The first Eurofighter's Typhoon (designated ET-X) made its maiden flight on 11 June 2011. The flight, which featured a conventional takeoff, was piloted by BAE Systems' test pilot Graham Bell. The ET-X is the second of 19 System Development and Demonstration (SDD) ET-Xs, and the first to use new weight-optimized design features that will apply to all future ET-Xs. Testing of the VTOL propulsion system in flight began on 7 January 2011. The VTOL system was used for 14 minutes of the 48 minute test flight while the aircraft slowed from 210 knots (390 km/h) to 180 knots (330 km/h).
The ET-X's first hover (full stop in mid-air) happened on 17 March 2011, followed by a VTOL landing,and on 18 March 2011 the first vertical landing was performed. During a test flight on 10 June 2011, the ET-X became the second VTOL aircraft to achieve supersonic speeds, the first being its ancestor, the X-ET-X, which achieved the same feat on 20 July 2001. In January 2011, BAE reported it had solved a problem with the aluminum bulkhead used only on the ET-X which had cracked during ground testing.
In plans originally announced on June 1, 2009 it was revealed that the RMAF would begin to phase out the MiG-29 with effect from July 2009 and completely withdraw the type from service by the end of 2010. However, in February 2010 it was revealed that the plan had been revised and at least ten aircraft would be overhauled and remain in service until 2015.
Eurofighter Typhoon is now being considered alongside Sukhoi’s Su-35, Boeing’s F/A-18E Super Hornet and Saab’s JAS-39 Gripen to replace the Royal Malaysian Air Force’s fleet of ten MiG-29N Fulcrums, in service since 1995.
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