User:Hammersfan/Panavia Tornado in UK service
Background
[edit]Operational history
[edit]Prototypes
[edit]
Tornado IDS prototype (XX947) in 1979
Tornado ADV prototype (ZA254) in 1980
The start of the Tornado programme saw an initial procurement of fifteen development aircraft planned. Of these, nine were classed as prototypes, and were given the serial numbers P01 to P09, with the remaining six referred to as pre-series airframes, numbered as PS11 to PS16.[1] Each of the three nations involved in the project were allocated a number of the development airframes, with the UK receiving four prototypes and two pre-series aircraft.[1] The first UK Tornado to fly was the second prototype, which made its first flight on 30 October 1974, and was primarily utilised to test the aircraft's performance and handling capabilities, as well as being used for initial trials of in-flight refuelling. Subsequent UK development aircraft also included the first to be fitted with dual controls, the first to be fitted with the Mauser BK-27 cannon, plus aircraft that were utilised for primary in-service trials with the Aeroplane and Armament Experimental Establishment.[1] One of the UK prototypes was lost during the trials programme when P08 crashed into the Irish Sea during weapons trials in June 1979.[2]
In 1976, the UK government approved the Tornado ADV programme, and placed an order with the British Aircraft Corporation for an additional three Tornado airframes, which would be utilised as the development aircraft for the interceptor version.[3] The initial prototype, designated as A01, made its first flight on 27 October 1979, and was primarily used for flight testing.[3] The second was also used in the flight test programme, while the third was primarily used as the testbed for the newly developed AI.24 Foxhunter aircraft interception radar.[4]
| Designation | Variant | UK serial number | Date of first flight |
|---|---|---|---|
| P02 | IDS | XX946 | 30 October 1974 |
| P03 | IDS | XX947 | 5 August 1975 |
| P06 | IDS | XX948 | 19 December 1975 |
| P08 | IDS | XX950 | 15 July 1976 |
| PS12 | IDS | XZ630 | 14 March 1977 |
| PS15 | IDS | XZ631 | 24 November 1978 |
| A01 | ADV | ZA254 | 9 August 1979 |
| A02 | ADV | ZA267 | 18 July 1980 |
| A03 | ADV | ZA283 | 18 November 1980 |
Tornado IDS
[edit]| Tornado GR.1 / GR.1A / GR.1B Tornado GR.4 / GR.4A | |
|---|---|
.jpg) A Royal Air Force Tornado GR.4 of No. 31 Squadron in 2011 | |
| General information | |
| Type | Medium/low-level strike / interdictor Medium/low-level reconnaissance aircraft Maritime strike aircraft |
| National origin | United Kingdom Germany Italy |
| Manufacturer | Panavia |
| Status | Withdrawn |
| Primary user | Royal Air Force |
| Number built | 234 (incl. 4 prototypes and 2 pre-series airframes) |
| Serial |
|
| History | |
| Manufactured | 1974–98 |
| Introduction date | 29 January 1981 |
| First flight | 30 October 1974[b] |
| Retired | 1 April 2019 |
Tornado ADV
[edit]| Tornado F.2 / F.3 | |
|---|---|
.jpg) A Royal Air Force Tornado F.3 of No. 43 Squadron in 2008 | |
| General information | |
| Type | Air defence interceptor |
| National origin | United Kingdom |
| Manufacturer | Panavia |
| Status | Withdrawn |
| Primary user | Royal Air Force |
| Number built | 168 (incl. 3 prototypes) |
| Serial |
|
| History | |
| Manufactured | 1978–93 |
| Introduction date | 1 November 1984 |
| First flight | 27 October 1979 |
| Retired | 22 March 2011 |
Differences
[edit]Between the IDS and ADV
[edit]- IDS and ADV compared
-
GR.1 -
F.2 -
F.3 -
GR.4
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Between the F.2 and the F.3
[edit]Aircraft production
