Eurofighter Typhoon IPA6

IPA6 first took off on 1 November 2007 with Mark Bowman at the controls. Rather than being built as a dedicated prototype, it was converted from a series-production airframe, serial BS031, and assigned to developing the Tranche 2 avionics suite and integrating the Praetorian Defensive Aids Sub-System with that new avionics. Although its airframe belonged to Tranche 1, it was the first aircraft to carry Tranche 2 hardware and software, making it the bridge between the two production batches. Engine testing had already been carried out in October 2007. From 2008 it flew Defensive Aids Sub System trials and tested the new Helmet Equipment Assembly and the Forward Looking Infra-Red sensor. Together with IPA7, it also flew the avionics trials required for international certification. Since late 2012 the aircraft has been dedicated to software validation, like much of the instrumented production fleet.