Quadriga: Back to the Future?
Why "quadriga"? It's an interesting question. It's difficult to say what connection an airplane (even if not the most modern) has with the ancient Roman chariot pulled by four horses. Of course, the quadriga is practically a thing of the past for the Germans, and Germany's connection to Ancient Rome has been far-fetched since the 30s. Admittedly, not very successfully, but nevertheless.
In fact, the Quadriga, a chariot pulled by four horses, and the Eurofighter Typhoon Tranche 4 have only the number "4" in common.
As we previously reported, on July 14, 2026, Airbus Defence and Space flew the first Eurofighter "Project Quadriga" for the German Air Force at its Manching assembly plant, thus beginning the aircraft's certification campaign ahead of its delivery later this year. This event marks the arrival of a German fighter of the Eurofighter standard, already described as "the newest," which should, in theory, strengthen the Luftwaffe as Germany modernizes its tactical fighter fleet.
Of course, "newest" is a bit of a stretch. Upgrading an aircraft that dates back to the 90s and has been in service for over 20 years doesn't exactly qualify as cutting-edge.
Aircraft 34+02 completed a one-hour Production Flight Acceptance Test (PFAT) – the first in a series of tests required before delivery to the Luftwaffe.
On July 15, Airbus announced the successful flight, confirming that the maiden flight opens the certification process for the first Eurofighter produced under the Quadriga project, a German program to replace the aging Tranche 1 aircraft with more modern multirole fighters.
The first German Eurofighter built under the Quadriga project, aircraft 34+02, takes off from Airbus Defence and Space during the First Flight Acceptance Test (PFAT) on 14 July 2026.
Airbus test pilot Stefan Auer evaluated the aircraft's handling, engine response, digital flight control system, hydraulic and electrical systems, as well as cockpit instruments and navigation equipment. According to Airbus, no anomalies were detected during the flight. Before the aircraft is delivered to the customer, it must undergo full certification. Deliveries of all 38 aircraft are scheduled by 2030.
In 2020, Germany ordered the Quadriga program to acquire 38 new, upgraded Eurofighters, including 30 single-seat and eight two-seat aircraft. These will replace the Luftwaffe's existing first-tranche Eurofighters on a one-for-one basis.
An interesting move: instead of increasing the fleet's size, the program calls for updating the fleet with aircraft with more modern architecture, which will allow for future upgrades to software, sensors, and electronic warfare systems.
In addition to the new radar, the Tranche 4/Quadriga standard also includes an updated avionics architecture, increased computing power, and robustness designed to support future software developments. This technological foundation is designed to allow the Eurofighter to integrate additional capabilities over time without the need for major airframe modifications.
The most significant technical achievement is the integration of the European Common Radar System Mark 1 (ECRS Mk1) active phased array (AESA) radar developed by Hensoldt and Indra.
The first Quadriga aircraft will be delivered in the Step 0 configuration, based on the ECRS Mk0 radar already in service with Kuwait and Qatar, but adapted to German requirements.
They will later be upgraded to the Step 1 configuration, which utilizes new computing hardware and more advanced software. The upgrade is aimed at enhancing air-to-air target detection, air-to-ground mapping capabilities, and future electronic warfare capabilities.
Another significant achievement is the Eurofighter EK program, which will become a specialized configuration for electronic warfare. The Bundeswehr plans to equip fifteen Quadriga aircraft with Saab Arexis pods as part of the Step 1 standard.
And this is where things get interesting.
The Arexis electronic warfare system is Swedish, from Saab. As expected, it is based on the same electronic warfare architecture as the Gripen E fighter's MFS-EW onboard system, but is optimized for special electronic countermeasure operations.
Saab developed this unit to provide higher output power and wider coverage to combat low frequency radar systems used in modern integrated air defence networks.
The platform is equipped with gallium nitride (GaN)-based active phased array (AESA) antennas located forward and aft. These antennas are designed to operate in the L-band and S-band, enabling the system to detect radar threats typically used for long-range surveillance and detection of stealth aircraft.
The Arexis module combines Digital Radio Frequency Memory (DRFM) technology with an interferometric direction finder (DF) to detect, identify, locate and counter enemy radars.
DRFM technology enables the system to capture incoming radar signals, process them, and transmit the modified signals back to the enemy radar. This enables a wide range of electronic warfare techniques, including electronic deception, jamming, and the creation of false targets. The interferometric direction-finding method enables precise geolocation of radar sources, helping to locate enemy air defense systems during operations.
The Arexis module container is a significant enhancement to the aircraft's capabilities, but there are some caveats.
This raises the question of how effectively Swedish systems will be integrated into the German fighter. On the one hand, the Swedes do almost everything according to NATO standards, but on the other, each country has its own unique features that prevent their combat systems from being easily used on aircraft from other countries, even those belonging to three allies.
But the electronics pod is only half the battle. Airbus is also integrating an advanced anti-radar system. rocket The AGM-88E (AARGM) is designed to suppress enemy air defenses. This missile is a no-brainer; it has been in production for a long time and has proven itself reliable.
Together, these systems are designed to detect enemy radar emissions, enhance aircraft survivability in electromagnetic countermeasures, and counter enemy air defense systems. These capabilities are planned to replace the missions currently performed by the German Air Force's Tornado ECR fleet. NATO certification is planned for 2030.