[edit]Replacement
[edit]Aircraft on display
[edit]Accidents and incidents
[edit]Variants
[edit]- GR.1
- Initial IDS version for RAF optimised for low-level strike and interdiction missions. 228 built
- GR1A
- Reconnaissance version of GR.1 built with specialised internal reconnaissance system in place of 27mm cannon. Total of 30 produced (14 new-build plus 16 conversions from GR.1)
- GR.1B
- Specialised maritime strike and anti-shipping version. 26 produced from conversions from GR.1
- GR.1P
- Designation used for single GR.1 aircraft rebuilt following major damage and passed to Royal Aircraft Establishment to serve as test platform. 1 produced
- F.2
- Interim ADV version for RAF built with IDS engines. 18 built
- F.2A
- Upgraded version of F.2 with improved avionics. 1 produced (converted from F.2)
- F.3
- Definitive ADV version for RAF optimised for long-range interception missions. 147 built
- GR.4
- Updated version of GR.1 to improve medium-level capabilities. 142 produced from upgrading GR.1
- GR.4A
- Updated version of GR.1A produced at the same time as GR.4. 30 produced from upgrading GR.1A
https://www.panavia.de/aircraft/overview/variants/
Operators
[edit]IDS
- Testing and evaluation
- Tornado Operational Evaluation Unit[c]
- Strike Attack Operational Evaluation Unit[d]
- No. 41 (R) Squadron[e]
- Close air support / tactical strike
- Tactical reconnaissance
- Maritime strike
- Training
ADV
- Testing and evaluation
- F3 Operational Evaluation Unit[d]
- Air defence
- Training
Specifications
[edit]GR.4
[edit]Data from International Warbirds: An Illustrated Guide to World Military Aircraft, 1914–2000[14]; Tornado, Modern Fighting Aircraft[15]
General characteristics
- Crew: 2
- Length: 16.72 m (54 ft 10 in)
- Wingspan: 13.91 m (45 ft 8 in) at 25° sweep
- Swept wingspan: 8.60 m (28 ft 3 in) swept at 67° sweep
- Height: 5.95 m (19 ft 6 in)
- Wing area: 26.6 m2 (286 sq ft)
- Empty weight: 14,100 kg (31,085 lb) [16]
- Gross weight: 20,240 kg (44,622 lb) [16]
- Powerplant: 2 × Turbo-Union RB199-34R Mk 103 afterburning 3-spool turbofan, 43.8 kN (9,800 lbf) thrust each dry, 76.8 kN (17,300 lbf) with afterburner
Performance
- Maximum speed: 2,400 km/h (1,500 mph, 1,300 kn) at 9,000 m (30,000 ft)
- 1,482 km/h (921 mph; 800 kn) IAS near sea level
- Maximum speed: Mach 2.2
- Combat range: 3,148 km (1,956 mi, 1,700 nmi) Combat radius Hi-Lo-Hi >850 nmi (>1574 km), combat radius Lo-Lo-Lo >500 nmi (>926 km), Hi-Hi-Hi with 1 hour loiter >700 nmi (> 1296 km).[17]
- Ferry range: 3,890 km (2,420 mi, 2,100 nmi)
- Service ceiling: 15,240 m (50,000 ft)
- Wing loading: 767 kg/m2 (157 lb/sq ft)
- Thrust/weight: 0.77
Armament
- Guns: 1 × 27 mm (1.06 in) Mauser BK-27 revolver cannon internally mounted under starboard side of fuselage with 180 rounds
- Hardpoints: 3 × under-fuselage and 4 × under-wing pylon stations[k] with a capacity of 9,000 kg (19,800 lb), with provisions to carry combinations of:
- Missiles:
- 2 × AIM-9 Sidewinder (AIM-9B / AIM-9G / AIM-9L) (GR.1) or AIM-132 ASRAAM air-to-air missiles for self-defence (GR.4)
- 12 × Brimstone air-to-surface missile; or
- 2 × Storm Shadow cruise missile
- 9 × ALARM anti-radiation missile
- Bombs:
- 5 × 500 lb (230 kg) Paveway IV; or
- 3 × 1,000 lb (450 kg) (UK Mk 20) Paveway II/Enhanced Paveway II; or
- 2 × 2,000 lb (910 kg) Paveway III (GBU-24)/Enhanced Paveway III (EGBU-24); or
- BL755 cluster bombs; or
- Up to 2 × JP233 or MW-1 munitions dispensers (for runway cratering operations)
- Up to 4 × B61 or WE.177 tactical nuclear weapons
- Other: Up to 4 × drop tanks for ferry flight/extended range/flight time
- Missiles:
Avionics
- RAPTOR aerial reconnaissance pod
