Panavia Tornado
Encyclopedia
The Panavia Tornado is a family of twin-engine
, variable-sweep wing combat aircraft, which was jointly developed and manufactured by the United Kingdom, West Germany
and Italy. There are three primary variants of the Tornado; the Tornado IDS (interdictor
/strike) fighter-bomber
, the suppression of enemy air defences
Tornado ECR (electronic combat/reconnaissance) and the Tornado ADV
(air defence variant) interceptor
.
Developed and built by Panavia Aircraft GmbH
, a tri-national consortium consisting of British Aerospace
(previously British Aircraft Corporation
), MBB
of West Germany, and Aeritalia
of Italy, the Tornado first flew on 14 August 1974. It was introduced to service in 1979–1980; due to its multirole nature, it was able to replace several different fleets of aircraft in the adopting air forces. The Royal Saudi Air Force
(RSAF) also become an export operator of the Tornado in addition to the three original partner nations. A tri-nation training and evaluation unit operating from RAF Cottesmore
, the Tri-National Tornado Training Establishment
, maintained a level of international cooperation beyond the production stage.
The Tornado was used by the Royal Air Force
(RAF), Italian Air Force
and Royal Saudi Air Force during the 1991 Gulf War
, in which the Tornado conducted many low-altitude penetrating strike missions. The Tornados of various operators were used in conflicts in the former Yugoslavia
during the Bosnian war
and Kosovo war
, Iraq
during the Gulf war
and the Invasion of Iraq, as well as smaller roles in Afghanistan
and Yemen
. Including all variants, a total of 992 aircraft were built.
and Blackburn Buccaneer
strike aircraft. Britain and France had initiated the AFVG
(Anglo French Variable Geometry) project in 1965, but this had ended with French withdrawal in 1967. Britain continued to develop a variable geometry aircraft similar to the proposed AFVG, and sought out new partners in order to achieve this.
In 1968, West Germany, the Netherlands, Belgium, Italy and Canada formed a working group to examine replacements for the Lockheed F-104 Starfighter, initially called the Multi Role Aircraft (MRA), later renamed as the Multi Role Combat Aircraft (MRCA). The participating nations all had ageing fleets that required replacing, but as the requirements were so diverse it was decided to develop a single aircraft that could perform a variety of missions that were previously undertaken by a fleet of different aircraft. Britain joined the MRCA group in 1968, represented by Air Vice-Marshal
Michael Giddings
, and a memorandum of agreement was drafted between Britain, West Germany, and Italy in May 1969.
By the end of 1968, the prospective purchases from the six countries amounted to 1,500 aircraft. Canada and Belgium had departed before any long-term commitments had been made to the program; Canada had found the project politically unpalatable; there was a perception in political circles that much of the manufacturing and specifications were focused upon Western Europe. France had made a favourable offer to Belgium on the Dassault Mirage S
, which created doubt as to whether the MRCA would be worthwhile from Belgium's operational perspective.
On 26 March 1969, four partner nations – United Kingdom, Germany, Italy and the Netherlands, agreed to form Panavia Aircraft GmbH to develop and build the MRCA. The project's aim was to produce an aircraft capable of undertaking missions in the tactical strike, reconnaissance, air defence, and maritime roles; thus allowing the MRCA to replace several different aircraft then in use by the partner nations. Various concepts, including alternative fixed-wing and single-engine designs, were studied while defining the aircraft.
The Netherlands pulled out of the project in 1970, citing that the aircraft was too complicated and technical for the RNLAF's preferences, which had sought a simpler aircraft with outstanding manoeuvrability. An additional blow was struck by the German requirement changing from the 600 aircraft initially, down to 324 in 1972.
When the agreement was finalised, the United Kingdom and West Germany each had a 42.5% stake of the workload, with the remaining 15% going to Italy; this division of the production work was heavily influenced by international political bargaining. The front fuselage and tail assembly was assigned to BAC
(now BAE Systems
) in the United Kingdom; the centre fuselage to MBB
(now EADS
) in West Germany; and the wings to Aeritalia
(now Alenia Aeronautica
) in Italy. Similarly, tri-national worksharing was used for engines, general and avionic equipment. A separate multinational company, Turbo-Union
, was formed in June 1970 to develop and build the RB199
engines for the aircraft, with ownership similarly split 40% Rolls-Royce
, 40% MTU
, and 20% FIAT
.
At the conclusion of the project definition phase in May 1970, the concepts were reduced to two designs; a single seat Panavia 100 which West Germany initially preferred, and the twin-seat Panavia 200 which the RAF preferred and which would become the Tornado. The aircraft was briefly called the Panavia Panther, the project soon coalesced towards the two-seat option. In September 1971, the three governments signed an Intention to Proceed (ITP) document, at which point the aircraft was intended solely for the low-level strike mission, where it was viewed as a viable threat to Soviet defences in that role. The British Chief of the Defence Staff announced that "some two thirds of the fighting front line will be composed of this single, basic aircraft type", in addition the development of the Tornado ADV
pressed ahead for RAF usage. In 1976 Soviet espionage efforts upon the developing fighter were uncovered.
, remaining active in training pilots from all operating nations until 31 March 1999. The 500th Tornado to be produced was delivered to West Germany on 19 December 1987.
Export customers were sought after West Germany withdrew its objections to exporting the aircraft; Saudi Arabia was the only export customer of the Tornado. The agreement to purchase the Tornado was part of the controversial Al-Yamamah arms deal between BAE Systems
and the Saudi government. Oman had committed to purchasing Tornados and the equipment to operate them for a total value of £250 million in the late 1980s, but cancelled the order in 1990 due to financial difficulties.
Australia considered the acquisition of the Tornado to replace their Dassault Mirage III
aircraft, but eventually the McDonnell Douglas F/A-18 Hornet was selected instead. In the early 1990s, both Taiwan
and South Korea
had expressed an interest in acquiring a small number of Tornado ECR aircraft. In 2001, EADS
proposed a new Tornado ECR variant with a greater electronic warfare
capability to Australia.
Production came to an end in 1998; the last batch of aircraft being produced going to the Royal Saudi Air Force, who had ordered a total of 96 IDS Tornados. In June 2011, it was announced that the RAF's Tornado fleet had flown collectively over one million flying hours. Aviation author John Lake noted that: "The Trinational Panavia Consortium produced just short of 1,000 Tornados, making it one of the most successful postwar bomber programs". In 2008, Air Forces Monthly said of the Tornado: "For more than a quarter of a century... the most important military aircraft in Western Europe."
The Tornado was designed as a low-level supersonic ground attack bomber; in order to perform this mission both good high-speed and low-speed flying characteristics were essential. Typically, to achieve high-speed performance a highly swept wing
or delta wing
platform would be used; however these wing designs are inefficient at low speeds; in order to operate at both high and low speeds with great effectiveness, variable wing sweep were used. When the wings are swept back, reducing the exposed wing area, the Tornado increases its high-speed low-level capability by significantly reducing drag. The pilot uses a lever in the cockpit to set the level of wing sweep; in flight the Tornado GR4 uses three sweep angles – 25, 45 and 67 degrees, with a corresponding speed range appropriate for each angle.
During the Tornado's development, a short field landing (STOL
) capability was considered a high priority by the German government, useful in anticipated environments such as battle-damaged runways and austere air bases. The Tornado can sweep its wings fully forwards, deploy its thrust reverser, and use its full-span flap
s and slats to generate greater lift at slower speeds, reducing the minimum distances involved in takeoff and landing.
serve to control the navigational, communications, and weapon-aiming computers. BAE Systems has developed the Tornado Advanced Radar Display Information System (TARDIS), a 12.8-inch multi-function display
, replacing the rear cockpit's Combined Radar and Projected Map Display, the RAF began implimenting TARDIS on the GR4 fleet in 2004.
The primary flight controls of the Tornado are a fly-by-wire
hybred, comprising of an analogue quadruplex
-channel Command and Stability Augmentation System (CSAS) connected to a digital Autopilot & Flight Director System (AFDS); in addition a level of mechanical reversion capacity was retained to safeguard against potential failure. To enhance pilot awareness, artificial feel was built into the flight controls, such as the centrally-located stick; as the Tornado has variable wings, enabling the aircraft to drastically alter the flight envelope, the artificial responses automatically adjust to changes in attitude. The Tornado was one of the earliest aircraft to use a digital data bus for data transmission.
The Tornado incorporates a combined navigation/attack doppler
radar that simultaneously scans for targets and conduct fully automated terrain-following for low-level flight operations; being readily able to conduct all-weather hands-off low-level flight was considered one of the core advantages of the Tornado. The Tornado ADV has a different radar system to other variants, designated AI.24 Foxhunter, as it is designed for air defense operations; it is capable of continuously keeping track of up to 20 targets at ranges of up to 100 miles.
Some Tornado variants have different avionics and equipment onboard, depending on thier mission. The Tornado ECR is devoted to Suppression of Enemy Air Defenses (SEAD) missions, operated by Germany and Italy. The Tornado ECR is equipped with an emitter-locator system (ELS) to spot radar use. German ECRs have a Honeywell
infra-red imaging system for reconnaissance flights. RAF and RSAF Tornados have the Laser
Range Finder and Marked Target Seekers (LRMTS) for targeting laser-guided munitions. In 1991, the RAF introduced TIALD, allowing Tornado GR1s to laser-designate their own targets.
The GR1A and GR4A are equipped with TIRRS (Tornado Infra-Red Reconnaissance System), consisting of one SLIR (Sideways Looking Infra Red) on each side of the fuselage forward of the engine intakes to capture oblique images, and a single IRLS (Infra-Red LineScan) sensor mounted on the fuselage's underside to provide vertical images. TIRRS stored captured images on six S-VHS
video tapes. The newer RAPTOR
reconnaissance pod has replaced the in-built TIRRS system.
The Tornado is cleared to carry the majority of air-launched weapons in the NATO inventory, including unguided bomb
s, laser-guided bomb
s, anti-radiation missile
s and JP233
anti-runway munitions. Several operators have conducted modification programs to allow their Tornadoes to deploy recently introduced weapons such as the enhanced Paveway
and Joint Direct Attack Munition
bombs, and modern cruise missiles such as the Taurus
and Storm Shadow missiles; increasing both capability and accuracy.
Ground attack versions have a limited air-to-air capability with AIM-9 Sidewinder
or AIM-132 ASRAAM
air-to-air missile
s (AAMs); additionally the Tornado ADV is outfitted with beyond visual range AAMs such as the Skyflash
and AIM-120 AMRAAM
missiles.
The Tornado is capable of delivering air-launched nuclear weapon
s. In 1979, Britain considered replacing its Polaris
submarines with either the Trident
submarines or alternatively the Tornado as the main bearer of its nuclear deterrent. Although Trident was selected as the main deterrent, Tornado squadrons were assigned under SACEUR and based in Germany with the intention to attack a major Soviet offensive with both conventional and nuclear weapons, namely the WE.177
nuclear bomb. The WE.177 was retired in March 1998, thus the RAF no longer retains a nuclear option for their Tornados.
to develop the advanced engine for the MRCA to be essential, and was strongly opposed to adopting an engine from an American manufacturer, to the point where the UK might have withdrawn over the issue. In September 1969, Rolls-Royce's RB 199
engine was selected to power the MRCA. One advantage over the US competition was that a technology transfer
between the partner nations had been agreed; the engine was to be developed and manufactured by a joint company, Turbo-Union
. The program was delayed by Rolls-Royce's entry into receivership in 1971, the nature of the multinational collaboration process helped avoid major disruption of the Tornado program. Research from the supersonic airliner Concorde
contributed to the development and final design of the RB.199 and of the engine control units.
In order to provide the desired performance several features were used in the RB.199. In order to operate efficiently across a wide range of conditions and speeds up to Mach 2, the RB.199 and several other engines make use of variable intake ramp
s to control the air flow. The hydraulic system is pressurised by syphoning power from both or either operational engine; the hydraulics are completely contained within the airframe rather than intergrating with the engine to improve safety and maintainability. Relatively rare amongst fighter aircraft, the RB.199 is fitted with thrust reversers to decrease the distance required to safely land. In case of double-engine, or double-generator, failure, the Tornado has a single-use battery capable of operating the fuel pump and hydraulics for up to 13 minutes.
In August 1974, the first RB.199 powered flight of a prototype Tornado occured; the engine completed its qualification tests in late 1978. The final production standard engine met both reliability and performance standards, though the development cost had been higher than predicted, in part due to the ambitious performance requirements. At the time of the Tornado's introduction to service, the turbine blades of the engine suffered from a shorter life span than desired; this was subsiquently rectified by the implementation of design revisions upon early-production engines. An uprated engine was demonstrated, intended for the interceptor variant of the Tornado, but it was not pursued.
displays, NVG (Night Vision Goggles
) capabilities, new avionics
, and a Global Positioning System
receiver. The capability to deploy cruise missile
s as Brimstone
and the RAPTOR
reconnaissance pod was intergrated. The first flight of a Tornado GR4 was on 4 April 1997, on 31 October 1997 the RAF accepted the first delivery.
Beginning in 2000, German IDS and ECR Tornados received the ASSTA 1 (Avionics System Software Tornado in Ada) upgrade. ASSTA 1 involved a replacement weapons computer, new GPS
and Laser Inertial
navigation systems, and the "Tornado Self Protection Jammer" ECM-pod. The new computer supports the HARM III, HARM 0 Block IV/V
and Kormoran II
missiles, the Rafael Litening II Laser Designator Pod
and GBU-24 Paveway III
laser-guided bombs.
The ASSTA 2 upgrade began in 2005, primarily consisting of several new digital avionics systems, a new ECM suite and provision for the Taurus cruise missile
; these upgrades are to be only applied to the 85 ECR Tornados, as the IDS is in the process of being replaced by the Eurofighter Typhoon
. The ASSTA 3 upgrade program, started in 2008, will introduce support for the laser-targeted Joint Direct Attack Munition
along with further software changes.
The first Tornado prototype made its first flight on 14 August 1974 from Manching
airbase, in what was then West Germany
. Deliveries of production Tornados began on 27 July 1979. The total number of Tornados delivered numbered 247 IDS and 35 ECR variants. Originally the Tornados equipped five fighter-bomber wings, replacing the Lockheed F-104 Starfighter. Two wings were disbanded in 2003 and 2005; another wing was reequipped with the Tornado ECR. When the last Tornado wing of the German Navy was disbanded in 2005, its Tornados formed a new reconnaissance wing in the Luftwaffe
.
German Tornados undertook NATO combat operations during the Bosnian War
, the first combat operation for the Luftwaffe since World War II; both British and Italian Tornados also participated. German and Italian Tornados ECRs participated in Operation Allied Force
over the skies of the former Yugoslavia, frequently escorting the aircraft of various allies while carrying AGM-88 HARM
missiles to counter the threat posed by enemy radar. During the Kosovo War, several German IDS Tornados were dispatched to the region to conduct reconnaissance of enemy ground forces and refugee movements.
