Time Period: Post-WW2
Country of Origin: United Kingdom
Type: Fighter Aircraft (Private Venture Demonstrator Fighter)
Manufacturer: British Aerospace
British Aerospace EAP Aircraft Overview
The British Aerospace Experimental Aircraft Programme (EAP) was a technology demonstrator aircraft built in the 1980s by British Aerospace (now BAE Systems) in partnership with other British aerospace companies. The EAP was designed to test a range of advanced technologies that could be used in future combat aircraft, including advanced composite materials, fly-by-wire flight controls, and digital avionics.
The EAP was a single-seat, twin-engine aircraft that was designed with a delta wing configuration and a highly maneuverable design. It was powered by two turbofan engines and featured advanced systems such as a digital flight control system, a head-up display, and an infrared search and track system.
The EAP made its first flight in 1986 and underwent a series of flight tests over the following years. The data and experience gained from the EAP program were later used in the development of the Eurofighter Typhoon, a multirole combat aircraft that is now used by several European air forces.
While the EAP itself never entered production or operational service, its design and technologies were a significant milestone in British aerospace development and helped pave the way for future advanced combat aircraft programs.
British Aerospace EAP Specifications
- Crew: 1
- Length: 48 ft 2.75 in (14.7003 m)
- Wingspan: 38 ft 7 in (11.76 m)
- Height: 18 ft 1.5 in (5.525 m)
- Wing area: 560 sq ft (52 m2)
- Empty weight: 22,050 lb (10,002 kg)
- Max takeoff weight: 32,000 lb (14,515 kg)
- Powerplant: 2 × Turbo-Union RB199-104D 3-spool turbofan engine, 9,000 lbf (40 kN) thrust each dry, 17,000 lbf (76 kN) with afterburner
British Aerospace EAP Performance
- Maximum speed: Mach 2 at 11,000 m (36,100 ft)
- Service ceiling: 60,000 ft (18,000 m)
