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2016-06-01

The Irreplaceable Tornado

Highly capable frontline aircraft, iconic for its impressive swing role capabilities

The Tornado, a formidable aircraft developed by British Aerospace, Germany’s MBB and Aeritalia, has been a vital part of air forces since its inception. It first flew in 1974, and went into service in 1979. However, due to a combination of upgrade packages and capability improvements, it is just as important today as it was over three decades ago.

The Tornado is renowned for its ability to operate in any weather conditions, at low level at any time of the day or night.

With a max speed of 1.3 Mach and an expansive range of integrated weaponry including Paveway IV, it is still the frontline aircraft in the industry.

The aircraft is currently in active service for the RAF in Iraq and Syria. As well as being in service for the three partner nations who developed it, the Tornado was exported to the Royal Saudi Air Force, and is still in use by them today.

Destined for Greatness

The Tornado was jointly developed by the UK, West Germany and Italy under a collaborative agreement and manufactured by a consortium of companies formed under the name of Panavia.

The Tornado GR1 was the most numerous and important aircraft in the RAF inventory, and the GR1 operated in the strike/attack and reconnaissance roles. The first prototype flew in 1974 and the first RAF Squadron equipped with the GR1 became operational in 1982.

Designed in the Cold War to penetrate Soviet air defence at low-level, the Tornado is nuclear-capable, but since the withdrawal from service of the WE177 nuclear bomb in 1998, the Tornado strike capability has been restricted to conventional weapons.

For the UK’s Royal Air Force the Tornado Multi-Role Combat aircraft (MRCA) has been principal strike weapon system over the past three decades.

The RAF has had Tornados deployed to the Middle East region for more than 20 years – further proof of the versatility and capability of this exceptional aircraft.

The Tornado GR4 is a two-seat, all-weather, day/night attack and reconnaissance aircraft.

Features and upgrades

Still one of the very few aircraft in the world that is able to operate at low level, day or night and in poor weather, the Tornado is now equipped with a modern precision-guided weapons suite and world-class reconnaissance sensors such as the Reconnaissance Airborne Pod for Tornado (RAPTOR).

The aircraft also carries the Litening III Advanced Targeting Pod, which is used in both attack and reconnaissance roles.

The Litening III laser targeting and reconnaissance pod provides a vital air-to-ground targeting capability. This includes the ability to laser-designate ground targets for attack by other assets, and ground reconnaissance and scanning capability, even when the aircraft is flying at maximum speed at low altitudes and undertaking combat manoeuvres.

Powered by two Rolls-Royce RB 199 Mk 103 turbofan engines, the GR4 is capable of low-level supersonic flight and can sustain a high subsonic cruise speed. The aircraft can fly automatically at low level using Terrain Following Radar (TFR) when poor weather prevents visual flight.

For navigation purposes, the Tornado is equipped with an integrated Global Positioning Inertial Navigation System (GPINS). The GR4 also has a Ground Mapping Radar (GMR) to identify fix-points and update navigation systems as well as providing an air to air search facility. The GR4 is also equipped with a Laser Ranger and Marked Target Seeker (LRMTS) that can be used to locate targets designated on the ground or can provide accurate range information to ground targets.

The upgrade also re-armed the Tornado with the Storm Shadow stand-off missile, Brimstone advanced anti-armour weapon, and the Paveway EPW LGB. New sensors include the RAPTOR and Icon reconnaissance pods and an improved Thermal Imaging Airborne Laser Designator (TIALD) targeting pod.

A separate programme covered an integrated Defensive Aids Suite consisting of the radar warning receiver, Sky Shadow radar jamming pod and BOZ-107 chaff and flare dispenser.

The standard Tornado GR4 can also fulfil tactical reconnaissance tasks when equipped with an external camera pod. The GR4A is used as a combat reconnaissance aircraft - also upgraded under the GR1 series MLU.

Armed for Battle

The GR4 typically carries up to a maximum of five Paveway IV smart weapons or two Stormshadow cruise missiles but can be configured with various weapons, targeting pods and reconnaissance pods simultaneously including the Dual Mode Seeker (DMS) Brimstone, ALARM Mk2 missile, Litening III and the Reconnaissance Airborne Pod Tornado (RAPTOR).