In June 2007, a pair of Luftwaffe Tornado were controversially used to fly reconnaissance flights over an anti-globalisation demonstration during the 33rd G8 summit
in Heiligendamm
. Following the mission, the German Defense Ministry admitted one aircraft had broken the minimum flying altitude and that mistakes were made in the handling of security of the Summit.
In 2007, a detachment of six Tornados of the Aufklärungsgeschwader 51 "Immelmann" (51st reconnaissance wing) were deployed to Mazar-i-Sharif, Northern Afghanistan, to support NATO forces. The decision to send Tornados to Afghanistan was a controversial decision, including one political party launching an unsuccessful legal bid to block the deployment as unconsitutional. The German Tornados were withdrawn from Afghanistan in November 2010.
Beginning in 2000, German IDS and ECR Tornados received the ASSTA 1 (Avionics System Software Tornado in Ada) upgrade. ASSTA 1 involved a replacement weapons computer, new navigational systems, and allowing the carriage of a range of new weapons. The ASSTA 2 upgrade began in 2005 only for the 85 ECR Tornados, as the IDS is in the process of being replaced by the Eurofighter Typhoon
. Tornados that have received the ASSTA 3 upgrade program, which introduces support for the Joint Direct Attack Munition
, are schedueled to enter service from 2012 onwards.
On 13 January 2004, the then German Defence Minister Peter Struck
announced major changes to the German armed forces. A major part of this announcement is the plan to cut the German fighter fleet from 426 in early 2004 to 265 by 2015. Assuming the full German order for 180 Eurofighter Typhoons is delivered, this will see the Tornado force reduced to 85.
's Marineflieger
also received 112 IDS variants. These equipped two wings until 1994, when one was disbanded. The second was disbanded in 2005 with its aircraft and duties passed on to the Luftwaffe.
, Italy. The Aeronautica Militare received a total of 100 Tornado IDS. 15 IDSs were later converted to the ECR configuration; Italy's first ECR was delivered on 27 February 1998. As a stop-gap measure for 10 years, the Aeronautica Militare additionally operated 24 Tornado ADVs
in the air defence role, which were leased from the Royal Air Force to cover the service gap between the retirement of the Lockheed F-104 Starfighter and the introduction of the Eurofighter Typhoon.
Italian Tornados, along with Tornados from Britain, took part in the first Gulf War
in 1991. Operation Locusta saw eight Tornado IDS interdictors deployed from Gioia del Colle
, Italy, to Al Dhafra, Abu Dhabi
, as a part of Italy's contribution to the coalition. During the conflict, one aircraft was lost to Iraqi anti-aircraft fire, the pilots ejected and were taken prisoners. They were released after the Coalition's victory A total of 22 Italian Tornados were deployed in the NATO-organised Operation Allied Force
over Kosovo in 1999, the IDS variant was used in the bombing role while the ECR variants patrolled the combat region, acting to suppress enemy anti-aircraft radars. Four Italian Tornados participated in the enforcement of a no-fly zone in the 2011 military intervention in Libya
.
In July 2002 Italy signed a contract with the Tornado Management Agency (NETMA) and the Panavia partners for the upgrading of 18 IDSs, the first of which was recieved in 2003. Italy has opted to extend the Tornado's service life instead of relying on alternative aircraft; in 2010 a major upgrade and life extension program was initiated, which will provide new digital displays, Link 16
communications capability, night-vision goggles compatibility, and several other upgrades. In the long term, the Tornado is planned to replace the Tornado IDS/ECR fleet in Italian service with the Lockheed Martin F-35 Lightning II.
, the British military activities in which were designated Operation Granby
. Nearly 60 GR1s were deployed by the United Kingdom to air bases at Muharraq (Bahrain), Tabuk and Dhahran
in Saudi Arabia. Several Tornado ADVs were deployed to provide air cover, the threat of their long range missiles being a significant deterrent to Iraqi pilots, who would deliberately avoid combat when approached.
In the early stages of the coalition's military action action, the GR1s targetted military airfields across Iraq, deploying a mixture of 1,000 lb (450 kg) unguided bombs
in loft-bombing
attacks and specialised JP233
runway denial weapons. Six RAF Tornados were lost in the conflict, as was one Italian Tornado. Of the RAF aircraft, four were lost while delivering unguided bombs, one was lost after delivering JP233
, and one trying to deliver laser-guided bomb
s. On 17 January 1991, the first Tornado to be lost was shot down by an Iraqi SA-16 missile following a failed low-level bombing run. On 19 January, another RAF Tornado was shot down during an intensive raid on Tallil Air Base. The impact of the Tornado strikes upon Iraqi air fields is difficult to determine.
In an emergency deployment, the UK sent out a detachment of Blackburn Buccaneer
aircraft equipped with the Pave Spike
laser designator
, allowing Tornado GR1s to drop precision guided weapons. A further crash programme in support of the sudden military action saw multiple GR1s outfitted with the TIALD
laser designation system; author Claus-Christian Szejnmann declared that the TIALD pod enabled the GR1 to "achieve probably the most accurate bombing in the RAF's history". Although laser designation proved effective In the Gulf War, only 23 TIALD pods had been purchased by 2000 and this shortage had a negative impact on combat operations over Kosovo.
Following the initial phase of the war, the GR1s switched to medium level strike missions, typical targets for these strikes included munition depots and oil refining facilities. Only the reconnaissance Tornado GR1As continued to operate at the low-altitude high-speed profile throughout the war, the GR1A emerged unscathed despite the inherent danger posed by missions such as conducting pre-attack reconnaissence. In the war's aftermath, Britain maintained a military presence in the Gulf for many years, around half a dozen GR1s were based at Ali Al Salem airbase in Kuwait for operations over the southern no fly zone as part of Operation Southern Watch
; another half a dozen GR1s participated in missions over Northern Iraq in Operation Provide Comfort
.
In March 1993, a Mid-Life Upgrade (MLU) project of the Tornado was launched; in July 1994, the UK signed a contract for MLU of GR1/GR1A/GR1Bs to GR4/GR4A standard. The Tornado GR4 made its operational debut in patrols during Operation Southern Watch
; patrolling a large parts of southern Iraq's airspace from bases in Kuwait
. Both Tornado GR1s and GR4s based at Ali Al Salem, Kuwait, took part in coalition strikes at Iraq's military infrastructure during Operation Desert Fox
in 1998.
In late December 1998, an Iraqi anti-aircraft battery fired six to eight missiles at an RAF Tornado patrolling the southern no-fly zone
, the battery's location was attacked in retalliation, no aircraft were lost during the incident. It was reported that during Operation Desert Fox, RAF Tornados had successfully destroyed 75% of allotted targets, and out of the 36 missions planned, 28 had been successfully completed.
The GR1 would participate in the Kosovo War
in 1999. The Tornadoes initially operated from RAF Bruggen
, Germany; they later moved to Solenzara Air Base, Corsica
. Experience from fighting in Kosovo would lead to the RAF procuring AGM-65 Maverick
missiles and Enhanced Paveway
smart bomb
s for the Tornado fleet. Following the Kosovo War, the GR1 was phased out as more aircraft were upgraded to GR4 standard. The final GR1 was upgraded and returned to the RAF on 10 June 2003.
The GR4 would be heavily used in Operation Telic
, the British contribution to the 2003 invasion of Iraq
. RAF Tornados flew in the opening phase of the war, flying alongside American strike aircraft to rapidly attack key installations. In line with a new tactical emphasis on minimising casaulties and appropriate force, Tornados of No. 617 Squadron
deployed the new Storm Shadow precision cruise missile
for the first time in the Iraq conflict; while 25% of the UK's air-launched weapons in Kosovo were precision-guided, four years later in Iraq this ratio increased to 85%.
On 23 March 2003, a Tornado GR4 was shot down over Iraq by friendly fire
from a U.S. Patriot missile
battery, killing both crew members. In July 2003, a US board of inquiry exonerated the battery's operators, observing the Tornado's "lack of functioning IFF (Identification Friend or Foe
)" as a factor in the incident. Problems with Patriot has also been suggested as a factor, multple incidents of mis-identification of friendly aircraft have occurred, including the fatal shootdown of a US Navy McDonnell Douglas F/A-18 Hornet a few weeks after the loss of the Tornado. Britain withdrew the last of its Tornados from Iraq in June 2009.
In early 2009, several GR4s arrived at Kandahar
airfield, Afghanistan, to replace the Harrier GR7/9 aircraft deployed there snce November 2004. In 2009, Paveway IV
guided bombs were brought into service on the RAF's Tornados, having been previously used in Afghanistan upon the Harrier II fleet. In Summer 2010, extra Tornados were dispatched to Kandahar during the months surrounding the 2010 Afghan election
.
Prior to the 2010 Strategic Defence and Security Review
(SDSR)'s publication, the retirement of the entire Tornado fleet was under consideration, savings of £7.5 billion were anticipated. The SDSR announced that the Tornado would be retained at the expense of the Harrier II fleet, although Tornado numbers would decline as the RAF transitioned to the Eurofighter Typhoon and, later on, the F-35 Lightning II.
On 18 March 2011, British Prime Minister David Cameron
announced the deployment of Tornados and Typhoon
s to enforce a no-fly zone in Libya. In March 2011, several Tornados flew 3000-mile stike missions against targets inside Libya in what were, according to Defence Secretary Liam Fox
, "the longest range bombing mission conducted by the RAF since the Falklands conflict". A variety of weapons were used in operations over Libya, including Laser-guided bomb
s and Brimstone missiles.
On 25 September 1985, UK and Saudi Arabia signed the Al Yamamah I contract including, amongst other things, the sale of 48 IDS and 24 ADV model Tornados. The first flight of a RSAF Tornado IDS was on 26 March 1986, and the first Saudi ADV was delivered on 9 February 1989. Saudi Tornados undertook operations during the Gulf War. In June 1993 the Al Yamamah II contract was signed, the main element of which was 48 additional IDSs.
Following experience with both the Tornado and the McDonnell Douglas F-15E Strike Eagle, the RSAF discontinued low-level mission training in the F-15E in light of the Tornado's superior low-altitude flight performance. In addition, 10 of the Saudi Tornados were outfitted with equipment for performing reconnassaince missions. The 22 Tornado ADVs are in the process of being replaced by the modern Eurofighter Typhoon
; the retired aircraft are to purchased back by the UK. By 2007, both the Sea Eagle
anti-ship missile and the ALARM anti-radiation missile
previously equipped by the RSAF's Tornados had been withdrawn from service.
In September 2006, the Saudi government signed a contract worth £2.5 billion (US$4.7 billion) with BAE Systems
to upgrade possibly 80 aircraft in the Saudi Air Force fleet planned to be retained until 2020. RSAF Tornado 6612 returned to BAE Systems Warton in December 2006 for upgrade under the "Tornado Sustainment Programme" (TSP), which will "equip the IDS fleet with a range of new precision-guided weapons and enhanced targeting equipment, in many cases common with those systems already fielded by the UK's Tornado GR4s." In December 2007, the first RSAF aircraft to complete modernisation was returned to Saudi Arabia.
Starting from the first week of November 2009, Saudi Air Force Tornados, along with Saudi F-15s performed air raids over Yemeni Houthis terrorists
in Yemeni Norther region of Sa'dah
. It was the first time since Operation Desert Storm in 1991 that Saudi Air Force partook actively in a military operation over hostile territory.
with later modified aircraft designated Tornado GR1A, Tornado GR1B, Tornado GR4 and Tornado GR4A. The first of 228 GR1s was delivered on 5 June 1979, and the type entered service in the early 1980s. A total of 142 aircraft were upgraded to GR4 standard from 1997 to 2003.
, Scotland, replacing the Blackburn Buccaneer
. Each aircraft was equipped to carry up to four Sea Eagle
anti-ship missiles. While at first the GR1B lacked the radar capability to track shipping, instead relying on the missile's seeker for target acquisition, it was later updated so that target data could be fed from the aircraft to the missile, allowing the Tornado to use the full capacity of the missile.While the RAF's Tornado GR1 strike aircraft were updated to the GR4 standard, there was no corresponding GR4B variant; it was judged that the specialised anti-shipping role was no longer required due to a reduced threat from surface warships.
began studies for a GR1 Mid-Life Update (MLU). The update to GR4 standard, approved in 1994, would improve capability in the medium-altitude role based on lessons learned from the GR1's performance in the 1991 Gulf War. British Aerospace (later BAE Systems
) upgraded 142 Tornado GR1s to GR4 standard, beginning in 1996 and finished in 2003.
missiles. The Luftwaffe's 35 ECRs were delivered new, while Italy received 16 converted IDSs. Italian Tornado ECRs differ from the Luftwaffe aircraft as they lack a reconnaissance capability, and only Luftwaffe ECRs are equipped with RB199 Mk.105 engine which has a slightly higher thrust rating. The German ECRs do not carry a cannon.
variant of the Tornado, developed for the RAF (designated Tornado F2 or F3) and also operated by Saudi Arabia and Italy. Early on in 1968, the United Kingdom intended for a Tornado interceptor variant to be developed. Despite an inferior agility to fighters such as the McDonnell Douglas F-15 Eagle, the ADV was not intended as a dog-fighter but as a long-endurance interception aircraft to counter the threat of Cold War Soviet bombers. Although the ADV has 80% parts commonality with the Tornado IDS, the ADV has faster acceleration, improved RB199 Mk.104 engines, a stretched body, greater fuel capacity; it has only one cannon to accommodate a retractable inflight refuelling probe, the Foxhunter radar, and software changes.
Twinjet
A twinjet or twin jet is a jet aircraft powered by two engines. Such configuration of an aircraft is the most popular today for commercial airliners, for fighters, and many other kinds, because while offering safety from a single engine failure, it is also acceptably fuel-efficient.-Aircraft...
, variable-sweep wing combat aircraft, which was jointly developed and manufactured by the United Kingdom, West Germany
West Germany
West Germany is the common English, but not official, name for the Federal Republic of Germany or FRG in the period between its creation in May 1949 to German reunification on 3 October 1990....
and Italy. There are three primary variants of the Tornado; the Tornado IDS (interdictor
Interdictor
An interdictor is a type of ground-attack aircraft that operates far behind enemy lines, with the express intent of interdicting the enemy's military targets, most notably those involved in logistics. The term has generally fallen from use...
/strike) fighter-bomber
Ground attack aircraft
Ground-attack aircraft are military aircraft with primary role of attacking targets on the ground with greater precision than bombers and prepared to face stronger low-level air defense...
, the suppression of enemy air defences
Electronic warfare
Electronic warfare refers to any action involving the use of the electromagnetic spectrum or directed energy to control the spectrum, attack an enemy, or impede enemy assaults via the spectrum. The purpose of electronic warfare is to deny the opponent the advantage of, and ensure friendly...
