Eurofighter Typhoon IPA8

IPA8 is the two-seater used to validate the CAPTOR-E active electronically scanned array radar and is built to Tranche 3 standard, of which it is the only representative within the instrumented production fleet. Its role matches the main structural change introduced with Tranche 3: a strengthened nose able to carry the heavier CAPTOR-E, alongside the reinforced spine with adapters for conformal fuel tanks. Like the rest of the IPA fleet it is owned by the NATO agency responsible for EF 2000 and Tornado development, production and logistics management, and is loaned to industry for test campaigns. The sources consulted do not publish its first flight date or its serial, so both remain outstanding.