A unique test aircraft: the A320 with the Eurofighter nose takes off for the first time

What's flying up there? Unusual flying objects have always caused a stir. And that has probably also been the case in Braunschweig, Germany, on January 21, 2025. That was when attentive observers were able to see a very special aircraft in action for the first time over the airfield of the German Aerospace Center (DLR): the DLR’s modified A320 ATRA, which just completed its first flight. ATRA stands for “Advanced Technology Research Aircraft”.

What makes this research aircraft so extraordinary is its “nose”, which is not the one you see on a regular Airbus A320 commercial aircraft. The A320 ATRA is equipped with the nose of a Eurofighter jet that Airbus engineers from Manching developed and assembled specifically for the test aircraft.

Flying “test bed” for new Eurofighter radar

But why does the A320 ATRA need a new nose at all, and why one from a fighter jet? “We are operating the aircraft in close collaboration with the DLR and the German Armed Forces to test a new radar for the Eurofighter and bring it to maturity,” explains Airbus E-Scan radar project manager Thomas Hirsch. And for this, the test aircraft needs to have a corresponding front section to house the so-called AESA-MK1 radar (Active Electronically Scanned Array).

To ensure that the A320 ATRA can accommodate its new nose without any problems and fly safely with it, engineers and mechanics from Airbus Defence and Space and Airbus Commercial Aircraft have designed a complete new front section and reinforced the A320 airframe. All modifications were carried out in accordance with the proper procedures of the type-certification holder, Airbus Commercial Aircraft in Toulouse. In addition to integrating the new nose, the teams will, in a next step, also install extensive test equipment in the A320 ATRA cabin, including a customised Eurofighter avionic test rig and supporting cooling and power infrastructure requirements.

Longer test time under real conditions

Now that the first flight has been successfully completed, testing can begin this year. But why isn't the new radar being tested directly on a Eurofighter? “The A320 ATRA has a significantly shorter clearance process and can stay in the air longer than a Eurofighter,” says E-Scan radar project manager Hirsch. This means that the “testing time” in a real-life environment, i.e. in the air, is considerably earlier, quicker and with a longer duration on an A320. These aspects significantly speed up the radar development process.

Upon completion of the development, the AESA-MK1 radar is then to be integrated and used in the latest generation of Spanish “Halcón I” and German “Quadriga” Eurofighters - and make the fighter jet even better than it already is. The radar will improve the Eurofighter's capabilities in air-to-air and air-to-ground operations and also equip it with electronic warfare functions.