- Rafael LITENING targeting pod; or
- TIALD laser designator pod
- GEC Sky Shadow electronic countermeasure pod
- BOZ counter-measures pod
F.3
[edit]Data from Jane's All The World's Aircraft 1993–94,[18]
General characteristics
- Crew: 2
- Length: 18.68 m (61 ft 3 in)
- Wingspan: 13.91 m (45 ft 8 in) at 25° sweep
- 8.6 m (28 ft) at 67° sweep
- Height: 5.95 m (19 ft 6 in)
- Wing area: 26.6 m2 (286 sq ft)
- Empty weight: 14,500 kg (31,967 lb)
- Max takeoff weight: 27,986 kg (61,699 lb)
- Powerplant: 2 × Turbo-Union RB199-34R Mk 104 afterburning 3-spool turbofan, 40.5 kN (9,100 lbf) thrust each dry, 73.5 kN (16,500 lbf) with afterburner
Performance
- Maximum speed: 2,400 km/h (1,500 mph, 1,300 kn) / M2.2 at 9,000 m (30,000 ft)
- 1,482 km/h (921 mph; 800 kn) near sea level
- Combat range: 1,853 km (1,151 mi, 1,001 nmi) subsonic
- >556 km (345 mi) supersonic
- Ferry range: 4,265 km (2,650 mi, 2,303 nmi) with four external tanks[19]
- Endurance: Two hour combat air patrol at 560–740 km (348–460 mi) from base
- Service ceiling: 15,240 m (50,000 ft) [20]
Armament
- Guns
- 1 × 27 mm (1.063 in) Mauser BK-27 revolver cannon with 180 rounds
- Hardpoints: 10 total (4× semi-recessed under-fuselage, 2× under-wing, 4× under-wing shoulder rail)
- 4× AIM-9 Sidewinder or ASRAAM (mounted on shoulder rail hardpoints)
- 4× British Aerospace Skyflash or AIM-120 AMRAAM (mounted on 4 semi-recessed under-fuselage hardpoints)
- Others:
- Up to 2× drop tanks for extended range/loitering time. Up to 4 drop tanks for ferry role (at the expense of 4 Skyflash/AMRAAM).
Avionics
Tornado bases
[edit]| Base | Years used | Number of squadrons | Location map |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tornado bases in the United Kingdom | |||
| RAF Leuchars | Sep 1989 – Mar 2011 | 3 squadrons |
|
| RAF Coningsby | Nov 1984 – Sep 2002 | 7 squadrons | |
| RAF Leeming | Aug 1988 – Apr 2008 | 3 squadrons | |
| RAF Honington | Aug 1982 – Feb 1994 | 4 squadrons | |
| RAF Marham | Jan 1983 – Apr 2019 | 7 squadrons | |
| RAF Lossiemouth | Sep 1993 – Mar 2017 | 3 squadrons | |
| RAF Cottesmore | Jan 1981 – Mar 1999 | 1 squadron | |
| Tornado bases in Germany (map displays North Rhine-Westphalia) | |||
| RAF Laarbruch | Sep 1983 – Sep 1992 | 5 squadrons | |
| RAF Brüggen | Nov 1984 – Aug 2001 | 4 squadrons | |
| Tornado bases in the Falkland Islands | |||
| RAF Mount Pleasant | Jul 1992 – Sep 2009 | 1 flight | |
See also
[edit]Notes
[edit]- ^ The UK received a fifth prototype airframe, P10, which was never intended to fly, but was instead used as a static test article. As a result, this airframe never received a UK military serial number.[5]
- ^ Date is the first flight of the first UK prototype; the first Tornado flight took place on 14 August 1974, when the first prototype, a German aircraft, flew for the first time.[1]
- ^ The Tornado Operational Evaluation Unit operated as a single type unit from 1983 to 1987, when the new Harrier GR.5 was added to its inventory. At that time, it was renamed as the Strike Attack Operational Evaluation Unit.
- ^ a b The Strike Attack Operational Evaluation Unit merged with the F3 Operational Evaluation Unit in 2004 to form the Fast Jet and Weapons Operational Evaluation Unit.
- ^ No. 41 Squadron was the squadron identity initially used by the Fast Jet and Weapons Operational Evaluation Unit from 2004 to 2006, which subsequently became the Typhoon and Tornado Test & Evaluation Squadron.
- ^ a b No. 15 Squadron operated as a front-line strike squadron from 1983–1992 before being disbanded. the squadron's identity was then transferred to the Tornado Weapons Conversion Unit.
