European Fighter Posters — 2 museum-grade prints on the theme. Austria selected the Eurofighter Typhoon in 2003 as its first post-Cold War supersonic fighter replacement, becoming the type's inaugural export customer. The first Austrian aircraft, serial 7L-WA, was accepted at Zeltweg on 12 July 2007; operational air surveillance began 1 July 2008 after leased Swiss F-5E Tiger IIs returned following UEFA Euro 2008 security duties. Dassault designed the Rafale as a true omnirole platform — air superiority, deep strike, reconnaissance, and nuclear-deterrence escort from a single airframe family sharing the delta-canard layout and SNECMA M88 twin-engine package. On 27 June 2006, EC 1/7 Provence at Saint-Dizier became the first Armée de l'Air squadron to fly the Rafale operationally, fielding both Rafale B and C variants as Jaguar units stood down.