Tornado ECR (electronic combat/reconnaissance) and the Tornado ADV
Panavia Tornado ADV
The Panavia Tornado Air Defence Variant is a long-range, twin-engine interceptor version of the swing-wing Panavia Tornado. The aircraft's first flight was on 27 October 1979, and it entered service in 1986. It was retired on 22 March 2011 by the Royal Air Forceand is now only in service with the...
(air defence variant) interceptor
Interceptor aircraft
An interceptor aircraft is a type of fighter aircraft designed specifically to prevent missions of enemy aircraft, particularly bombers and reconnaissance aircraft. Interceptors generally rely on high speed and powerful armament in order to complete their mission as quickly as possible and set up...
.
Developed and built by Panavia Aircraft GmbH
Panavia Aircraft GmbH
Panavia Aircraft GmbH is a multinational company established by the three partner nations of the Tornado Multi Role Combat Aircraft project, West Germany, Italy and the UK.-Structure:...
, a tri-national consortium consisting of British Aerospace
British Aerospace
British Aerospace plc was a UK aircraft, munitions and defence-systems manufacturer. Its head office was in the Warwick House in the Farnborough Aerospace Centre in Farnborough, Hampshire...
(previously British Aircraft Corporation
British Aircraft Corporation
The British Aircraft Corporation was a British aircraft manufacturer formed from the government-pressured merger of English Electric Aviation Ltd., Vickers-Armstrongs , the Bristol Aeroplane Company and Hunting Aircraft in 1960. Bristol, English Electric and Vickers became "parents" of BAC with...
), MBB
Messerschmitt-Bölkow-Blohm
Messerschmitt-Bölkow-Blohm was a German aerospace company formed as the result of several mergers in the late 1960s. Among its best-known products was the MBB Bo 105 light twin helicopter...
of West Germany, and Aeritalia
Aeritalia
Aeritalia was an aerospace engineering corporation based in Italy, originally Fiat Aviazione before merging with Aerfer, and now part of Alenia Aeronautica....
of Italy, the Tornado first flew on 14 August 1974. It was introduced to service in 1979–1980; due to its multirole nature, it was able to replace several different fleets of aircraft in the adopting air forces. The Royal Saudi Air Force
Royal Saudi Air Force
The Royal Saudi Air Force , is the aviation branch of the Saudi Arabian armed forces. The RSAF has developed from a largely defensive military force into one with an advanced offensive capability...
(RSAF) also become an export operator of the Tornado in addition to the three original partner nations. A tri-nation training and evaluation unit operating from RAF Cottesmore
RAF Cottesmore
RAF Cottesmore was a Royal Air Force station in Rutland, England, situated between Cottesmore and Market Overton. The station housed all the operational Harrier GR9 squadrons in the Royal Air Force, and No 122 Expeditionary Air Wing...
, the Tri-National Tornado Training Establishment
Tri-National Tornado Training Establishment
The Tri-National Tornado Training Establishment was a multinational air unit based at RAF Cottesmore in Rutland, England from 1981 to 1999.-Function:It performed training on the Panavia Tornado for the Royal Air Force, Luftwaffe and Italian Air Force...
, maintained a level of international cooperation beyond the production stage.
The Tornado was used by the Royal Air Force
Royal Air Force
The Royal Air Force is the aerial warfare service branch of the British Armed Forces. Formed on 1 April 1918, it is the oldest independent air force in the world...
(RAF), Italian Air Force
Italian Air Force
The Italian Air Force has gone under different names in different periods:*Regia Aeronautica , from 1923 to June 1946*Aeronautica Nazionale Repubblicana, the air force of Italian Social Republic during World War II...
and Royal Saudi Air Force during the 1991 Gulf War
Gulf War
The Persian Gulf War , commonly referred to as simply the Gulf War, was a war waged by a U.N.-authorized coalition force from 34 nations led by the United States, against Iraq in response to Iraq's invasion and annexation of Kuwait.The war is also known under other names, such as the First Gulf...
, in which the Tornado conducted many low-altitude penetrating strike missions. The Tornados of various operators were used in conflicts in the former Yugoslavia
Yugoslavia
Yugoslavia refers to three political entities that existed successively on the western part of the Balkans during most of the 20th century....
during the Bosnian war
Bosnian War
The Bosnian War or the War in Bosnia and Herzegovina was an international armed conflict that took place in Bosnia and Herzegovina between April 1992 and December 1995. The war involved several sides...
and Kosovo war
Kosovo War
The term Kosovo War or Kosovo conflict was two sequential, and at times parallel, armed conflicts in Kosovo province, then part of FR Yugoslav Republic of Serbia; from early 1998 to 1999, there was an armed conflict initiated by the ethnic Albanian "Kosovo Liberation Army" , who sought independence...
, Iraq
Iraq
Iraq ; officially the Republic of Iraq is a country in Western Asia spanning most of the northwestern end of the Zagros mountain range, the eastern part of the Syrian Desert and the northern part of the Arabian Desert....
during the Gulf war
Gulf War
The Persian Gulf War , commonly referred to as simply the Gulf War, was a war waged by a U.N.-authorized coalition force from 34 nations led by the United States, against Iraq in response to Iraq's invasion and annexation of Kuwait.The war is also known under other names, such as the First Gulf...
and the Invasion of Iraq, as well as smaller roles in Afghanistan
Afghanistan
Afghanistan , officially the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan, is a landlocked country located in the centre of Asia, forming South Asia, Central Asia and the Middle East. With a population of about 29 million, it has an area of , making it the 42nd most populous and 41st largest nation in the world...
and Yemen
Yemen
The Republic of Yemen , commonly known as Yemen , is a country located in the Middle East, occupying the southwestern to southern end of the Arabian Peninsula. It is bordered by Saudi Arabia to the north, the Red Sea to the west, and Oman to the east....
. Including all variants, a total of 992 aircraft were built.
Origins
During the 1960s, aeronautical designers looked to variable geometry wing designs to gain the manoeuvrability and efficient cruise of straight wings with the speed of swept-wing designs. The United Kingdom had cancelled the procurement of the TSR-2 and subsequent F-111K aircraft, and was still looking for a replacement for its Avro VulcanAvro Vulcan
The Avro Vulcan, sometimes referred to as the Hawker Siddeley Vulcan, was a jet-powered delta wing strategic bomber, operated by the Royal Air Force from 1956 until 1984. Aircraft manufacturer A V Roe & Co designed the Vulcan in response to Specification B.35/46. Of the three V bombers produced,...
and Blackburn Buccaneer
Blackburn Buccaneer
The Blackburn Buccaneer was a British low-level subsonic strike aircraft with nuclear weapon delivery capability serving with the Royal Navy and the Royal Air Force between 1962 and 1994, including service in the 1991 Gulf War...
strike aircraft. Britain and France had initiated the AFVG
AFVG
|-References:NotesCitationsBibliography* Bowman, Martin W. SEPECAT Jaguar. Barnsley, South Yorkshire, UK: Pen and Sword Books, 2007. ISBN 1-84415-545-5....
(Anglo French Variable Geometry) project in 1965, but this had ended with French withdrawal in 1967. Britain continued to develop a variable geometry aircraft similar to the proposed AFVG, and sought out new partners in order to achieve this.
In 1968, West Germany, the Netherlands, Belgium, Italy and Canada formed a working group to examine replacements for the Lockheed F-104 Starfighter, initially called the Multi Role Aircraft (MRA), later renamed as the Multi Role Combat Aircraft (MRCA). The participating nations all had ageing fleets that required replacing, but as the requirements were so diverse it was decided to develop a single aircraft that could perform a variety of missions that were previously undertaken by a fleet of different aircraft. Britain joined the MRCA group in 1968, represented by Air Vice-Marshal
Air Vice-Marshal
Air vice-marshal is a two-star air-officer rank which originated in and continues to be used by the Royal Air Force. The rank is also used by the air forces of many countries which have historical British influence and it is sometimes used as the English translation of an equivalent rank in...
Michael Giddings
Michael Giddings
Air Marshal Sir Kenneth Charles Michael Giddings KCB, OBE, DFC, AFC & Bar was a senior Royal Air Force officer who served as a fighter pilot during the Second World War...
, and a memorandum of agreement was drafted between Britain, West Germany, and Italy in May 1969.
By the end of 1968, the prospective purchases from the six countries amounted to 1,500 aircraft. Canada and Belgium had departed before any long-term commitments had been made to the program; Canada had found the project politically unpalatable; there was a perception in political circles that much of the manufacturing and specifications were focused upon Western Europe. France had made a favourable offer to Belgium on the Dassault Mirage S
Dassault Mirage 5
The Dassault Mirage 5 is a supersonic attack aircraft designed in France by Dassault Aviation during the 1960s, and manufactured in France and a number of other countries. It was derived from Dassault's popular Mirage III fighter, and spawned several variants of its own.-Early development:The...
, which created doubt as to whether the MRCA would be worthwhile from Belgium's operational perspective.
Panavia Aircraft GmbH
The Netherlands pulled out of the project in 1970, citing that the aircraft was too complicated and technical for the RNLAF's preferences, which had sought a simpler aircraft with outstanding manoeuvrability. An additional blow was struck by the German requirement changing from the 600 aircraft initially, down to 324 in 1972.
When the agreement was finalised, the United Kingdom and West Germany each had a 42.5% stake of the workload, with the remaining 15% going to Italy; this division of the production work was heavily influenced by international political bargaining. The front fuselage and tail assembly was assigned to BAC
British Aircraft Corporation
The British Aircraft Corporation was a British aircraft manufacturer formed from the government-pressured merger of English Electric Aviation Ltd., Vickers-Armstrongs , the Bristol Aeroplane Company and Hunting Aircraft in 1960. Bristol, English Electric and Vickers became "parents" of BAC with...
(now BAE Systems
BAE Systems
BAE Systems plc is a British multinational defence, security and aerospace company headquartered in London, United Kingdom, that has global interests, particularly in North America through its subsidiary BAE Systems Inc. BAE is among the world's largest military contractors; in 2009 it was the...
) in the United Kingdom; the centre fuselage to MBB
Messerschmitt-Bölkow-Blohm
Messerschmitt-Bölkow-Blohm was a German aerospace company formed as the result of several mergers in the late 1960s. Among its best-known products was the MBB Bo 105 light twin helicopter...
(now EADS
EADS
The European Aeronautic Defence and Space Company N.V. is a global pan-European aerospace and defence corporation and a leading defence and military contractor worldwide...
) in West Germany; and the wings to Aeritalia
Aeritalia
Aeritalia was an aerospace engineering corporation based in Italy, originally Fiat Aviazione before merging with Aerfer, and now part of Alenia Aeronautica....
(now Alenia Aeronautica
Alenia Aeronautica
Alenia Aeronautica, a Finmeccanica subsidiary, is a European aerospace company from Italy. Its subsidiaries include Alenia Aermacchi and Alenia Aeronavali...
) in Italy. Similarly, tri-national worksharing was used for engines, general and avionic equipment. A separate multinational company, Turbo-Union
Turbo-Union
Turbo-Union Limited is a joint venture between three European aero-engine manufacturers, FiatAvio , MTU Aero Engines and Rolls-Royce.-Products:...
, was formed in June 1970 to develop and build the RB199
Turbo-Union RB199
|-See also:-External links:*...
engines for the aircraft, with ownership similarly split 40% Rolls-Royce
Rolls-Royce plc
Rolls-Royce Group plc is a global power systems company headquartered in the City of Westminster, London, United Kingdom. It is the world’s second-largest maker of aircraft engines , and also has major businesses in the marine propulsion and energy sectors. Through its defence-related activities...
, 40% MTU
MTU Aero Engines
MTU Aero Engines GmbH is Germany's leading aircraft engine manufacturer. MTU develops, manufactures and provides service support for military and civil aircraft engines...
, and 20% FIAT
Fiat
FIAT, an acronym for Fabbrica Italiana Automobili Torino , is an Italian automobile manufacturer, engine manufacturer, financial, and industrial group based in Turin in the Italian region of Piedmont. Fiat was founded in 1899 by a group of investors including Giovanni Agnelli...
.
Panavia Tornado ADV
The Panavia Tornado Air Defence Variant is a long-range, twin-engine interceptor version of the swing-wing Panavia Tornado. The aircraft's first flight was on 27 October 1979, and it entered service in 1986. It was retired on 22 March 2011 by the Royal Air Forceand is now only in service with the...
pressed ahead for RAF usage. In 1976 Soviet espionage efforts upon the developing fighter were uncovered.
Production
The contract for the Batch 1 aircraft was signed on 29 July 1976. The first aircraft were delivered to the RAF and Luftwaffe on 5 and 6 June 1979 respectively. The first Italian Tornado was delivered on 25 September 1981. On 29 January 1981, the Tri-national Tornado Training Establishment (TTTE) officially opened at RAF CottesmoreRAF Cottesmore
RAF Cottesmore was a Royal Air Force station in Rutland, England, situated between Cottesmore and Market Overton. The station housed all the operational Harrier GR9 squadrons in the Royal Air Force, and No 122 Expeditionary Air Wing...
, remaining active in training pilots from all operating nations until 31 March 1999. The 500th Tornado to be produced was delivered to West Germany on 19 December 1987.
Export customers were sought after West Germany withdrew its objections to exporting the aircraft; Saudi Arabia was the only export customer of the Tornado. The agreement to purchase the Tornado was part of the controversial Al-Yamamah arms deal between BAE Systems
BAE Systems
BAE Systems plc is a British multinational defence, security and aerospace company headquartered in London, United Kingdom, that has global interests, particularly in North America through its subsidiary BAE Systems Inc. BAE is among the world's largest military contractors; in 2009 it was the...
and the Saudi government. Oman had committed to purchasing Tornados and the equipment to operate them for a total value of £250 million in the late 1980s, but cancelled the order in 1990 due to financial difficulties.
Australia considered the acquisition of the Tornado to replace their Dassault Mirage III
Dassault Mirage III
The Mirage III is a supersonic fighter aircraft designed by Dassault Aviation during the late 1950s, and manufactured both in France and a number of other countries. It was a successful fighter aircraft, being sold to many air forces around the world and remaining in production for over a decade...
aircraft, but eventually the McDonnell Douglas F/A-18 Hornet was selected instead. In the early 1990s, both Taiwan
Taiwan
Taiwan , also known, especially in the past, as Formosa , is the largest island of the same-named island group of East Asia in the western Pacific Ocean and located off the southeastern coast of mainland China. The island forms over 99% of the current territory of the Republic of China following...
and South Korea
South Korea
The Republic of Korea , , is a sovereign state in East Asia, located on the southern portion of the Korean Peninsula. It is neighbored by the People's Republic of China to the west, Japan to the east, North Korea to the north, and the East China Sea and Republic of China to the south...
had expressed an interest in acquiring a small number of Tornado ECR aircraft. In 2001, EADS
EADS
The European Aeronautic Defence and Space Company N.V. is a global pan-European aerospace and defence corporation and a leading defence and military contractor worldwide...
proposed a new Tornado ECR variant with a greater electronic warfare
Electronic warfare
Electronic warfare refers to any action involving the use of the electromagnetic spectrum or directed energy to control the spectrum, attack an enemy, or impede enemy assaults via the spectrum. The purpose of electronic warfare is to deny the opponent the advantage of, and ensure friendly...
capability to Australia.