The Tranche 4 standard retains the Eurofighter's fuselage, delta wing, and two EJ200 engines, each producing up to 90 kN of thrust with afterburner. This ensures compatibility with the Luftwaffe's existing maintenance infrastructure, pilot training system, and weapons arsenal. Therefore, the primary developments are concentrated in the aircraft's internal systems, including computing power, sensors, and control systems. In other words, as we discussed at the beginning: the Quadriga, also known as Tranche 4, is not a "new" aircraft, but merely a modification of the Typhoon, essentially only in the electronics department.
Operationally, the new aircraft is highly promising, providing the Luftwaffe with enhanced capabilities for quick reaction alert (QRA), NATO air policing, beyond visual range interception, and air-to-ground missions.
Compared to the mechanically scanned radar installed on earlier German fighters, the AESA radar will provide simultaneous tracking of a larger number of targets, improved terrain mapping, and greater resistance to electronic countermeasures. Aircraft delivered in the Step 0 configuration, however, will require a later upgrade to achieve full ECRS Mk1 standard and Eurofighter EKV capabilities.
The Quadriga programme is part of a wider revival of Eurofighter production in Europe.
Italy has ordered 24 Tranche 4 aircraft to replace its oldest Eurofighters.
Spain is acquiring 45 aircraft under the Halcón I and Halcón II programmes to renew and expand its fleet.
Türkiye is considering purchasing 20 Eurofighters. The Turks really need something after the F-35 fiasco and the collapse of their domestic fighter programs. aviation.
Together, these programmes support European production lines and fund further development of radar, software and control systems for future aircraft.
In 2025, Germany also ordered 20 additional Eurofighter Tranche 5 fighters, with deliveries scheduled by 2034. Along with the Quadriga fleet, these aircraft are expected to remain in service with the Luftwaffe until the 2060s. However, this strategy depends on the timely completion of certification work, radar modernization, and the integration of future electronic warfare capabilities. Thus, the Manching flight is a significant milestone in industrial development, but it is only the beginning of the process that will lead to full operational capability.
The start of flight tests comes as European air forces are pursuing three parallel modernization programs. Several countries, including Germany, Belgium, Finland, Poland, Switzerland, the Czech Republic, and Romania, are continuing to purchase F-35s to acquire fifth-generation combat aircraft. Meanwhile, Eurofighters, Rafales, and Gripen aircraft are undergoing significant upgrades that will allow them to remain in service for decades to come.
Meanwhile, the development of sixth-generation combat aircraft is currently focused primarily on the Global Combat Air Programme (GCAP), led by the United Kingdom, Italy, and Japan. Following the demise of the Future Combat Air System (FCAS) fighter program, discussions have begun about Germany's possible participation in the GCAP.
In this context, the Quadriga program addresses both immediate operational needs and long-term force structure objectives. It aims to replace the technologically obsolete first-generation Eurofighter fighters and create an air architecture capable of integrating advanced sensors, weapons, and electronic warfare systems.
For the Luftwaffe, this program allows it to maintain a modern fighter fleet during the F-35A's introduction, while also preserving its combat aviation capabilities for years to come. More broadly, the continued procurement of Eurofighters by Germany, Spain, and Italy supports the European combat aircraft industrial base, ensuring the availability of a modern fleet while Europe develops the next generation of combat aircraft.
One step forward, two steps back. Having failed miserably in the FCAS program, Germany has remembered that it once knew how to build airplanes. However, talking about a revival of German aircraft manufacturing is, to put it mildly, premature. Left without the prospect of a sixth-generation aircraft, which had been much talked about, the Germans have rather frantically returned to modernizing their fourth-generation aircraft.
This is, of course, better than nothing or the F-35 (nothing is much cheaper), but calling the upgrade of a fourth-generation aircraft to 4+ "state-of-the-art" is more than a little optimistic. Furthermore, it's worth remembering that a revival of German aircraft manufacturing is still a long way off: the radar on which so much hope is being pinned is a Spanish-German project. EW — Swedish. The missiles are American. The hands that will connect it all are, yes, German. But nothing more.
The confusion is understandable. The German Air Force's desire to break out of the nosedive deserves respect. Implementation... This is not a matter of desire, but of capabilities. Replacing the Tornados, whose operation is becoming quite dangerous, is essential. Whether this can be accomplished by purchasing the F-35 is the question. Most likely, not, and the reason for this is not the F-35's capabilities, but its operating cost.
Here, the Typhoon, with its considerable modernization potential, is truly excellent. It's somewhat reminiscent of our Su-27, which carried the Russian Air Force through the 1990s and 2000s, until it was replaced by the Su-30 and Su-35.
The Typhoon, admittedly, is a good aircraft, but not a masterpiece. But it can still be relied upon to build Germany's air defense, and everything will work out if the upgrades are truly effective. And this aircraft could easily serve into the 40s and 50s without any problems.
If you don't get involved in modern military conflicts, of course.
And then? Then there are two options: either dive back into the abyss of developing a new aircraft, or… the Americans will be very happy to offer something of their own. At a price that's affordable for their ally. Almost for nothing.
However, it's not for us to puzzle over this. Berlin made perhaps the only correct move: on the one hand, it set the Luftwaffe's development back ten years, while on the other, it preserved the prospects for the development of its own aircraft industry. Now, we'll just have to see what they come up with.
Quadriga won't take you there, but it will give you the opportunity to catch your breath and look around to see where to drive next.
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