- ^ a b No. 617 Squadron converted from overland strike to maritime strike in 1993.[13]
- ^ No. 45 Squadron was the original shadow squadron identity of the Tornado Weapons Conversion Unit.
- ^ The TTTE was a multi-national training unit performing IDS training for pilots from the RAF, Luftwaffe, Marineflieger and Aeronautica Militaire.
- ^ a b No. 229 Operational Conversion Unit was originally given the shadow squadron identity of No. 65 Squadron when formed in 1984. In 1992, it assumed the identity of No. 56 Squadron.
- ^ The two inner wing pylons have shoulder launch rails for 2 × short-range air-to-air missiles each
Citations
[edit]- ^ a b c d Simpson, R.C. (1978). "Tornado means trouble...for WARPAC!". RAF Yearbook. Leicester, England: Royal Air Force Benevolent Fund: 8. Retrieved 22 April 2025.
- ^ "Tornado Battle Hardened at Retirement". Key Aero. 28 March 2019. Archived from the original on 27 February 2024. Retrieved 23 April 2025.
- ^ a b Taylor 2001, pp. 189–190
- ^ Eagles 1991, p. 92.
- ^ a b "Prototypes". Tornado: 50 Years of Operation. Archived from the original on 8 June 2023. Retrieved 23 April 2025.
- ^ "Serials in range XX". UK Serials Resource Centre. Wolverhampton Aviation Group. 2025. Archived from the original on 2 April 2023. Retrieved 22 April 2025.
- ^ "Serials in range XZ". UK Serials Resource Centre. Wolverhampton Aviation Group. 2025. Archived from the original on 20 January 2025. Retrieved 22 April 2025.
- ^ a b c d e f g h i "Serials in range ZA". UK Serials Resource Centre. Wolverhampton Aviation Group. 2025. Archived from the original on 9 February 2025. Retrieved 22 April 2025.
- ^ a b c d e f "Serials in range ZD". UK Serials Resource Centre. Wolverhampton Aviation Group. 2025. Archived from the original on 9 February 2025. Retrieved 22 April 2025.
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r "Serials in range ZE". UK Serials Resource Centre. Wolverhampton Aviation Group. 2025. Archived from the original on 9 February 2025. Retrieved 22 April 2025.
- ^ a b c d e f "Serials in range ZG". UK Serials Resource Centre. Wolverhampton Aviation Group. 2025. Archived from the original on 18 January 2025. Retrieved 22 April 2025.
- ^ "Serials in range ZH". UK Serials Resource Centre. Wolverhampton Aviation Group. 2025. Archived from the original on 9 February 2025. Retrieved 22 April 2025.
- ^ "End of an era for RAF Lossiemouth Tornados". Ministry of Defence. 22 March 2017. Retrieved 20 April 2025.
- ^ Frédriksen 2001, p. 255.
- ^ Richardson 1986, p. 31.
- ^ a b "Overview". Panavia Aircraft. Retrieved 20 April 2025.
- ^ "Tornado IDS". Panavia Aircraft. Retrieved 20 April 2025.
- ^ Lambert 1993, pp. 173–175.
- ^ Mason 1992, p. 424.
- ^ "RAF: Equipment – Tornado F3 Specifications". Royal Air Force. Archived from the original on 14 March 2008. Retrieved 1 July 2010.
Bibliography
[edit]- Eagles, J.D. (1991). "Preparing a Bomber Destroyer: The Panavia Tornado ADV". Putnam Aeronautical Review. 2. Naval Institute Press: 88–93. ISBN 978-1-55750676-4.
- Fredriksen, John (2001). International Warbirds: An Illustrated Guide to World Military Aircraft, 1914–2000. Santa Barbara, California: ABC-CLIO. ISBN 978-1-57607-364-3.
- Lambert, Mark (1993). Jane's All The World's Aircraft 1993–94. Coulsdon, UK: Jane's Information Group. ISBN 978-0-71061-066-9.
- Richardson, Doug (1986). Tornado (Modern Fighting Aircraft, Vol. 10). New York City, New York: Prentice Hall Press. ISBN 978-0-13925-504-5.
- Taylor, Michael J.H (2001). Flight International World Aircraft & Systems Directory (3rd ed.). United Kingdom: Reed Business Information. ISBN 0-617-01289-X.