Production came to an end in 1998; the last batch of aircraft being produced going to the Royal Saudi Air Force, who had ordered a total of 96 IDS Tornados. In June 2011, it was announced that the RAF's Tornado fleet had flown collectively over one million flying hours. Aviation author John Lake noted that: "The Trinational Panavia Consortium produced just short of 1,000 Tornados, making it one of the most successful postwar bomber programs". In 2008, Air Forces Monthly said of the Tornado: "For more than a quarter of a century... the most important military aircraft in Western Europe."
Overview
Swept wing
A swept wing is a wing planform favored for high subsonic jet speeds first investigated by Germany during the Second World War. Since the introduction of the MiG-15 and North American F-86 which demonstrated a decisive superiority over the slower first generation of straight-wing jet fighters...
or delta wing
Delta wing
The delta wing is a wing planform in the form of a triangle. It is named for its similarity in shape to the Greek uppercase letter delta .-Delta-shaped stabilizers:...
platform would be used; however these wing designs are inefficient at low speeds; in order to operate at both high and low speeds with great effectiveness, variable wing sweep were used. When the wings are swept back, reducing the exposed wing area, the Tornado increases its high-speed low-level capability by significantly reducing drag. The pilot uses a lever in the cockpit to set the level of wing sweep; in flight the Tornado GR4 uses three sweep angles – 25, 45 and 67 degrees, with a corresponding speed range appropriate for each angle.
During the Tornado's development, a short field landing (STOL
STOL
STOL is an acronym for short take-off and landing, a term used to describe aircraft with very short runway requirements.-Definitions:There is no one accepted definition of STOL and many different definitions have been used by different authorities and nations at various times and for a myriad of...
) capability was considered a high priority by the German government, useful in anticipated environments such as battle-damaged runways and austere air bases. The Tornado can sweep its wings fully forwards, deploy its thrust reverser, and use its full-span flap
Flap
Flap may refer to:* Flap , a hinged surface on the trailing edge of an airplane wing* Roof flap, an aerodynamic feature of race cars* Flapping, one of the basic mechanics of flight in birds...
s and slats to generate greater lift at slower speeds, reducing the minimum distances involved in takeoff and landing.
Avionics
The cockpit features both electromechanical and electro-optical controls. An array of dials and switches mounted on either side of a centrally-placed CRT monitorCathode ray tube
The cathode ray tube is a vacuum tube containing an electron gun and a fluorescent screen used to view images. It has a means to accelerate and deflect the electron beam onto the fluorescent screen to create the images. The image may represent electrical waveforms , pictures , radar targets and...
serve to control the navigational, communications, and weapon-aiming computers. BAE Systems has developed the Tornado Advanced Radar Display Information System (TARDIS), a 12.8-inch multi-function display
Multi-function display
A Multi-function display is a small screen in an aircraft surrounded by multiple buttons that can be used to display information to the pilot in numerous configurable ways. Often an MFD will be used in concert with a Primary Flight Display. MFDs are part of the digital era of modern planes or...
, replacing the rear cockpit's Combined Radar and Projected Map Display, the RAF began implimenting TARDIS on the GR4 fleet in 2004.
The primary flight controls of the Tornado are a fly-by-wire
Fly-by-wire
Fly-by-wire is a system that replaces the conventional manual flight controls of an aircraft with an electronic interface. The movements of flight controls are converted to electronic signals transmitted by wires , and flight control computers determine how to move the actuators at each control...
hybred, comprising of an analogue quadruplex
Quadruplex
Quadruplex may refer to:*Quadruplex telegraph, an improvement on the electrical telegraph patented in 1874 by Thomas Edison*2 inch Quadruplex videotape, the first practical and commercially successful videotape format...
-channel Command and Stability Augmentation System (CSAS) connected to a digital Autopilot & Flight Director System (AFDS); in addition a level of mechanical reversion capacity was retained to safeguard against potential failure. To enhance pilot awareness, artificial feel was built into the flight controls, such as the centrally-located stick; as the Tornado has variable wings, enabling the aircraft to drastically alter the flight envelope, the artificial responses automatically adjust to changes in attitude. The Tornado was one of the earliest aircraft to use a digital data bus for data transmission.
The Tornado incorporates a combined navigation/attack doppler
Doppler radar
A Doppler radar is a specialized radar that makes use of the Doppler effect to produce velocity data about objects at a distance. It does this by beaming a microwave signal towards a desired target and listening for its reflection, then analyzing how the frequency of the returned signal has been...
radar that simultaneously scans for targets and conduct fully automated terrain-following for low-level flight operations; being readily able to conduct all-weather hands-off low-level flight was considered one of the core advantages of the Tornado. The Tornado ADV has a different radar system to other variants, designated AI.24 Foxhunter, as it is designed for air defense operations; it is capable of continuously keeping track of up to 20 targets at ranges of up to 100 miles.
Some Tornado variants have different avionics and equipment onboard, depending on thier mission. The Tornado ECR is devoted to Suppression of Enemy Air Defenses (SEAD) missions, operated by Germany and Italy. The Tornado ECR is equipped with an emitter-locator system (ELS) to spot radar use. German ECRs have a Honeywell
Honeywell
Honeywell International, Inc. is a major conglomerate company that produces a variety of consumer products, engineering services, and aerospace systems for a wide variety of customers, from private consumers to major corporations and governments....
infra-red imaging system for reconnaissance flights. RAF and RSAF Tornados have the Laser
Laser
A laser is a device that emits light through a process of optical amplification based on the stimulated emission of photons. The term "laser" originated as an acronym for Light Amplification by Stimulated Emission of Radiation...
Range Finder and Marked Target Seekers (LRMTS) for targeting laser-guided munitions. In 1991, the RAF introduced TIALD, allowing Tornado GR1s to laser-designate their own targets.
The GR1A and GR4A are equipped with TIRRS (Tornado Infra-Red Reconnaissance System), consisting of one SLIR (Sideways Looking Infra Red) on each side of the fuselage forward of the engine intakes to capture oblique images, and a single IRLS (Infra-Red LineScan) sensor mounted on the fuselage's underside to provide vertical images. TIRRS stored captured images on six S-VHS
S-VHS
S-VHS is an improved version of the VHS standard for consumer-level analog recording videocassettes. It was introduced by JVC in Japan in April 1987 with the HR-S7000 VCR and certain overseas markets soon afterwards...
video tapes. The newer RAPTOR
RAPTOR
RAPTOR is a reconnaissance pod used by the Royal Air Force on its fleet of Tornado GR.4A and GR.4 aircraft. RAPTOR is manufactured by the Goodrich Corporation....
reconnaissance pod has replaced the in-built TIRRS system.
Armament
Gravity bomb
An unguided bomb, also known as a free-fall bomb, gravity bomb, dumb bomb, or iron bomb, is a conventional aircraft-delivered bomb that does not contain a guidance system and hence, simply follows a ballistic trajectory....
s, laser-guided bomb
Laser-guided bomb
A laser-guided bomb is a guided bomb that uses semi-active laser homing to strike a designated target with greater accuracy than an unguided bomb. LGBs are one of the most common and widespread guided bombs, used by a large number of the world's air forces.- Overview :Laser-guided munitions use a...
s, anti-radiation missile
Anti-radiation missile
An anti-radiation missile is a missile which is designed to detect and home on an enemy radio emission source. Typically these are designed for use against an enemy radar, although jammers and even radios used for communication can also be targeted in this manner.- Air-to-Ground :Most ARM designs...
s and JP233
JP233
Originally known as the LAAAS , the JP233 was a British submunition delivery system consisting of large dispenser pods carrying several hundred submunitions designed to attack runways.-Design and development:...
anti-runway munitions. Several operators have conducted modification programs to allow their Tornadoes to deploy recently introduced weapons such as the enhanced Paveway
Paveway
Paveway is a generic term for Laser Guided Bombs .Pave or PAVE is sometimes used as an acronym for precision avionics vectoring equipment; literally, electronics for controlling the speed and direction of aircraft...
and Joint Direct Attack Munition
Joint Direct Attack Munition
The Joint Direct Attack Munition is a guidance kit that converts unguided bombs, or "dumb bombs" into all-weather "smart" munitions. JDAM-equipped bombs are guided by an integrated inertial guidance system coupled to a Global Positioning System receiver, giving them a published range of up to...
bombs, and modern cruise missiles such as the Taurus
Taurus missile
TAURUS KEPD 350 is a German/Swedish air-launched cruise missile, manufactured by TAURUS Systems and used by Germany and Spain. TAURUS Systems GmbH is a partnership between LFK and Saab Bofors Dynamics.-Overview:...
and Storm Shadow missiles; increasing both capability and accuracy.
Ground attack versions have a limited air-to-air capability with AIM-9 Sidewinder
AIM-9 Sidewinder
The AIM-9 Sidewinder is a heat-seeking, short-range, air-to-air missile carried mostly by fighter aircraft and recently, certain gunship helicopters. The missile entered service with United States Air Force in the early 1950s, and variants and upgrades remain in active service with many air forces...
or AIM-132 ASRAAM
AIM-132 ASRAAM
The AIM-132 Advanced Short Range Air-to-Air Missile is an infrared homing air-to-air missile, produced by MBDA. It is currently in service in the Royal Air Force and Royal Australian Air Force , replacing the AIM-9 Sidewinder...
air-to-air missile
Air-to-air missile
An air-to-air missile is a missile fired from an aircraft for the purpose of destroying another aircraft. AAMs are typically powered by one or more rocket motors, usually solid fuelled but sometimes liquid fuelled...
s (AAMs); additionally the Tornado ADV is outfitted with beyond visual range AAMs such as the Skyflash
Skyflash
The British Aerospace Skyflash was a medium-range semi-active radar homing air-to-air missile derived from the US AIM-7 Sparrow missile and carried by Royal Air Force F-4 Phantoms and Tornado F3s, Italian Aeronautica Militare and Royal Saudi Air Force Tornados and Swedish Flygvapnet Viggens...
and AIM-120 AMRAAM
AIM-120 AMRAAM
The AIM-120 Advanced Medium-Range Air-to-Air Missile, or AMRAAM , is a modern beyond-visual-range air-to-air missile capable of all-weather day-and-night operations. Designed with the same form-factor as the previous generation of semi-active guided Sparrow missiles, it is a fire-and-forget...
missiles.
The Tornado is capable of delivering air-launched nuclear weapon
Nuclear weapon
A nuclear weapon is an explosive device that derives its destructive force from nuclear reactions, either fission or a combination of fission and fusion. Both reactions release vast quantities of energy from relatively small amounts of matter. The first fission bomb test released the same amount...
s. In 1979, Britain considered replacing its Polaris
UGM-27 Polaris
The Polaris missile was a two-stage solid-fuel nuclear-armed submarine-launched ballistic missile built during the Cold War by Lockheed Corporation of California for the United States Navy....
submarines with either the Trident
Trident missile
The Trident missile is a submarine-launched ballistic missile equipped with multiple independently-targetable reentry vehicles . The Fleet Ballistic Missile is armed with nuclear warheads and is launched from nuclear-powered ballistic missile submarines . Trident missiles are carried by fourteen...
submarines or alternatively the Tornado as the main bearer of its nuclear deterrent. Although Trident was selected as the main deterrent, Tornado squadrons were assigned under SACEUR and based in Germany with the intention to attack a major Soviet offensive with both conventional and nuclear weapons, namely the WE.177
WE.177
WE.177 was the last air-delivered tactical nuclear weapon of the British Armed Forces. There were three versions; WE.177A was a boosted fission weapon, while WE.177B and WE.177C were thermonuclear weapons...
nuclear bomb. The WE.177 was retired in March 1998, thus the RAF no longer retains a nuclear option for their Tornados.
Engine
Britain considered the selection of Rolls-RoyceRolls-Royce plc
Rolls-Royce Group plc is a global power systems company headquartered in the City of Westminster, London, United Kingdom. It is the world’s second-largest maker of aircraft engines , and also has major businesses in the marine propulsion and energy sectors. Through its defence-related activities...
to develop the advanced engine for the MRCA to be essential, and was strongly opposed to adopting an engine from an American manufacturer, to the point where the UK might have withdrawn over the issue. In September 1969, Rolls-Royce's RB 199
Turbo-Union RB199
|-See also:-External links:*...
engine was selected to power the MRCA. One advantage over the US competition was that a technology transfer
Technology transfer
Technology Transfer, also called Transfer of Technology and Technology Commercialisation, is the process of skill transferring, knowledge, technologies, methods of manufacturing, samples of manufacturing and facilities among governments or universities and other institutions to ensure that...
between the partner nations had been agreed; the engine was to be developed and manufactured by a joint company, Turbo-Union
Turbo-Union
Turbo-Union Limited is a joint venture between three European aero-engine manufacturers, FiatAvio , MTU Aero Engines and Rolls-Royce.-Products:...
. The program was delayed by Rolls-Royce's entry into receivership in 1971, the nature of the multinational collaboration process helped avoid major disruption of the Tornado program. Research from the supersonic airliner Concorde
Concorde
Aérospatiale-BAC Concorde was a turbojet-powered supersonic passenger airliner, a supersonic transport . It was a product of an Anglo-French government treaty, combining the manufacturing efforts of Aérospatiale and the British Aircraft Corporation...
contributed to the development and final design of the RB.199 and of the engine control units.
In order to provide the desired performance several features were used in the RB.199. In order to operate efficiently across a wide range of conditions and speeds up to Mach 2, the RB.199 and several other engines make use of variable intake ramp
Intake ramp
An intake ramp is a rectangular, plate-like device within the air intake of a jet engine, designed to generate a shock wave to aid the inlet compression process at supersonic speeds. The ramp sits at an acute angle to deflect the intake air from the longitudinal direction...
s to control the air flow. The hydraulic system is pressurised by syphoning power from both or either operational engine; the hydraulics are completely contained within the airframe rather than intergrating with the engine to improve safety and maintainability. Relatively rare amongst fighter aircraft, the RB.199 is fitted with thrust reversers to decrease the distance required to safely land. In case of double-engine, or double-generator, failure, the Tornado has a single-use battery capable of operating the fuel pump and hydraulics for up to 13 minutes.
