British Aerospace EAP

British Aerospace ACA/EAP

British Aerospace prototype aircraft used for research into 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.

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 & 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.