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Tornado (United-Kingdom, Italy, Germany)

The Tornado is a 2-engine fighter jet/bomber and has been developed by 3 countries: Germany, United-Kingdom and Italy. The Tornado is in use by the Air Forces of Germany, United-Kingdom, Italy and Saudi-Arabia but they are all in a different version.

Specifications

General  
Design organisation British Aerospace (UK), DASA (Germany) Alenia (Italy)
Main secundary design organisations  
Production organisaton  
Primary task  
Type aircraft 3th generation fighter jet
Specials Adjustable wings
Length 16.70 meters (IDS, ECR, GR4) 18.68 meters (F3)
Height 5.95 meters
Wingspan 13.9 meters at an angle of 17 degrees
8.60 meters at an angle of 68 degrees
Wing surface between 26.60 and 32 square meters (m2)
Aspect ratio  
Sweep back  
Dihedral  
Performance  
Engines 2x Turbo Union RB.199 with afterburner
Thrust 40.5 kN and 73.5 kN with after burner
Weight (empty) 14.500 kgs
Weight (start, maximum, MTOW) 28.000 kgs
Weight (landing, maximum, MLW)  
Required runway length (start) 900 meters of less with afterburner
Required runway length (landing) 370 meters
Cruise speed  
Maximum speed 2.333 km/h at 40.000 ft, 1.480 km/h at mean sea level
Ceiling 15.000 meters
Maximum range approx.. 3.900 km. 1390km with heavy weaponload
Fuel capacity 4660 kgs (5100 kgs at the RAF)
Air-to-air-refueling capability yes
Passengers none
Payload none
Equipment  
Armament Possible combination of:

- Storm Shadow
- Brimstone
- ALARM
- AIM-9 Sidewinder
- Paveway II
- Paveway III
- Enhanced Paveway
- General Purpose bombs
- Mauser 27mm
- BL755 cluster bombs
Maximum weapon load 8.500 kgs
Maximum G resistance + 7.5 G
Radar  
Sensors  
Avionics  
Type flight controls  
Landing gear tricycle landing gear
Usage  
Versions Tornado GR1, GR4, GR4A, IDS, ECR, F3
Manufactured  
Crew 2; pilot + navigator or weapon officer, depends which version
Costs  
Overall flight hours  
First flight 14 August 1974
First delivery  
Operational since July 1979 (British RAF)
October 1997 (British RAF, GR4)
Successor of  
Replaced by n.a.
Comparable aircraft  
Operators (current and future) Germany, Italy, Saudi-Arabia, United Kingdom
Main operators  
Amphibious usage No
Status In operational service


Technical

The Tornado GR4 has a characteristic that the wings can be turn backwards to fly more faster. Without external payload like bombs and/or countermeasures the Tornado can reach a maximum speed of more than 2200km/h. With payload the tornado flies about 1100-1200km/h.

Electronics
On the tip of the right wing is a Defensive Aids sub-system mounted. This protects the aircraft against Surface-to-air missiles and radar-guided anti-aircraft artillery. A special version the Tornado GR4 can be equipped with the Sea Eagle anti-shipping missile for maritime missions.

Germany
The German Navy and Air Force have bought 280 Tornado GR1 aircraft in the beginning. In the German navy they were called: PA 200 Tornado. All Navy Tornado's have been moved to the German Air Force
 

Germany Germany Germany
Germany Germany Germany
Germany Germany Germany


United-Kingdom
The British Air Force developed his own Tornado version for air-to-surface and a Tornado version for air defence later. The version for air-defence is the Tornado F3 and the version for combat, the Tornado GR1 & GR4.
The RAF has bought 186 Tornado GR1 aircraft in the beginning. 142 of them have been modernized to the GR4 version. Besides the RAF has Tornado GR4A fighter jets for reconnaissance missions.

Tornado F3
The Tornado Air Defence Variant (ADV) has been developed as a interception jet. The aircraft was meant to attack Russian bombers above the Ocean. The first Tornado ADV was called Tornado F.2 and was delivered to the RAF in 1984. 18 aircraft have been build. Later the aircraft were called Tornado F.3 The first Tornado F.3 was delivered to the RAF in 1986.
The F.3 has instead of the F.2: the Foxhunter radar (during the development of the radar there were some problems so the development delayed. The F.2 does not have this radar), powerful (Mk 104) engines, improved afterburners, 35.5 cm longer, can carry 891 liters more fuel, a connection for air-to-air refueling. The Tornado F3 has replaced the Lightning and the F-4 Phantom jets by the RAF. The aircraft can also be used for suppression of enemy air-defence.

Tornado GR1 & GR4

The Tornado GR4 is a mid-life update of the origin Tornado GR1. It can fly supersonic speeds and fly very low. The Tornado GR4 has flow operational missions during Operation Iraqi Freedom. The RAF uses the aircraft for air-interdiction, suppression and.or attack of enemy air defence systems and for reconnaissance missions.
The Tornado GR4A is a special reconnaissance version.


UK UK UK
UK Tornado GR 1 UK Tornado GR 1  
 
 

Italy
The Italian Air Force has the Tornado IDS and Tornado ECR versions. In 1982, 100x Tornado IDS and 15x Tornado ECR were purchased.

Italy    
   
   
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Last updated: 7 May 2017