Eurofighter: Is this the beginning of the end?

Does the Typhoon need to be put on life support?

News last week about Germany reducing its planned numbers of Eurofighter Typhoons has put a damper on continued production.  There is now possibility that the line may end with only a few prospects for further sales.

While the Typhoon is a fine fighter, it has the unfortunate distinction of being a "higher end" model.  Recent fighter sales have indicated a tendency to gravitate to the high-zoot F-35 or the more affordable Gripen.

The Typhoon does have a few prospects, however.  Friction with the Indian Rafale deal has left Eurofighter reminding India that it would be more than happy to play ball.  There's also a few possibilities in the Middle East and Denmark.

Where Eurofighter should really step up its game is Canada.

Boeing's Super Hornet is seen as pretty much the default alternative to a Canadian F-35.  But, Dassault has certainly been keen towards Canada, and wants to make its presence known.  Even the Gripen has a dedicated fan base, despite no longer participating in the process.  (I wonder why that is?)  So far, little has been heard from the Eurofighter group, though.  There is a very good possibility that this is due to BAE Systems and Alenia Aermacchi being major partners in both the Eurofighter and the F-35.

It even looks right.

This is a shame, as the Eurofighter might prove to be an easy sell in Canada.

It's already in use by several countries, 4 of which are NATO allies.  It's compatible with the CF-18's current stockpile of missiles and bombs.  Its proven itself in both simulated and real combat.  It is of two-engine design, so concerns about flame-outs over frozen tundra could be put to bed.

In fact, the only real strike against the Typhoon is its price, which is fairly irrelevant when compared to the even more expensive F-35 Lightning II.

I'm not saying the Typhoon is the best fighter for Canada, but few argue that it is the worst choice.