In August 1974, the first RB.199 powered flight of a prototype Tornado occured; the engine completed its qualification tests in late 1978. The final production standard engine met both reliability and performance standards, though the development cost had been higher than predicted, in part due to the ambitious performance requirements. At the time of the Tornado's introduction to service, the turbine blades of the engine suffered from a shorter life span than desired; this was subsiquently rectified by the implementation of design revisions upon early-production engines. An uprated engine was demonstrated, intended for the interceptor variant of the Tornado, but it was not pursued.
Upgrades
In the 1990s, the RAF's GR1 fleet was extensively remanufactured as Tornado GR4s. Upgrades on Tornado GR4s included a FLIR (Forward-Looking InfraRed), a wide-angle HUD (Heads-Up Display), improved cockpitCockpit
A cockpit or flight deck is the area, usually near the front of an aircraft, from which a pilot controls the aircraft. Most modern cockpits are enclosed, except on some small aircraft, and cockpits on large airliners are also physically separated from the cabin...
displays, NVG (Night Vision Goggles
Night vision goggles
A night vision device is an optical instrument that allows images to be produced in levels of light approaching total darkness. They are most often used by the military and law enforcement agencies, but are available to civilian users...
) capabilities, new avionics
Avionics
Avionics are electronic systems used on aircraft, artificial satellites and spacecraft.Avionic systems include communications, navigation, the display and management of multiple systems and the hundreds of systems that are fitted to aircraft to meet individual roles...
, and a Global Positioning System
Global Positioning System
The Global Positioning System is a space-based global navigation satellite system that provides location and time information in all weather, anywhere on or near the Earth, where there is an unobstructed line of sight to four or more GPS satellites...
receiver. The capability to deploy cruise missile
Cruise missile
A cruise missile is a guided missile that carries an explosive payload and is propelled, usually by a jet engine, towards a land-based or sea-based target. Cruise missiles are designed to deliver a large warhead over long distances with high accuracy...
s as Brimstone
Brimstone missile
Brimstone is an air-launched anti-tank missile developed by MBDA for Britain's Royal Air Force. It was originally intended for "fire and forget" use against mass formations of enemy armour, using a millimetre wave seeker to ensure accuracy even against moving targets...
and the RAPTOR
RAPTOR
RAPTOR is a reconnaissance pod used by the Royal Air Force on its fleet of Tornado GR.4A and GR.4 aircraft. RAPTOR is manufactured by the Goodrich Corporation....
reconnaissance pod was intergrated. The first flight of a Tornado GR4 was on 4 April 1997, on 31 October 1997 the RAF accepted the first delivery.
Beginning in 2000, German IDS and ECR Tornados received the ASSTA 1 (Avionics System Software Tornado in Ada) upgrade. ASSTA 1 involved a replacement weapons computer, new GPS
Global Positioning System
The Global Positioning System is a space-based global navigation satellite system that provides location and time information in all weather, anywhere on or near the Earth, where there is an unobstructed line of sight to four or more GPS satellites...
and Laser Inertial
Inertial navigation system
An inertial navigation system is a navigation aid that uses a computer, motion sensors and rotation sensors to continuously calculate via dead reckoning the position, orientation, and velocity of a moving object without the need for external references...
navigation systems, and the "Tornado Self Protection Jammer" ECM-pod. The new computer supports the HARM III, HARM 0 Block IV/V
AGM-88 HARM
The AGM-88 High-speed Anti-Radiation Missile is a tactical, air-to-surface missile designed to home in on electronic transmissions coming from surface-to-air radar systems. It was originally developed by Texas Instruments as a replacement for the AGM-45 Shrike and AGM-78 Standard ARM system...
and Kormoran II
AS.34 Kormoran
The AS.34 Kormoran is a German-produced Anti-ship missile. The Kormoran uses an inertial guidance system for the midcourse phase, switching to active radar homing during the terminal attack phase. It carries a 165 kg delay-fused warhead, designed for 90mm of penetration prior to detonation...
missiles, the Rafael Litening II Laser Designator Pod
LITENING targeting pod
The AN/AAQ-28 LITENING targeting pod is a precision targeting pod system currently operational with a wide variety of combat aircraft. LITENING significantly increases the combat effectiveness of the aircraft during day, night and under-the-weather conditions in the attack of ground and air...
and GBU-24 Paveway III
GBU-24 Paveway III
Raytheon GBU-24 Family The GBU-24 is a family of laser-guided bombs, a sub-group of the larger Raytheon Paveway III family of weapons. The Paveway guidance package consists of a seeker package attached to the nose of the weapon, and a wing kit attached to the rear to provide stability and greater...
laser-guided bombs.
The ASSTA 2 upgrade began in 2005, primarily consisting of several new digital avionics systems, a new ECM suite and provision for the Taurus cruise missile
Taurus missile
TAURUS KEPD 350 is a German/Swedish air-launched cruise missile, manufactured by TAURUS Systems and used by Germany and Spain. TAURUS Systems GmbH is a partnership between LFK and Saab Bofors Dynamics.-Overview:...
; these upgrades are to be only applied to the 85 ECR Tornados, as the IDS is in the process of being replaced by the Eurofighter Typhoon
Eurofighter Typhoon
The Eurofighter Typhoon is a twin-engine, canard-delta wing, multirole combat aircraft, designed and built by a consortium of three companies: EADS, Alenia Aeronautica and BAE Systems; working through a holding company, Eurofighter GmbH, which was formed in 1986...
. The ASSTA 3 upgrade program, started in 2008, will introduce support for the laser-targeted Joint Direct Attack Munition
Joint Direct Attack Munition
The Joint Direct Attack Munition is a guidance kit that converts unguided bombs, or "dumb bombs" into all-weather "smart" munitions. JDAM-equipped bombs are guided by an integrated inertial guidance system coupled to a Global Positioning System receiver, giving them a published range of up to...
along with further software changes.
German Air Force (Luftwaffe)
Manching
Manching is a municipality in the district of Pfaffenhofen, in Bavaria, Germany. It is situated on the river Paar, 7 km southeast of Ingolstadt...
airbase, in what was then West Germany
West Germany
West Germany is the common English, but not official, name for the Federal Republic of Germany or FRG in the period between its creation in May 1949 to German reunification on 3 October 1990....
. Deliveries of production Tornados began on 27 July 1979. The total number of Tornados delivered numbered 247 IDS and 35 ECR variants. Originally the Tornados equipped five fighter-bomber wings, replacing the Lockheed F-104 Starfighter. Two wings were disbanded in 2003 and 2005; another wing was reequipped with the Tornado ECR. When the last Tornado wing of the German Navy was disbanded in 2005, its Tornados formed a new reconnaissance wing in the Luftwaffe
Luftwaffe
Luftwaffe is a generic German term for an air force. It is also the official name for two of the four historic German air forces, the Wehrmacht air arm founded in 1935 and disbanded in 1946; and the current Bundeswehr air arm founded in 1956....
.
German Tornados undertook NATO combat operations during the Bosnian War
Bosnian War
The Bosnian War or the War in Bosnia and Herzegovina was an international armed conflict that took place in Bosnia and Herzegovina between April 1992 and December 1995. The war involved several sides...
, the first combat operation for the Luftwaffe since World War II; both British and Italian Tornados also participated. German and Italian Tornados ECRs participated in Operation Allied Force
1999 NATO bombing of Yugoslavia
The NATO bombing of Yugoslavia was NATO's military operation against the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia during the Kosovo War. The strikes lasted from March 24, 1999 to June 10, 1999...
over the skies of the former Yugoslavia, frequently escorting the aircraft of various allies while carrying AGM-88 HARM
AGM-88 HARM
The AGM-88 High-speed Anti-Radiation Missile is a tactical, air-to-surface missile designed to home in on electronic transmissions coming from surface-to-air radar systems. It was originally developed by Texas Instruments as a replacement for the AGM-45 Shrike and AGM-78 Standard ARM system...
missiles to counter the threat posed by enemy radar. During the Kosovo War, several German IDS Tornados were dispatched to the region to conduct reconnaissance of enemy ground forces and refugee movements.
In June 2007, a pair of Luftwaffe Tornado were controversially used to fly reconnaissance flights over an anti-globalisation demonstration during the 33rd G8 summit
33rd G8 summit
The 33rd G8 summit took place at Kempinski Grand Hotel in Heiligendamm in the old Duchy of Mecklenburg in the Northern German state of Mecklenburg-Vorpommern on the Baltic Coast. The group of eight leaders met together from 6 June to 8 June 2007...
in Heiligendamm
Heiligendamm
Heiligendamm is a German seaside resort, founded in 1793. The small cluster of structures which still survive are reminders of the glory days of days gone by when this part of the Baltic Sea was one of the playgrounds of Europe's aristocracy. It is the oldest seaside spa in Germany...
. Following the mission, the German Defense Ministry admitted one aircraft had broken the minimum flying altitude and that mistakes were made in the handling of security of the Summit.
In 2007, a detachment of six Tornados of the Aufklärungsgeschwader 51 "Immelmann" (51st reconnaissance wing) were deployed to Mazar-i-Sharif, Northern Afghanistan, to support NATO forces. The decision to send Tornados to Afghanistan was a controversial decision, including one political party launching an unsuccessful legal bid to block the deployment as unconsitutional. The German Tornados were withdrawn from Afghanistan in November 2010.
Beginning in 2000, German IDS and ECR Tornados received the ASSTA 1 (Avionics System Software Tornado in Ada) upgrade. ASSTA 1 involved a replacement weapons computer, new navigational systems, and allowing the carriage of a range of new weapons. The ASSTA 2 upgrade began in 2005 only for the 85 ECR Tornados, as the IDS is in the process of being replaced by the Eurofighter Typhoon
Eurofighter Typhoon
The Eurofighter Typhoon is a twin-engine, canard-delta wing, multirole combat aircraft, designed and built by a consortium of three companies: EADS, Alenia Aeronautica and BAE Systems; working through a holding company, Eurofighter GmbH, which was formed in 1986...
. Tornados that have received the ASSTA 3 upgrade program, which introduces support for the Joint Direct Attack Munition
Joint Direct Attack Munition
The Joint Direct Attack Munition is a guidance kit that converts unguided bombs, or "dumb bombs" into all-weather "smart" munitions. JDAM-equipped bombs are guided by an integrated inertial guidance system coupled to a Global Positioning System receiver, giving them a published range of up to...
, are schedueled to enter service from 2012 onwards.
On 13 January 2004, the then German Defence Minister Peter Struck
Peter Struck
Peter Struck was the German Minister of Defence under chancellor Gerhard Schröder from 22 October 2002 until 2005. A lawyer, Struck is a member of the Social Democratic Party.-Education:* 1962: Abitur...
announced major changes to the German armed forces. A major part of this announcement is the plan to cut the German fighter fleet from 426 in early 2004 to 265 by 2015. Assuming the full German order for 180 Eurofighter Typhoons is delivered, this will see the Tornado force reduced to 85.
German Navy (Marineflieger)
In addition to the order made by the Luftwaffe, the German NavyGerman Navy
The German Navy is the navy of Germany and is part of the unified Bundeswehr .The German Navy traces its roots back to the Imperial Fleet of the revolutionary era of 1848 – 52 and more directly to the Prussian Navy, which later evolved into the Northern German Federal Navy...
's Marineflieger
Marineflieger
The Marineflieger is the naval air arm of the German Navy.-History:During the First World War, naval aviators were part of the Kaiserliche Marine...
also received 112 IDS variants. These equipped two wings until 1994, when one was disbanded. The second was disbanded in 2005 with its aircraft and duties passed on to the Luftwaffe.
Italian Air Force (Aeronautica Militare)
The first Italian prototype made its maiden flight on 5 December 1975 from TurinTurin
Turin is a city and major business and cultural centre in northern Italy, capital of the Piedmont region, located mainly on the left bank of the Po River and surrounded by the Alpine arch. The population of the city proper is 909,193 while the population of the urban area is estimated by Eurostat...
, Italy. The Aeronautica Militare received a total of 100 Tornado IDS. 15 IDSs were later converted to the ECR configuration; Italy's first ECR was delivered on 27 February 1998. As a stop-gap measure for 10 years, the Aeronautica Militare additionally operated 24 Tornado ADVs
Panavia Tornado ADV
The Panavia Tornado Air Defence Variant is a long-range, twin-engine interceptor version of the swing-wing Panavia Tornado. The aircraft's first flight was on 27 October 1979, and it entered service in 1986. It was retired on 22 March 2011 by the Royal Air Forceand is now only in service with the...
in the air defence role, which were leased from the Royal Air Force to cover the service gap between the retirement of the Lockheed F-104 Starfighter and the introduction of the Eurofighter Typhoon.
Italian Tornados, along with Tornados from Britain, took part in the first Gulf War
Gulf War
The Persian Gulf War , commonly referred to as simply the Gulf War, was a war waged by a U.N.-authorized coalition force from 34 nations led by the United States, against Iraq in response to Iraq's invasion and annexation of Kuwait.The war is also known under other names, such as the First Gulf...
in 1991. Operation Locusta saw eight Tornado IDS interdictors deployed from Gioia del Colle
Gioia del Colle
Gioia del Colle is a town and comune in the province of Bari, Apulia, Italy. The town is located on the Murge plateau at 360 metres above sea level.- History :...
, Italy, to Al Dhafra, Abu Dhabi
Abu Dhabi
Abu Dhabi , literally Father of Gazelle, is the capital and the second largest city of the United Arab Emirates in terms of population and the largest of the seven member emirates of the United Arab Emirates. Abu Dhabi lies on a T-shaped island jutting into the Persian Gulf from the central western...
, as a part of Italy's contribution to the coalition. During the conflict, one aircraft was lost to Iraqi anti-aircraft fire, the pilots ejected and were taken prisoners. They were released after the Coalition's victory A total of 22 Italian Tornados were deployed in the NATO-organised Operation Allied Force
Operation Allied Force
The NATO bombing of Yugoslavia was NATO's military operation against the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia during the Kosovo War. The strikes lasted from March 24, 1999 to June 10, 1999...
over Kosovo in 1999, the IDS variant was used in the bombing role while the ECR variants patrolled the combat region, acting to suppress enemy anti-aircraft radars. Four Italian Tornados participated in the enforcement of a no-fly zone in the 2011 military intervention in Libya
2011 military intervention in Libya
On 19 March 2011, a multi-state coalition began a military intervention in Libya to implement United Nations Security Council Resolution 1973, which was taken in response to events during the 2011 Libyan civil war...
.
In July 2002 Italy signed a contract with the Tornado Management Agency (NETMA) and the Panavia partners for the upgrading of 18 IDSs, the first of which was recieved in 2003. Italy has opted to extend the Tornado's service life instead of relying on alternative aircraft; in 2010 a major upgrade and life extension program was initiated, which will provide new digital displays, Link 16
Link 16
Link 16 is a military tactical data exchange network created and used by the United States and adopted by some of its Allies and by NATO. Its specification is part of the family of Tactical Data Links....
communications capability, night-vision goggles compatibility, and several other upgrades. In the long term, the Tornado is planned to replace the Tornado IDS/ECR fleet in Italian service with the Lockheed Martin F-35 Lightning II.
Royal Air Force
In 1991, the Tornado made its combat debut in the Gulf WarGulf War
The Persian Gulf War , commonly referred to as simply the Gulf War, was a war waged by a U.N.-authorized coalition force from 34 nations led by the United States, against Iraq in response to Iraq's invasion and annexation of Kuwait.The war is also known under other names, such as the First Gulf...
, the British military activities in which were designated Operation Granby
Operation Granby
Operation Granby was the name given to the British military operations during the Gulf War. 53,462 troops were deployed during the conflict. The total cost of operations was £2.434 billion of which at least £2.049 billion was paid for by other nations such as Kuwait and Saudi Arabia; £200...
. Nearly 60 GR1s were deployed by the United Kingdom to air bases at Muharraq (Bahrain), Tabuk and Dhahran
Dhahran
Dhahran is a city located in Saudi Arabia's Eastern Province, and is a major administrative center for the Saudi oil industry. Large oil reserves were first identified in the Dhahran area in 1931, and in 1935 Standard Oil of California drilled the first commercially viable oil well...
in Saudi Arabia. Several Tornado ADVs were deployed to provide air cover, the threat of their long range missiles being a significant deterrent to Iraqi pilots, who would deliberately avoid combat when approached.
In the early stages of the coalition's military action action, the GR1s targetted military airfields across Iraq, deploying a mixture of 1,000 lb (450 kg) unguided bombs
Gravity bomb
An unguided bomb, also known as a free-fall bomb, gravity bomb, dumb bomb, or iron bomb, is a conventional aircraft-delivered bomb that does not contain a guidance system and hence, simply follows a ballistic trajectory....
in loft-bombing
Toss bombing
Toss bombing is a method of bombing where the attacking aircraft pulls upwards when releasing its bomb load, giving the bomb additional time of flight by starting its ballistic path with an upward vector.The purpose of toss bombing is to compensate for the gravity drop of the...
attacks and specialised JP233
JP233
Originally known as the LAAAS , the JP233 was a British submunition delivery system consisting of large dispenser pods carrying several hundred submunitions designed to attack runways.-Design and development:...
runway denial weapons. Six RAF Tornados were lost in the conflict, as was one Italian Tornado. Of the RAF aircraft, four were lost while delivering unguided bombs, one was lost after delivering JP233
JP233
Originally known as the LAAAS , the JP233 was a British submunition delivery system consisting of large dispenser pods carrying several hundred submunitions designed to attack runways.-Design and development:...
, and one trying to deliver laser-guided bomb
Laser-guided bomb
A laser-guided bomb is a guided bomb that uses semi-active laser homing to strike a designated target with greater accuracy than an unguided bomb. LGBs are one of the most common and widespread guided bombs, used by a large number of the world's air forces.- Overview :Laser-guided munitions use a...
s. On 17 January 1991, the first Tornado to be lost was shot down by an Iraqi SA-16 missile following a failed low-level bombing run. On 19 January, another RAF Tornado was shot down during an intensive raid on Tallil Air Base. The impact of the Tornado strikes upon Iraqi air fields is difficult to determine.
In an emergency deployment, the UK sent out a detachment of Blackburn Buccaneer
Blackburn Buccaneer
The Blackburn Buccaneer was a British low-level subsonic strike aircraft with nuclear weapon delivery capability serving with the Royal Navy and the Royal Air Force between 1962 and 1994, including service in the 1991 Gulf War...
aircraft equipped with the Pave Spike
Pave Spike
The Westinghouse AN/ASQ-153\AN/AVQ-23 Pave Spike is an electro-optical laser designator pod used to direct laser-guided bombs to target in daylight, visual conditions...
laser designator
Laser designator
A laser designator is a laser light source which is used to designate a target. Laser designators provide targeting for laser guided bombs, missiles, or precision artillery munitions, such as the Paveway series of bombs, Lockheed-Martin's Hellfire, or the Copperhead round, respectively.When a...
, allowing Tornado GR1s to drop precision guided weapons. A further crash programme in support of the sudden military action saw multiple GR1s outfitted with the TIALD
TIALD
TIALD, the Thermal Imaging Airborne Laser Designator pod, is manufactured by SELEX Galileo and was the UK's primary laser designator for laser-guided bombs....
laser designation system; author Claus-Christian Szejnmann declared that the TIALD pod enabled the GR1 to "achieve probably the most accurate bombing in the RAF's history". Although laser designation proved effective In the Gulf War, only 23 TIALD pods had been purchased by 2000 and this shortage had a negative impact on combat operations over Kosovo.
Operation Southern Watch
Operation Southern Watch was an operation conducted by Joint Task Force Southwest Asia with the mission of monitoring and controlling airspace south of the 32nd Parallel in Iraq, following the 1991 Gulf War until the 2003 invasion of Iraq.-Summary:Operation Southern Watch began on 27 August 1992...
; another half a dozen GR1s participated in missions over Northern Iraq in Operation Provide Comfort
Operation Provide Comfort
Operation Provide Comfort and Provide Comfort II were military operations by the United States and some of its Gulf War allies, starting in April 1991, to defend Kurds fleeing their homes in northern Iraq in the aftermath of the Persian Gulf War and deliver humanitarian aid to them.-Operation...
.
In March 1993, a Mid-Life Upgrade (MLU) project of the Tornado was launched; in July 1994, the UK signed a contract for MLU of GR1/GR1A/GR1Bs to GR4/GR4A standard. The Tornado GR4 made its operational debut in patrols during Operation Southern Watch
Operation Southern Watch
Operation Southern Watch was an operation conducted by Joint Task Force Southwest Asia with the mission of monitoring and controlling airspace south of the 32nd Parallel in Iraq, following the 1991 Gulf War until the 2003 invasion of Iraq.-Summary:Operation Southern Watch began on 27 August 1992...
; patrolling a large parts of southern Iraq's airspace from bases in Kuwait
Kuwait
The State of Kuwait is a sovereign Arab state situated in the north-east of the Arabian Peninsula in Western Asia. It is bordered by Saudi Arabia to the south at Khafji, and Iraq to the north at Basra. It lies on the north-western shore of the Persian Gulf. The name Kuwait is derived from the...
. Both Tornado GR1s and GR4s based at Ali Al Salem, Kuwait, took part in coalition strikes at Iraq's military infrastructure during Operation Desert Fox
Operation Desert Fox
The December 1998 bombing of Iraq was a major four-day bombing campaign on Iraqi targets from December 16–19, 1998 by the United States and United Kingdom...
in 1998.
In late December 1998, an Iraqi anti-aircraft battery fired six to eight missiles at an RAF Tornado patrolling the southern no-fly zone
No-fly zone
A no-fly zone is a territory or an area over which aircraft are not permitted to fly. Such zones are usually set up in a military context, somewhat like a demilitarized zone in the sky, and usually prohibit military aircraft of a belligerent nation from operating in the region.-Iraq,...
, the battery's location was attacked in retalliation, no aircraft were lost during the incident. It was reported that during Operation Desert Fox, RAF Tornados had successfully destroyed 75% of allotted targets, and out of the 36 missions planned, 28 had been successfully completed.
The GR1 would participate in the Kosovo War
Kosovo War
The term Kosovo War or Kosovo conflict was two sequential, and at times parallel, armed conflicts in Kosovo province, then part of FR Yugoslav Republic of Serbia; from early 1998 to 1999, there was an armed conflict initiated by the ethnic Albanian "Kosovo Liberation Army" , who sought independence...
in 1999. The Tornadoes initially operated from RAF Bruggen
RAF Bruggen
The former Royal Air Force Station Brüggen, more commonly known as RAF Brüggen, in Germany was a major station of the Royal Air Force until 15 June 2001. It was situated next to the village of Elmpt, approximately west of Düsseldorf near the German-Netherlands border. The base was named after...
, Germany; they later moved to Solenzara Air Base, Corsica
Corsica
Corsica is an island in the Mediterranean Sea. It is located west of Italy, southeast of the French mainland, and north of the island of Sardinia....
. Experience from fighting in Kosovo would lead to the RAF procuring AGM-65 Maverick
AGM-65 Maverick
The AGM-65 Maverick is an air-to-ground tactical missile designed for close-air support. It is effective against a wide range of tactical targets, including armor, air defenses, ships, ground transportation and fuel storage facilities....
missiles and Enhanced Paveway
Paveway
Paveway is a generic term for Laser Guided Bombs .Pave or PAVE is sometimes used as an acronym for precision avionics vectoring equipment; literally, electronics for controlling the speed and direction of aircraft...
smart bomb
Smart bomb
Smart bomb has several meanings:* In weapons, a smart bomb is a precision-guided munition* Smart Bomb Interactive, a video game development studio based in Salt Lake City, Utah...
s for the Tornado fleet. Following the Kosovo War, the GR1 was phased out as more aircraft were upgraded to GR4 standard. The final GR1 was upgraded and returned to the RAF on 10 June 2003.
The GR4 would be heavily used in Operation Telic
Operation Telic
Operation TELIC was the codename under which all British military operations in Iraq were conducted between the start of the Invasion of Iraq on 19 March 2003 and the withdrawal of the last remaining British forces on 22 May 2011...
, the British contribution to the 2003 invasion of Iraq
2003 invasion of Iraq
The 2003 invasion of Iraq , was the start of the conflict known as the Iraq War, or Operation Iraqi Freedom, in which a combined force of troops from the United States, the United Kingdom, Australia and Poland invaded Iraq and toppled the regime of Saddam Hussein in 21 days of major combat operations...
. RAF Tornados flew in the opening phase of the war, flying alongside American strike aircraft to rapidly attack key installations. In line with a new tactical emphasis on minimising casaulties and appropriate force, Tornados of No. 617 Squadron
No. 617 Squadron RAF
No. 617 Squadron is a Royal Air Force aircraft squadron based at RAF Lossiemouth in Scotland. It currently operates the Tornado GR4 in the ground attack and reconnaissance role...
deployed the new Storm Shadow precision cruise missile
Cruise missile
A cruise missile is a guided missile that carries an explosive payload and is propelled, usually by a jet engine, towards a land-based or sea-based target. Cruise missiles are designed to deliver a large warhead over long distances with high accuracy...
for the first time in the Iraq conflict; while 25% of the UK's air-launched weapons in Kosovo were precision-guided, four years later in Iraq this ratio increased to 85%.
On 23 March 2003, a Tornado GR4 was shot down over Iraq by friendly fire
Friendly fire
Friendly fire is inadvertent firing towards one's own or otherwise friendly forces while attempting to engage enemy forces, particularly where this results in injury or death. A death resulting from a negligent discharge is not considered friendly fire...
from a U.S. Patriot missile
MIM-104 Patriot
The MIM-104 Patriot is a surface-to-air missile system, the primary of its kind used by the United States Army and several allied nations. It is manufactured by the Raytheon Company of the United States. The Patriot System replaced the Nike Hercules system as the U.S. Army's primary High to Medium...
battery, killing both crew members. In July 2003, a US board of inquiry exonerated the battery's operators, observing the Tornado's "lack of functioning IFF (Identification Friend or Foe
Identification friend or foe
In telecommunications, identification, friend or foe is an identification system designed for command and control. It is a system that enables military and national interrogation systems to identify aircraft, vehicles, or forces as friendly and to determine their bearing and range from the...
)" as a factor in the incident. Problems with Patriot has also been suggested as a factor, multple incidents of mis-identification of friendly aircraft have occurred, including the fatal shootdown of a US Navy McDonnell Douglas F/A-18 Hornet a few weeks after the loss of the Tornado. Britain withdrew the last of its Tornados from Iraq in June 2009.
In early 2009, several GR4s arrived at Kandahar
Kandahar
Kandahar is the second largest city in Afghanistan, with a population of about 512,200 as of 2011. It is the capital of Kandahar Province, located in the south of the country at about 1,005 m above sea level...
airfield, Afghanistan, to replace the Harrier GR7/9 aircraft deployed there snce November 2004. In 2009, Paveway IV
Paveway IV
The Raytheon Paveway IV is a dual mode GPS/INS and laser guided bomb for use by military aircraft. It is the latest iteration of Raytheon's Paveway series....
guided bombs were brought into service on the RAF's Tornados, having been previously used in Afghanistan upon the Harrier II fleet. In Summer 2010, extra Tornados were dispatched to Kandahar during the months surrounding the 2010 Afghan election
Afghan parliamentary election, 2010
The Afghan parliamentary election, 2010 to elect members of the Wolesi Jirga took place on 18 September 2010. The Afghan Independent Election Commission - established in accordance with the article 156 of the Constitution of Afghanistan for the purpose of organizing and supervising all elections in...
.
Prior to the 2010 Strategic Defence and Security Review
Strategic Defence and Security Review
The Strategic Defence and Security Review was announced by the newly formed Conservative-Liberal Democrat coalition government of the United Kingdom in May 2010, and published on 19 October 2010...
(SDSR)'s publication, the retirement of the entire Tornado fleet was under consideration, savings of £7.5 billion were anticipated. The SDSR announced that the Tornado would be retained at the expense of the Harrier II fleet, although Tornado numbers would decline as the RAF transitioned to the Eurofighter Typhoon and, later on, the F-35 Lightning II.
On 18 March 2011, British Prime Minister David Cameron
David Cameron
David William Donald Cameron is the current Prime Minister of the United Kingdom, First Lord of the Treasury, Minister for the Civil Service and Leader of the Conservative Party. Cameron represents Witney as its Member of Parliament ....
announced the deployment of Tornados and Typhoon
Eurofighter Typhoon
The Eurofighter Typhoon is a twin-engine, canard-delta wing, multirole combat aircraft, designed and built by a consortium of three companies: EADS, Alenia Aeronautica and BAE Systems; working through a holding company, Eurofighter GmbH, which was formed in 1986...
s to enforce a no-fly zone in Libya. In March 2011, several Tornados flew 3000-mile stike missions against targets inside Libya in what were, according to Defence Secretary Liam Fox
Liam Fox
Liam Fox MP is a British Conservative politician, Member of Parliament for North Somerset, and former Secretary of State for Defence....
, "the longest range bombing mission conducted by the RAF since the Falklands conflict". A variety of weapons were used in operations over Libya, including Laser-guided bomb
Laser-guided bomb
A laser-guided bomb is a guided bomb that uses semi-active laser homing to strike a designated target with greater accuracy than an unguided bomb. LGBs are one of the most common and widespread guided bombs, used by a large number of the world's air forces.- Overview :Laser-guided munitions use a...
s and Brimstone missiles.
Royal Saudi Air Force
Following experience with both the Tornado and the McDonnell Douglas F-15E Strike Eagle, the RSAF discontinued low-level mission training in the F-15E in light of the Tornado's superior low-altitude flight performance. In addition, 10 of the Saudi Tornados were outfitted with equipment for performing reconnassaince missions. The 22 Tornado ADVs are in the process of being replaced by the modern Eurofighter Typhoon
Eurofighter Typhoon
The Eurofighter Typhoon is a twin-engine, canard-delta wing, multirole combat aircraft, designed and built by a consortium of three companies: EADS, Alenia Aeronautica and BAE Systems; working through a holding company, Eurofighter GmbH, which was formed in 1986...
; the retired aircraft are to purchased back by the UK. By 2007, both the Sea Eagle
Sea Eagle
Sea eagle mainly refers to Sea eagle, birds of prey of the genus Haliaeetus.It may also refer to:-Aerospace:* Sea Eagle , British, anti-ship missile* Sea Eagle * Supermarine Sea Eagle, 1920s British passenger flying boat-Sports:...
anti-ship missile and the ALARM anti-radiation missile
Anti-radiation missile
An anti-radiation missile is a missile which is designed to detect and home on an enemy radio emission source. Typically these are designed for use against an enemy radar, although jammers and even radios used for communication can also be targeted in this manner.- Air-to-Ground :Most ARM designs...
previously equipped by the RSAF's Tornados had been withdrawn from service.
In September 2006, the Saudi government signed a contract worth £2.5 billion (US$4.7 billion) with BAE Systems
BAE Systems
BAE Systems plc is a British multinational defence, security and aerospace company headquartered in London, United Kingdom, that has global interests, particularly in North America through its subsidiary BAE Systems Inc. BAE is among the world's largest military contractors; in 2009 it was the...
to upgrade possibly 80 aircraft in the Saudi Air Force fleet planned to be retained until 2020. RSAF Tornado 6612 returned to BAE Systems Warton in December 2006 for upgrade under the "Tornado Sustainment Programme" (TSP), which will "equip the IDS fleet with a range of new precision-guided weapons and enhanced targeting equipment, in many cases common with those systems already fielded by the UK's Tornado GR4s." In December 2007, the first RSAF aircraft to complete modernisation was returned to Saudi Arabia.
Starting from the first week of November 2009, Saudi Air Force Tornados, along with Saudi F-15s performed air raids over Yemeni Houthis terrorists
Sa'dah insurgency
The Shia Insurgency in Yemen, also known as the Houthi rebellion, Sa'dah War or Sa'dah conflict is a civil war in Northern Yemen. It began in June 2004 when dissident cleric Hussein Badreddin al-Houthi, head of the Shia Zaidiyyah sect, launched an uprising against the Yemeni government...
in Yemeni Norther region of Sa'dah
Sa'dah
Sa`dah is the capital city of Saada Governorate in north-western Yemen. It is located at , at an elevation of about 1,800 meters. Known in antiquity as Karna, its population in 2004 was estimated at 51,870.- External links :*...
. It was the first time since Operation Desert Storm in 1991 that Saudi Air Force partook actively in a military operation over hostile territory.
Tornado GR1
RAF IDS variants were initially designated the Tornado GR1British military aircraft designation systems
British military aircraft designations are used to refer to aircraft types and variants operated by the armed forces of the United Kingdom.Since the end of the First World War, aircraft types in British military service have generally been known by a name British military aircraft designations are...
with later modified aircraft designated Tornado GR1A, Tornado GR1B, Tornado GR4 and Tornado GR4A. The first of 228 GR1s was delivered on 5 June 1979, and the type entered service in the early 1980s. A total of 142 aircraft were upgraded to GR4 standard from 1997 to 2003.
Tornado GR1B
The Tornado GR1B was a specialised anti-shipping variant of the GR1. A total of 26 were converted, which were based at RAF LossiemouthRAF Lossiemouth
RAF Lossiemouth is a Royal Air Force station to the west of the town of Lossiemouth in Moray, Scotland. It is one of the RAF's biggest bases and is currently Britain's main base for Tornado GR4s. From 2013 the Northern QRA force of Typhoon F2 will relocate to Lossiemouth following the closure of...
, Scotland, replacing the Blackburn Buccaneer
Blackburn Buccaneer
The Blackburn Buccaneer was a British low-level subsonic strike aircraft with nuclear weapon delivery capability serving with the Royal Navy and the Royal Air Force between 1962 and 1994, including service in the 1991 Gulf War...
. Each aircraft was equipped to carry up to four Sea Eagle
Sea Eagle (missile)
The BAe Sea Eagle is a medium weight sea-skimming anti-ship missile designed and built by BAe Dynamics . It is designed to sink or disable ships up to the size of aircraft carriers in the face of jamming and other countermeasures including decoys...
anti-ship missiles. While at first the GR1B lacked the radar capability to track shipping, instead relying on the missile's seeker for target acquisition, it was later updated so that target data could be fed from the aircraft to the missile, allowing the Tornado to use the full capacity of the missile.While the RAF's Tornado GR1 strike aircraft were updated to the GR4 standard, there was no corresponding GR4B variant; it was judged that the specialised anti-shipping role was no longer required due to a reduced threat from surface warships.
Tornado GR4
In 1984, the UK Ministry of DefenceMinistry of Defence
In states where the government is divided into ministries, the Ministry of Defence may refer to that part of the government responsible for matters of defence, usually including all branches of the military and is usually controlled by a Defence minister or minister of defence.-List of Defence...
began studies for a GR1 Mid-Life Update (MLU). The update to GR4 standard, approved in 1994, would improve capability in the medium-altitude role based on lessons learned from the GR1's performance in the 1991 Gulf War. British Aerospace (later BAE Systems
BAE Systems
BAE Systems plc is a British multinational defence, security and aerospace company headquartered in London, United Kingdom, that has global interests, particularly in North America through its subsidiary BAE Systems Inc. BAE is among the world's largest military contractors; in 2009 it was the...
) upgraded 142 Tornado GR1s to GR4 standard, beginning in 1996 and finished in 2003.
Tornado GR1A/GR4A
The GR1A is the reconnaissance variant used by the RAF and RSAF, fitted with the TIRRS (Tornado Infra-Red Reconnaissance System), replacing the cannon. The RAF ordered 30 GR1As, 14 as GR1 rebuilds and 16 as new-builds. When the Tornado GR1s were upgraded to become GR4s, GR1A aircraft were upgraded to GR4A standard. The switch from low-level operations to medium/high-level operations means that the internal TIRRS is no longer in use. Since the GR4A's internal sensors are no longer essential to the reconnaissance role, the RAF's Tactical Reconnaissance Wing fly both GR4A and GR4 aircraft.Tornado ECR
Operated by Germany and Italy, the ECR is a Tornado variant devoted to Suppression of Enemy Air Defenses (SEAD) missions. It was first delivered on 21 May 1990. The ECR has sensors to detect radar usage and is equipped with anti-radiation AGM-88 HARMAGM-88 HARM
The AGM-88 High-speed Anti-Radiation Missile is a tactical, air-to-surface missile designed to home in on electronic transmissions coming from surface-to-air radar systems. It was originally developed by Texas Instruments as a replacement for the AGM-45 Shrike and AGM-78 Standard ARM system...
missiles. The Luftwaffe's 35 ECRs were delivered new, while Italy received 16 converted IDSs. Italian Tornado ECRs differ from the Luftwaffe aircraft as they lack a reconnaissance capability, and only Luftwaffe ECRs are equipped with RB199 Mk.105 engine which has a slightly higher thrust rating. The German ECRs do not carry a cannon.
Tornado ADV
The Tornado ADV is a interceptorInterceptor
-Vehicles:* Interceptor aircraft , a type of fighter aircraft designed specifically to intercept and destroy enemy aircraft* Ford Crown Victoria Police Interceptor, a police car...
variant of the Tornado, developed for the RAF (designated Tornado F2 or F3) and also operated by Saudi Arabia and Italy. Early on in 1968, the United Kingdom intended for a Tornado interceptor variant to be developed. Despite an inferior agility to fighters such as the McDonnell Douglas F-15 Eagle, the ADV was not intended as a dog-fighter but as a long-endurance interception aircraft to counter the threat of Cold War Soviet bombers. Although the ADV has 80% parts commonality with the Tornado IDS, the ADV has faster acceleration, improved RB199 Mk.104 engines, a stretched body, greater fuel capacity; it has only one cannon to accommodate a retractable inflight refuelling probe, the Foxhunter radar, and software changes.
Operators
| Unit | Base | Version | Status | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Italian Air Force Italian Air Force The Italian Air Force has gone under different names in different periods:*Regia Aeronautica , from 1923 to June 1946*Aeronautica Nazionale Repubblicana, the air force of Italian Social Republic during World War II... (Aeronautica Militare Italiana) |
||||
| 102° Gruppo, 6° Stormo | Ghedi Ghedi Ghedi is a town and comune in the province of Brescia, in Lombardy, Italy. It received the honorary title of city with a presidential decree on November 24, 2001.... |
IDS | Active | 1993– |
| 154° Gruppo, 6° Stormo | Ghedi Ghedi Ghedi is a town and comune in the province of Brescia, in Lombardy, Italy. It received the honorary title of city with a presidential decree on November 24, 2001.... |
IDS | Active | 1982– |
| 156° Gruppo, 6° Stormo | Ghedi Ghedi Ghedi is a town and comune in the province of Brescia, in Lombardy, Italy. It received the honorary title of city with a presidential decree on November 24, 2001.... |
IDS | Active | 1984– |
| 12° Gruppo, 36° Stormo | Gioia del Colle Gioia del Colle Gioia del Colle is a town and comune in the province of Bari, Apulia, Italy. The town is located on the Murge plateau at 360 metres above sea level.- History :... |
IDS/ADV F.3 | Inactive | 1984/1995-2004, replaced by Eurofighter Typhoon Eurofighter Typhoon The Eurofighter Typhoon is a twin-engine, canard-delta wing, multirole combat aircraft, designed and built by a consortium of three companies: EADS, Alenia Aeronautica and BAE Systems; working through a holding company, Eurofighter GmbH, which was formed in 1986... |
| 155° Gruppo E.T.S., 50° Stormo | Piacenza Piacenza Piacenza is a city and comune in the Emilia-Romagna region of northern Italy. It is the capital of the province of Piacenza... |
IDS/ECR | Active | 1990/1998– |
| German Navy German Navy The German Navy is the navy of Germany and is part of the unified Bundeswehr .The German Navy traces its roots back to the Imperial Fleet of the revolutionary era of 1848 – 52 and more directly to the Prussian Navy, which later evolved into the Northern German Federal Navy... (Deutsche Marine) |
||||
| Marinefliegergeschwader 1 | Jagel Jagel Jagel is a municipality in the district of Schleswig-Flensburg, in Schleswig-Holstein, Germany.... |
Disbanded | 2 July 1982–1 January 1994 | |
| Marinefliegergeschwader 2 | Eggebek Eggebek Eggebek is a municipality in the district of Schleswig-Flensburg, in Schleswig-Holstein, Germany. It is situated approx. 17 km northwest of Schleswig, and 18 km south of Flensburg.... |
Disbanded | 1986–2005 | |
| Luftwaffe Luftwaffe Luftwaffe is a generic German term for an air force. It is also the official name for two of the four historic German air forces, the Wehrmacht air arm founded in 1935 and disbanded in 1946; and the current Bundeswehr air arm founded in 1956.... |
||||
| Jagdbombergeschwader 31 "Boelcke" | Nörvenich Nörvenich Nörvenich is a municipality in the district of Düren in the state of North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany. It is located about east of Düren.... |
IDS | Active | 34 aircraft, transitioned to Eurofighter in 2009 |
| Jagdbombergeschwader 32 | Lagerlechfeld | ECR | Active | 34 aircraft, Receives ASSTA 2 Upgrade, remains in service |
| Jagdbombergeschwader 33 | Büchel Büchel Büchel is an Ortsgemeinde – a municipality belonging to a Verbandsgemeinde, a kind of collective municipality – in the Cochem-Zell district in Rhineland-Palatinate, Germany... |
IDS | Active | 36 aircraft, will transition to Eurofighter in 2013/14 |
| Jagdbombergeschwader 34 "Allgäu" | Memmingen Memmingen Memmingen is a town in the Bavarian administrative region of Swabia in Germany. It is the central economic, educational and administrative centre in the Danube-Iller region. To the west the town is flanked by the Iller, the river that marks the Baden-Württemberg border... |
Disbanded | Disbanded 2003 | |
| Jagdbombergeschwader 38 "Friesland" | Jever Jever Jever is the capital of the district of Friesland in Lower Saxony, Germany. The name Jever is usually associated with a major brand of beer which is produced here, the city is also a popular holiday resort. Jever was granted city status in 1536. Unofficially Jever is sometimes referred to as... |
Disbanded | Disbanded 2005 | |
| Aufklärungsgeschwader 51 "Immelmann" | Jagel/Schleswig | RECCE | Active | 46 aircraft, Receives ASSTA 2 Upgrade, remains in service |
| Royal Air Force Royal Air Force The Royal Air Force is the aerial warfare service branch of the British Armed Forces. Formed on 1 April 1918, it is the oldest independent air force in the world... |
||||
| No. 2 Squadron No. 2 Squadron RAF No. 2 Squadron of the Royal Air Force is currently one of two RAF squadrons operating in the reconnaissance role with the Tornado GR4A and GR4 and is based at RAF Marham, Norfolk.No. II Squadron holds claim to being "the oldest heavier-than-air flying machine squadron in the world", along with No... |
Marham RAF Marham Royal Air Force Station Marham, more commonly known as RAF Marham, is a Royal Air Force station; a military airbase, near the village of Marham in the English county of Norfolk, East Anglia.... |
GR4/4A | Active | 12 aircraft |
| No. 5 Squadron No. 5 Squadron RAF No. 5 Squadron of the Royal Air Force is the operator of the new Sentinel R1 Airborne STand-Off Radar aircraft and is based at RAF Waddington.-History:As No... |
Coningsby RAF Coningsby RAF Coningsby , is a Royal Air Force station in Lincolnshire, England. It has been commanded by Group Captain Martin Sampson since 10 December 2010.-Operational units:... |
F3 | Disbanded | 1987–2003 |
| No. 9 Squadron | Marham | GR4/4A | Active | 12 aircraft |
