A British Royal Air Force Eurofighter Typhoon flies at low-level at RAF Coningsby in Lincolnshire, eastern England, December 17, 2004. Britain's Defence Secretary Geoff Hoon said on Friday the Eurofighter combat jet had overcome early problems that threatened to delay the programme and sharply escalate costs. "I hope it can now be recognised that we have overcome those early problems," Hoon said in a speech as part of ceremonies marking Britain's agreement to buy a second tranche of 89 Eurofighter combat jets worth 4.3 billion pounds ($8.4 billion). REUTERS/Toby Melville TM/MD/SM