British Aerospace EAP
The British Aerospace ACA or EAP was a prototype fighter aircraft developed as a private venture in the 1980s and which eventually formed the basis for the Eurofighter.
In 1982, British Aerospace exhibited the ACA (Agile Combat Aircraft) at the Farnborough Air Show. The ACA was a result of several years of private venture research by BAe, costing around £25 million.
The British Government announced it would not support the ACA, but would make a financial contribution to the EAP (Experimental Aircraft Programme), which would be based on the ACA and would first fly on August 8 1986.
The Experimental Aircraft Programme was designed to research components technology to be used in a future project, named EFA (European Fighter Project, later to become the Eurofighter).
The EAP was fitted with a variety of advanced electronic equipment, including three CRTs and a HUD similar to the F-16's. The EAP's engines were a pair of Turbo-Union RB199-104 afterburning turbofans, similar to the Tornado's.
After several years of research by the EAP, the Eurofighter project was initiated. Without the research from the ACA/EAP projects, the Eurofighter would not have been possible.
Specifications (EAP)
General Characteristics
- Crew: one, pilot
- Length: 40 ft 0 in (16.80 m)
- Wingspan: 40 ft 0 in (10.50 m)
- Height: ft in (5.80 m)
- Wing area: ft² ( m²)
- Empty: 21,900 lb (9,935 kg)
- Loaded: lb ( kg)
- Maximum takeoff: 40,000 lb (18,145 kg)
- Powerplant: 2x Turbo-Union RB199-104, 16,000 lb (71.3 kN) thrust each
Performance
- Maximum speed: Mach 2.27, 2,414 mph (1,500 km/h)
- Range: miles ( km)
- Service ceiling: ft ( m)
- Rate of climb: ft/min ( m/min)
- Wing loading: lb/ft² ( kg/m²)
- Thrust-to-weight:
Related content
Related development:
Eurofighter
Comparable aircraft:
Designation sequence:
