Kuwait has ordered 28 Eurofighter Typhoon multirole combat aircraft for its Air Force. The order makes Kuwait the Typhoon's eighth customer to date

Announced on 5 April 2016, a contract signed between Italy and Kuwait covers the supply of 28 Typhoons for the Kuwait Air Force. News of today’s Kuwaiti Typhoons contract follows an agreement involving the same two countries made public last September.

22 of these Kuwaiti Typhoons will be single-seat models: twin-seat models make up the balance. All will be examples of the latest ‘Tranche 3’ Typhoons, featuring state-of-the-start E-Scan radar technology. Two other Gulf Region nations – Saudi Arabia and Oman – are previous Typhoon customers.

“We are delighted to officially welcome the State of Kuwait as a new member of the Eurofighter family”, Eurofighter CEO Volker Paltzo commented in the firm’s official Kuwaiti Typhoons order news release. He added: “The confirmation of this order is further testament of the growing interest in the Eurofighter Typhoon in the Gulf Region. It will enable Kuwait to benefit from the critical mass being developed in the Gulf and the many advantages that it brings to an Air Force in terms of interoperability, training and in-service support.”

BAE Systems, that makes the Typhoon’s forward fuselage, fin and flap components, has publicly approved this deal, stating: ‘We welcome the signing of the contract today between Italy and Kuwait for the supply of 28 Eurofighter Typhoons. The State of Kuwait will be the third country in the Middle East, and the eighth country overall to operate the aircraft. This confirms Typhoon’s position as the most advanced new generation swing role combat aircraft available today.’

Developed by a four-nation consortium – Germany, Italy, the UK and Spain - the Eurofighter Typhoon first flew on 27 March 1994. More than two decades later, some 470 Typhoon deliveries have since taken place.

The German Air Force, Italian Air Force, Royal Air Force, Spanish Air Force, Austrian Air Force and Royal Saudi Air Force all presently operate the type, while Oman’s 12 Typhoons – ordered in December 2012 – are still to be delivered. According to Eurofighter, 22 operational units are currently Typhoon-equipped. Furthermore, the world’s in-service Typhoons have so far accumulated some 330,000 flying hours.

Powered by two Eurojet EJ200 afterburning turbofan engines, each producing 20,227 pounds of thrust, the Typhoon has a top speed of 1,324 miles per hour (2,125 kilometres per hour) and a maximum range of 2,302 miles (3,705 kilometres). Operating at up to 42,540 feet (13,000 metres), it can be loaded with a variety of missiles and bombs. They include AIM-120 AMRAAM andAIM-9 Sidewinder air-to-air missiles and Paveway LGBs (laser-guided bombs). Other Typhoon armament includes a 27mm Mauser BK-27 cannon, which carries 150 rounds.

The Kuwait Air Force was formed in 1953. Today, it employs circa 5,000 personnel and has three air bases: Abdullah Al-Mubarak (its headquarters), Ali Al Salem and Ahmed Al Jaber.

The only Kuwait Air Force squadron based at Abdullah Al-Mubarak is 41 Transport Squadron, which operates the Lockheed Hercules’ L-100-300 version. Ali Al Salem is home to the middle eastern air arm’s number 12 and 19 training squadrons (flying the British Aerospace Hawk Mk64 and Short Tucano Mk52 trainers), 17 and 20 attack squadrons (equipped with Boeing AH-64D Apache helicopter gunships), 32 and 33 helicopter squadrons (Aerospatiale AS332B /AS332M Super Puma utility helicopters and SA342K Gazelle liaison helicopters) and 62 Utility Squadron (an Aerospatiale SA330H Puma transport helicopter unit).

Its two fighter and attack squadrons – numbers 9 and 25 – are located at Ahmed al Jaber. Both operate the McDonnell Douglas F/A-18 Hornet’s C (single-seat) and D (twin-seat) versions.