
The Quadriga’s maiden flight takes place against a very specific political backdrop. In June 2026, France and Germany abandoned the joint development of the future manned fighter jet under the Future Air Combat System program.
Disagreements between Dassault Aviation and Airbus centered in particular on prime contractor status, the division of responsibilities, intellectual property, and industrial allocation. Certain components of the program, including the combat cloud, are set to continue. However, the central pillar dedicated to the joint fighter jet has been abandoned.
In this new situation, the Eurofighter is no longer merely a transition toward a joint Franco-German aircraft. It is becoming the primary foundation upon which Berlin can preserve its national capabilities until a post-2040 solution is defined.
This reality significantly increases the strategic value of Quadriga and Tranche 5. Germany can no longer view the Eurofighter as a program that has reached the end of its evolution. It must now invest in its avionics, radars, armament, and integration with drones.
The challenge is clear. The Eurofighter remains an aircraft designed in the 1980s and entered service in the early 2000s. It can be extensively modernized. However, it will not become a true sixth-generation stealth fighter.
Berlin is buying time. It has not yet resolved the issue of its combat aircraft beyond 2040.
New Orders Boost Export Prospects
The Eurofighter has long suffered from a complicated commercial image. Its price is high. Its industrial structure is cumbersome. Any major export deal may require the approval of four partner countries.
Nevertheless, the program is experiencing renewed momentum. It now boasts more than 769 orders and over 600 deliveries. The founding countries are Germany, the United Kingdom, Italy, and Spain. International customers include Austria, Saudi Arabia, Oman, Kuwait, Qatar, and now Türkiye.
Turkey ordered 20 aircraft in October 2025. This is a significant success. It revives British production and demonstrates that the Eurofighter can still outcompete American, French, or Swedish offers when the political climate is favorable.
But this deal also highlighted the consortium’s weakness. Berlin had long blocked exports to Ankara. The United Kingdom, Italy, and Spain supported the sale but could not proceed without German authorization. The veto was finally lifted in July 2025.
Germany therefore wields considerable political power over Eurofighter exports. However, it does not have the ability to sell the aircraft on its own.
This distinction limits its responsiveness. A customer must negotiate with a multinational industrial and political organization. Each partner defends its jobs, its equipment, its export regulations, and its foreign policy.
The Rafale Retains a Clear Commercial Advantage
A comparison with France is inevitable. The Rafale and the Eurofighter belong to the same general generation. They are both European twin-engine fighters, but their industrial philosophies are very different.
The Eurofighter is the product of a multinational consortium. The Rafale was designed under French leadership. Dassault Aviation leads the program. Safran supplies the engines. Thales plays a central role in radar and avionics.
This organizational structure gives France a much shorter decision-making chain. Paris can negotiate a government-to-government contract, define the proposed armaments, and organize modifications without needing the approval of three other governments.
By the end of 2025, 533 Rafales had been ordered since the program’s launch, including 323 Rafales for export to eight countries. Dassault’s order book still included 220 aircraft, 175 of which were for foreign customers.
The Eurofighter maintains a higher total number of orders thanks to the initial volumes from the four founding countries. But in the pure export market, the Rafale has taken a considerable lead.
The Eurofighter’s five historical foreign customers had ordered 151 aircraft. The Turkish order brings this total to approximately 171 aircraft. The Rafale thus has nearly double the number of foreign orders.
This difference cannot be explained solely by the quality of the aircraft. It also stems from France’s consistent policy, the financing options offered, the integration of weapon systems, and the absence of a multinational veto.
The Quadriga Narrows the Technical Gap Without Reversing the Balance of Power
In air combat, the Eurofighter retains major advantages.
It has a high thrust-to-weight ratio. It climbs rapidly to high altitudes. It can maintain high speeds and carry a significant payload of air-to-air missiles.
These characteristics make it particularly effective for early warning, interception, and long-range combat. The combination of the AESA radar, the Meteor missile, and new data links is expected to reinforce this specialization.
The Rafale is less focused solely on air superiority. It was designed from the outset as a multi-role aircraft. It can perform air defense, deep strike, reconnaissance, maritime attack, nuclear missions, and operations from an aircraft carrier.
Its RBE2 AESA radar has been in service for over a decade. Its SPECTRA electronic warfare suite benefits from extensive operational experience. The Rafale has also been deployed in Afghanistan, Libya, the Sahel, Iraq, and Syria.
Tranche 4 allows Germany to close the gap in electronic scanning radar and computing capabilities. It does not automatically place the Eurofighter ahead of the Rafale F4.
The timeline matters just as much as the technical specifications. Once the ECRS Mk1 Step 1 reaches maturity, France will continue developing the Rafale F5. This variant is scheduled to enter service between 2033 and 2035 with new weaponry, enhanced connectivity, and a stealth combat drone derived from the nEUROn demonstrator.
The contest, therefore, is not simply a matter of ECRS Mk1 versus RBE2, or Eurofighter versus Rafale. It pits two industrial systems, two paces of modernization, and two conceptions of sovereignty against one another.
Germany’s Budgetary Clout Is Not Enough to Ensure Autonomy
Germany can devote more resources to its defense than France thanks to the size of its economy. It can order F-35s, finance the Eurofighter, develop radars, and support a European industrial base.
This financial clout allows it to once again become a major player in combat aviation. It can influence European decisions, impose export conditions, and support Airbus Defence and Space against Dassault Aviation.
But money is no substitute for project leadership. Germany does not have sole control over the Eurofighter. It does not produce its own complete fighter engine. It cannot decide on every development on its own, nor can it guarantee exports on its own.
France enjoys a more comprehensive level of autonomy. It controls the aircraft’s design, the engine, the radar, electronic warfare, the main weapons systems, and certification. It also handles the most demanding missions, including carrier-based operations and nuclear deterrence.
Germany, on the other hand, possesses a strength that France lacks to the same degree: its ability to bring together multiple industrial partners and finance large-scale production. If Berlin transforms this strength into a stable strategy, it could become the budgetary center of gravity for European military aviation.
The real showdown will take place after 2030
The maiden flight of the 34+02 does not immediately upend the European military balance. It does, however, confirm that Germany refuses to let its capability to build and modernize fighter jets disappear.
Project Quadriga will provide the Luftwaffe with aircraft that are significantly more versatile than the Tranche 1 models. The ECRS Mk1 radar, new digital processing capabilities, and the future electronic warfare version will significantly enhance Germany’s air defense.
Berlin will also regain a competitive edge in the export market. A modern aircraft commissioned by its country of origin carries more credibility for export than a program kept artificially alive.
However, Germany has not yet surpassed France. It relies on a consortium to sell and develop the Eurofighter. The Rafale has a commercial edge, a sovereign supply chain, and an operational architecture that is already mature.
The balance of power could shift after 2030. Everything will depend on the success of the ECRS Mk1, the Eurofighter EK, Tranche 5, and Germany’s ability to define a successor following the failure of the SCAF fighter.
France currently has the most autonomous system. Germany has the financial resources to challenge this position. Quadriga is the first concrete sign of this growing strength. It is not yet a German victory. It is the beginning of a much more direct European competition.
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