Paveway IV:

Equipped with the latest Global Positioning Guidance technology, Paveway IV is a low-cost, all-weather, 24-hour precision bomb capable of destroying the majority of general purpose targets while significantly minimising collateral damage. Currently carried onTornado GR4 with clearance work ongoing on Typhoon.

Paveway IV significantly increases the RAF’s capability to deliver precision effects matched to the target set. The weapon is cockpit-programmable and allows the aircrew to select weapon impact angle, attack direction and fuzing mode to detonate in airburst, impact or post-impact delay modes.

The fuze minimises collateral damage through the ability to detonate the weapon when buried or partially buried, and is fitted with a ‘Late-Arm’ safety functionality that will not allow an off-course munition to arm. The warhead is also designed to meet the latest requirements of NATO Insensitive Munition safety policy.

The increased accuracy of the system allows for a warhead half the size of the earlier Paveway weapons. The lighter Paveway IV’s provides greater flexibility giving the potential for a single aircraft to carry more weapons and so strike multiple targets in a single pass.

The weapon can be reprogrammed with target data by the aircrew while airborne by using data from on-board sensors or from Forward Air Controllers on the ground. Paveway IV also retains the legacy laser guidance capability of its predecessors.

Other improvements over older weapons include less drag, greater accuracy, higher resistance to GPS jamming, better supportability, zero maintenance, lower cost and improved safety signatures.

The weapon went straight onto an operational footing after its introduction into service being carried by Harrier GR9 in Afghanistan. It was later integrated onto Tornado GR4 with outstanding success on missions in both Afghanistan and Libya.

Raptor:

The Reconnaissance Airborne Pod Tornado (RAPTOR) is one of the most advanced reconnaissance sensors in the world and greatly increases the effectiveness of the aircraft in the reconnaissance role. Its introduction into service gave the GR4 the ability to transmit real-time, Long Range Oblique Photography (LOROP) to commanders or to view this in cockpit during a mission.

Additional capabilities

The Non-Traditional Intelligence Surveillance and Reconnaissance (NTISR) role is provided by the Litening III RD and the use of the ROVER data link for providing tactical operators with real time Full Motion Video (FMV) in the battle space.

All GR4 aircraft are capable of carrying the Air Launched Anti-Radiation Missile (ALARM), which homes on to the emitted radiation of enemy radar systems and can be used in the Suppression of Enemy Air Defenses (SEAD) role. The GR4 is capable of carrying up to nine ALARM or a mixed configuration of ALARM and bombs. The self protection capability of the GR4 has recently been upgraded by the integration of the state of the art ASRAAM short range air to air missile.

The Tornado GR4 is now also equipped with the Storm Shadow missile and 2 variants of the Brimstone missile, including the most advanced DMS variant. The Storm Shadow allows the Tornado to make precision strikes in poor weather with a greatly increased stand-off range from the target area.

The history of endurance

The Tornado GR4 has been successfully deployed in Operational theatres since 1990.

It has seen action under various operations in Iraq, Kosovo, Afghanistan and Operation ELLAMY over the skies of Libya in support of the United Nations Security Council Resolution of 1970.

During the 1990 Gulf War, Tornado GR1s were amongst the first aircraft in action from 17 January 1991. During the war, the Tornado GR1 force flew 1,500 operational sorties divided almost equally between offensive counter air targets such as airfields and air defence sites, and interdiction targets such as bridges.

During the Iraq War of 2003 (Op Telic), GR4s from all five active Tornado squadrons were deployed. One Tornado was lost to friendly fire. The Storm Shadow air-launched cruise missile was fired operationally for the first time from a Tornado GR4 during the conflict.

During the 2011 Libyan campaign, (Operation Ellamy), 16 x Tornado GR4s attacked targets using both Brimstone (230 employed) and Storm Shadow missiles. The average cost of a Tornado mission from RAF Marham to a target in Libya was approximately £37,000.

The Tornado GR4 is currently operated from two bases.

The Tornado Operational Conversion Unit, XV (Reserve) Squadron, is based at RAF Lossiemouth. RAF Marham is the home of the GR4s of II (Army Cooperation) Squadron, IX (Bomber) Squadron and 31 Squadron the “Gold Stars”.

The assumed out of service date for the RAF Tornado GR4 aircraft is 2019.

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