German Panavia Tornado Strike Trainer IDS/ECR2 JaBoG 32 Staffel 321 322 Lechfeld Jagdbombergeschwader (Fighter-Bomber Wing)
From conception to operational service took twelve years, but what was remarkable about this was that the Tornado and all its systems were delivered on time and on budget. The Tornado was originally designed to fulfill six different roles. After the Tornado went into service another role was defined; defense suppression, Italy and Germany procured the purpose built Electronic Combat Reconnaissance (ECR) version. This type is armed with the High Speed Anti-Radiation Missile (HARM). The six original roles were: 1. Interdiction Strike. 2. Counter Air Strike 3. Battlefield Interdiction 4. Close Air Support 5. Reconnaissance 6. Interception This last role was not taken up but the RAF went one step further and developed the Air Defense Variant (ADV) now called the Tornado The Tornado is the RAF's first variable-geometry aircraft. Built by a consortium from Britain, Germany and Italy known as Panavia with its head quarters in Munich, Germany. The first British assembled aircraft flew from Warton in Lancashire on 30 October 1974. The first production GR1 flew on 10 July 1979. A total of 228 GR1's were built for the RAF, 36 of these were dual control and designated GR1(T). The three countries that contributed to the project manufactured different sections of the aircraft. Britain made the nose and rear fuselage; Italy made the wings and Germany the centre fuselage. The Rolls Royce designed engines were built by Turbo-Union; these were the RB-199 turbofans. Originally the MRCA (Multi Role Combat Aircraft) as it was known was to be a NATO aircraft, with countries such as Canada, Belgium and The Netherlands expected to contribute, but these countries elected to go for US built, cheaper, single seaters instead. The RAF first employed the Tornado at the TTTE (Tri-National Tornado Training Establishment) at Cottesmore in July 1980. As its name suggests this unit was to train aircrew from all three nations to use both the aircraft and its systems.
Size: 5568px × 3767px
Location: RAF Lossiemouth Morayshire Scotland UK
Photo credit: © David Gowans / Alamy / Afripics
License: Licensed
Model Released: No
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