German military halts Eurofighter deliveries over flaw

Germany's defence ministry has identified a new technical problem with Eurofighter combat aircraft and frozen deliveries until further notice, a spokesman said today.
The problem was similar to a defect identified last year and also related to the deburring of holes drilled into the fuselage, but at "another location," he told AFP.
The manufacturer has stressed that the flaw does not affect aviation safety, operational usability or the aircraft's lifespan, national news agency DPA reported.
The Eurofighter consortium could not immediately be reached for comment by AFP.
Germany's Bundeswehr had previously halted but then resumed deliveries over a similar problem. It now has 110 Eurofighters, with 33 more to be delivered.

The new problem would not force a further reduction in flying hours, which were already reduced last year from 3,000 to 1,500 hours per plane, the ministry spokesman said.

The Eurofighter Typhoon is Europe's largest collaborative defence programme -- a partnership between Italy's Finmeccanica, Britain's BAE Systems and Airbus.
It competes with Boeing's Super Hornet F18 and the French Dassault Rafale.
Since it entered into service in 2003, a total of 599 Eurofighters have been sold and 444 delivered to six nations -- Germany, Britain, Italy, Spain, Austria and Saudi Arabia.