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.