Ever since I acquired that Eurofighter combat similar game back in the 1990s, I have been truly fascinated by this aircraft. Starting as a European multinational project for a new fighter aircraft years before that, it faced many challenges before the first production examples would roll off the assembly lines. And despite the project would encounter some political headwind at times, it did result in a very capable swing-role 4.5 generation platform that forms the backbone of five European air forces, and also serves several air arms in the Middle East.

In this article that will be updated frequently, we will focus on the German Air Force Eurofighters. While some Defence Ministers tried to cut back the programme significantly in the past, the Luftwaffe is now about to get the first examples of Tranche 4, and another follow-up order is expected to be approved by the Bundestag very soon.

The article will be split into five different parts, covering the early days from drawing board to first mass assembly; the aircraft's various systems and weapons; the acquisition by the German armed forces in various tranches as well as the phase enhancement updates; the units that operate the Eurofighter; and finally a rundown on each individual aircraft including an image of all these.

My admiration for the Eurofighter might make me a bit biased, and of course I am aware that a few aspects does influence its performance (yes, the radar saga is an endless one indeed). Still, with this changing geopolitical situation, this European product deserves more credit than it usually gets, in my opinion. It has improved way beyond that computer game I once played. Therefore, I hope you will soon enjoy this publication series. Stay tuned! ■