| No. 11 Squadron | Leeming RAF Leeming RAF Leeming is a Royal Air Force station in North Yorkshire, UK.HRH The Duchess of Cornwall is the Honorary Air Commodore of RAF Leeming. The Station Commander is Group Captain Anthony Innes.... |
F3 | Disbanded | 1988–2005 |
| No. 12 Squadron No. 12 Squadron RAF No. 12 Squadron of the Royal Air Force currently operates the Tornado GR4 from RAF Lossiemouth.-History:No. 12 Squadron Royal Flying Corps was formed in February 1915 from a flight of No. 1 Squadron RFC at Netheravon. The squadron moved to France in September 1915 and operated a variety of aircraft... |
Lossiemouth RAF Lossiemouth RAF Lossiemouth is a Royal Air Force station to the west of the town of Lossiemouth in Moray, Scotland. It is one of the RAF's biggest bases and is currently Britain's main base for Tornado GR4s. From 2013 the Northern QRA force of Typhoon F2 will relocate to Lossiemouth following the closure of... |
GR4/4A | Active | 12 aircraft |
| No. 13 Squadron | Marham | GR4/4A | Disbanded, 13 May 2011 | 12 aircraft |
| No. 14 Squadron No. 14 Squadron RAF No. 14 Squadron of the Royal Air Force currently operates the Beechcraft Shadow R1 in the ISTAR role from RAF Waddington.-World War I:... |
Lossiemouth | GR4/4A | Disbanded | 12 aircraft |
| No. XV (Reserve) Squadron | Lossiemouth | GR4 | Reserve | 26 aircraft. GR4 Operational Conversion Unit |
| No. 16 Squadron No. 16 Squadron RAF No. 16 Squadron is a flying squadron of the Royal Air Force. It formed in 1915 at Saint-Omer to carry out a mixture of offensive patrolling and reconnaissance and was disbanded in 1919 with the end of the First World War... |
Laarbruch RAF Laarbruch The former Royal Air Force Station Laarbruch, more commonly known as RAF Laarbruch ICAO EDUL was a Royal Air Force station, a military airbase, located in Germany on its border with the Netherlands... |
GR1 | Disbanded | 13 December 1983–11 September 1991 |
| No. 17 Squadron | Brüggen RAF Bruggen The former Royal Air Force Station Brüggen, more commonly known as RAF Brüggen, in Germany was a major station of the Royal Air Force until 15 June 2001. It was situated next to the village of Elmpt, approximately west of Düsseldorf near the German-Netherlands border. The base was named after... |
GR1 | Disbanded | 1 March 1985–31 March 1999 |
| No. 20 Squadron No. 20 Squadron RAF No. 20 Squadron of the Royal Air Force was until March 2010, the OCU for the BAE Harrier GR9, and T12, operating from RAF Wittering... |
Laarbruch RAF Laarbruch The former Royal Air Force Station Laarbruch, more commonly known as RAF Laarbruch ICAO EDUL was a Royal Air Force station, a military airbase, located in Germany on its border with the Netherlands... |
GR1 | Disbanded | 29 June 1984–May 1992 |
| No. 23 Squadron No. 23 Squadron RAF No. 23 Squadron was a squadron of the Royal Air Force. Until October 2009, it operated the Boeing Sentry AEW1 Airborne Warning And Control System aircraft from RAF Waddington, Lincolnshire.-First World War:... |
Leeming | F3 | Disbanded | 1 November 1988–28 February 1994 |
| No. 25 Squadron | Leeming | F3 | Disbanded | 1989–2008 |
| No. 27 Squadron No. 27 Squadron RAF No. 27 Squadron of the Royal Air Force operates the Boeing Chinook HC2 from RAF Odiham.-The Great War:27 Squadron formed at Hounslow Heath Aerodrome on 5 November 1915, soon being equipped with Martinsyde Elephant fighter aircraft, hence the use of an elephant for the squadron badge... |
Marham | GR1 | Disbanded | 12 August 1983–1 October 1993 |
| No. 29 Squadron No. 29 Squadron RAF No. 29 Squadron of the Royal Air Force was first raised in 1915, and is one of the world's oldest fighter squadrons. The second British squadron to receive the Eurofighter Typhoon, it is currently the Operational Conversion Unit for the RAF's newest fighter.-Service in World War I:This unit was... |
Coningsby RAF Coningsby RAF Coningsby , is a Royal Air Force station in Lincolnshire, England. It has been commanded by Group Captain Martin Sampson since 10 December 2010.-Operational units:... |
F3 | Disbanded | 1987–1998 |
| No. 31 Squadron No. 31 Squadron RAF No. 31 Squadron of the Royal Air Force, known as the 'Goldstars', currently operates the Tornado GR4 from RAF Marham, Norfolk.-History:The squadron was formed at Farnborough on October 11, 1915. Its first deployment was to Risulpur, India with its BE2Cs and Farmans, and during this time it took... |
Marham | GR4/4A | Active | 10 aircraft |
| No. 43 Squadron No. 43 Squadron RAF No. 43 Squadron was a Royal Air Force aircraft squadron originally formed in 1916 as part of the Royal Flying Corps. It last operated the Panavia Tornado F3 from RAF Leuchars, Scotland in the air defence role until disbanded in July 2009.-In World War I:... |
Leuchars RAF Leuchars RAF Leuchars is the most northerly air defence station in the United Kingdom. It is located in Leuchars, Fife, on the east coast of Scotland, near to the university town of St Andrews.-Operations:... |
F3 | Disbanded | 1989–2009 |
| No. 56 (Reserve) Squadron No. 56 Squadron RAF Number 56 Squadron is one of the oldest and most successful squadrons of the Royal Air Force, with battle honours from many of the significant air campaigns of both World War I and World War II... |
Leuchars | F3 | Disbanded | 1992–2008 |
| No. 111 Squadron No. 111 Squadron RAF No. 111 Squadron of the Royal Air Force operated the Panavia Tornado F3 from RAF Leuchars, Scotland until March 2011, when the squadron was disbanded, ending the Tornado F3's RAF service.-In World War I:... |
Leuchars | F3 | Disbanded | 1990–2011 |
| No. 617 Squadron No. 617 Squadron RAF No. 617 Squadron is a Royal Air Force aircraft squadron based at RAF Lossiemouth in Scotland. It currently operates the Tornado GR4 in the ground attack and reconnaissance role... |
Lossiemouth | GR4/4A | Active | 12 aircraft |
| No. 229 OCU (No 65 (Reserve) Squadron No. 65 Squadron RAF No. 65 Squadron was a squadron of the Royal Air Force.-World War I:The squadron was first formed at Wyton on 1 August 1916 as a squadron of the Royal Flying Corps with a core provided from the training ground at Norwich. By the end of World War I, it had claimed over 200 victories... ) |
Coningsby | F2/3 | Renumbered 56(R) Sqn | 1984–1992 F.2/3 Operational Conversion Unit |
| No. 1435 Flight No. 1435 Flight RAF No. 1435 Flight is a Eurofighter Typhoon unit of the Royal Air Force, based at RAF Mount Pleasant, providing air defence for the Falkland Islands, South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands.During the Second World War, No... |
Mount Pleasant RAF Mount Pleasant RAF Mount Pleasant is a military base for the Royal Air Force in the British Overseas Territory of the Falkland Islands. The facility is part of the British Forces South Atlantic Islands... |
F3 | Replaced by Typhoon F2 | 4 aircraft, based in the Falklands |
| Tri-National Tornado Training Establishment Tri-National Tornado Training Establishment The Tri-National Tornado Training Establishment was a multinational air unit based at RAF Cottesmore in Rutland, England from 1981 to 1999.-Function:It performed training on the Panavia Tornado for the Royal Air Force, Luftwaffe and Italian Air Force... |
Cottesmore RAF Cottesmore RAF Cottesmore was a Royal Air Force station in Rutland, England, situated between Cottesmore and Market Overton. The station housed all the operational Harrier GR9 squadrons in the Royal Air Force, and No 122 Expeditionary Air Wing... |
IDS, GR1 | Disbanded | 1980–31 March 1999 |
| Tornado Weapons Conversion Unit (No. 45 Squadron No. 45 Squadron RAF -First World War:Formed during World War I at Gosport on 1 March 1916 as Number 45 Squadron, the unit was first equipped with Sopwith 1½ Strutters which it was to fly in the Scout role. Deployed to France in October of that year, the Squadron found itself suffering heavy losses due to the quality... ) |
Honington RAF Honington RAF Honington is a Royal Air Force station located south of Thetford near Ixworth in Suffolk, England. Although used as a bomber station during the Second World War, RAF Honington is now the RAF Regiment depot and home to the Joint CBRN Regiment.-RAF use:... |
GR1 | Renumbered XV(R) Sqn | 1 August 1980–31 March 1992 |
| Royal Saudi Air Force Royal Saudi Air Force The Royal Saudi Air Force , is the aviation branch of the Saudi Arabian armed forces. The RSAF has developed from a largely defensive military force into one with an advanced offensive capability... |
||||
| KAAB | IDS | Active | 96 IDS | |
| No. 7 Squadron RSAF | IDS | |||
| No. 29 Squadron RSAF | ADV | |||
| No. 34 Squadron RSAF | ADV | |||
| No. 66 Squadron RSAF | IDS | |||
| No. 75 Squadron RSAF | IDS | |||
| No. 83 Squadron RSAF | IDS | |||
Aircraft on display
Although still an operational aircraft, a number of older aircraft are on public display:- 44+13 Tornado IDS on display at the National Museum of Military History, Sofia, Bulgaria.
- XX946 Tornado Prototype P02 on display at the RAF Museum Cosford, England.
- XX947 Tornado Prototype P03 on display at Shoreham AirportShoreham Airport- Sussex Police Air Operations Unit :The Sussex Police Air Operations Unit is headquartered at Shoreham Airport. The unit has been equipped since February 2000 with a MD Explorer, registered as "G-SUSX". The unit is headed by a Police Inspector, assisted by a Police Sergeant and two Police...
, England. - XX948 Tornado Prototype on display at Hermeskeil, Germany
- XZ631 Tornado GR1 on display at Yorkshire Air MuseumYorkshire Air MuseumThe Yorkshire Air Museum & Allied Air Forces Memorial, , is an air museum in England. The museum was founded, and first opened to the public, in the early 1980s....
, Elvington, England. - ZA319 Tornado GR1T Gate Guard, MoD DSDA, Bicester, England.
- ZA354 Tornado GR1 on display at Yorkshire Air MuseumYorkshire Air MuseumThe Yorkshire Air Museum & Allied Air Forces Memorial, , is an air museum in England. The museum was founded, and first opened to the public, in the early 1980s....
, Elvington, England. - ZA362 Tornado GR1 on display at Highland Aviation Museum, Inverness, Scotland.
- ZA374 Tornado GR1 on display at the National Museum of the United States Air ForceNational Museum of the United States Air ForceThe National Museum of the United States Air Force is the official museum of the United States Air Force located at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base northeast of Dayton, Ohio. The NMUSAF is the world's largest and oldest military aviation museum with more than 360 aircraft and missiles on display...
, Wright Patterson, Ohio, USA - ZA457 Tornado GR1 on display at RAF MuseumRAF MuseumThe Royal Air Force Museum London, commonly known as the RAF Museum, is a museum located on the former Hendon Aerodrome, dedicated to the history of aviation and the British Royal Air Force. The museum is a non-departmental public body sponsored by the Ministry of Defence and a registered charity...
, Hendon, England. - ZA465 Tornado GR1 on display at Imperial War MuseumImperial War MuseumImperial War Museum is a British national museum organisation with branches at five locations in England, three of which are in London. The museum was founded during the First World War in 1917 and intended as a record of the war effort and sacrifice of Britain and her Empire...
, Duxford, England. - ZE934 Tornado F3 on display at National Museum of Flight, East Fortune, Scotland
- MM7210 Tornado F3 on display at the Italian Air Force MuseumItalian Air Force MuseumThe Italian Air Force Museum is an aircraft museum at Vigna di Valle, on the Lake Bracciano , central Italy. It is operated by the Aeronautica Militare.- Propeller aircraft :* Ansaldo AC.2* Ansaldo SVA 5* Blériot XI* Caproni Ca.3* Caproni Ca.100...
, Vigna di Valle, Italy - 43+74 Tornado IDS of the German Navy, Marinefliegergeschwader 1 at the Pima Air & Space MuseumPima Air & Space MuseumThe Pima Air & Space Museum features a display of nearly 300 aircraft spread out over 80 acres on a campus occupying 127 acres . Located in Tucson, Arizona, it is one of the world's largest, non-government funded aerospace museums...
, Tucson, AZ - 43+96 Tornado gate guard at the German air base in Jagel, near Schleswig, Schleswig-Holstein, Germany
- 44+97 Tornado IDS of the Einsatzgeschwader (Expeditionary Air Wing) Mazar-i-Sharif at the Deutsches Museum Flugwerft SchleissheimDeutsches Museum Flugwerft SchleissheimFlugwerft Schleissheim is an aviation museum located in the German town of Oberschleißheim near Munich, it forms part of the Deutsches Museum collection and compliments the aviation exhibits on display at the main site. The museum was opened on 18 September 1992. Many aerospace exhibits are on...
, OberschleißheimOberschleißheimOberschleißheim is a municipality in the district of Munich, in Bavaria, Germany. It is located 13 km north of Munich . As of 2005 it had a population of 11,467....
, Germany - 44+31 Tornado IDS (Blue Lightning paint scheme) of the 31st Fighter Bomber Wing "Boelcke" at NorvenichNörvenichNörvenich is a municipality in the district of Düren in the state of North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany. It is located about east of Düren....
AB, Germany - Tornado IDS on display at the Luftwaffenmuseum, Berlin, Germany
- Tornado IDS on display at the Technikmuseum Speyer, Germany
- Tornado ADV F3 on display at the Royal Saudi Air Force MuseumRoyal Saudi Air Force MuseumThe Royal Saudi Air Force Museum or Saqr Al-Jazira is located on the East Ring Road of Riyadh between exits 10 and 11. A Saudia Lockheed L-1011 Tristar serves as a gateguard visible from the ring road. Admission is Sr.10 for adults & Sr.5 for children...
, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia - Tornado IDS on display the Royal Saudi Air Force MuseumRoyal Saudi Air Force MuseumThe Royal Saudi Air Force Museum or Saqr Al-Jazira is located on the East Ring Road of Riyadh between exits 10 and 11. A Saudia Lockheed L-1011 Tristar serves as a gateguard visible from the ring road. Admission is Sr.10 for adults & Sr.5 for children...
, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
Specifications (Tornado GR4)
See also
External links
- Airforce Fact Files on Airforce-technology.com
- Tornado (BAe) on Fas.org
- Panavia Tornado IDS Attack Bomber on Aerospaceweb.org
- Panavia Tornado on Tornado-data.com
- List of all active German Tornados
- http://www.deutsches-museum.de/flugwerft/sammlungen/strahlflugzeuge/tornado-ids/German IDS Tornado 44+97 at the Deutsches MuseumDeutsches MuseumThe Deutsches Museum in Munich, Germany, is the world's largest museum of technology and science, with approximately 1.5 million visitors per year and about 28,000 exhibited objects from 50 fields of science and technology. The museum was founded on June 28, 1903, at a meeting of the Association...
subsidiary Flugwerft OberschleißheimOberschleißheimOberschleißheim is a municipality in the district of Munich, in Bavaria, Germany. It is located 13 km north of Munich . As of 2005 it had a population of 11,467....
, Germany (DE)]