Panavia Tornado Multirole Combat Aircraft (Infographics)

Panavia Tornado Multirole Combat Aircraft (Infographics)

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The Panavia Tornado is a family of twin-engine, variable-sweep wing multirole combat aircraft  jointly developed by Italy, the UK and Germany.

Three primary Tornado variants are the following:

  • Tornado IDS (interdictor/strike) fighter-bomber;
  • Tornado ECR (electronic combat/reconnaissance) electronic warfare mission-capable variant;
  • Tornado ADV (air defence variant) interceptor aircraft.

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Dick Von Dast'Ard

Is Germany selling it’s Tornado strike-bomber force now the F/A-18’s are possibly on the way? (Perhaps to Chile or other former German interest?)

JIMI JAMES

The clever germans,nailed the f35 on their radar,then one must ask why they rejected the fake

Lone Ranger

Germany announced it won’t by the Super Hornet.
The F-18 is inferior at low speeds.
In fact few years back the U.S. asked Germany to deploy Tornadoes to Afghanistan because the F-18s were suitable for low level canyon runs.
The Tornado managed to do the job.

JIMI JAMES

Thats right mach 2.2 not 3.2 like them zealous kweer losers stated in their way to obvious western blowjob narcissm (liars).
The only jets capable of mach 3+ are the built by advanced cccp/russia,not blowjob tendency (truth)
The Tornado,not so blowjob design and built,is regardless much more proven foghter jet and not so hard on economie unlike the (soviet yak 31) concept f35 that was stolen only for the very much cia blowjobs to rort their way toward western economic doomsday,for the sake of same sex marriage?

Lone Ranger

The ADV variant is no longer in service.
Has been replaced by the Eurofighter Typhoon.

Brian Michael Bo Pedersen

Last year the Tornado was still flying in German airforce service, ive saw them two or three times training with the RDAF F-16 in my area.

What servicestatus they have with the RAF i cant remember.

Lone Ranger

Only thing Tornado can’t do is BVR fight.
It has only short range IR missiles.
I think that was forced on the Germans deliberately so they don’t come to funny ideas…

Brian Michael Bo Pedersen

That is not correct, the Tornado comes in different versions, among them is ADV (Air defence variant) and IDS (Interdiction Strike variant).
Each variant is suited to those task, for the cost of the other.
Its like saying a small economic car is bad because it cant haul 10 tons and a truck is bad because it can go 150kmh.

When one talks about the Tornado, one has to define the task and the variant.

Lone Ranger

Germans never had the ADV variant.

Brian Michael Bo Pedersen

As i said, you defined the Tornado as incapable of BVR without defining the variant, therefor you are saying that the Tornado as a generel platform is incapable of BVR.
The IDS variant is not meant for BVR, that is correct, and Luftwaffe dont have the ADV variant, that is also correct.
But be precise and technical when on the aviation subject, it eases understanding.

Lone Ranger

I was precise.
I said the ADV variant is no longer in service.
But slapping two AMRAAMs on the German IDS variant wouldnt be so hard would it?
Its clearly a political decision.
Bye.

Brian Michael Bo Pedersen

Quoting you in the post i replied to:
“Only thing Tornado can’t do is BVR fight.
It has only short range IR missiles.
I think that was forced on the Germans deliberately so they don’t come to funny ideas…”

No mention of what variant.

I cant remember what avionics is required for BVR (Air to air combat beyond 20NM), so i dont know the amount of work required for the IDS to be BVR capable.
It makes good tactical sense to have a IDS/GR version and a ADV/interceptor of a platform, because sometimes a jack of all trades is just not good enough and some specific mission orientated equipment is required.
And a crew dedicated to ground attack is much more effecient at it than a 50/50 crew.
As many pilots have said; it takes a certain attitude to go into a dogfight and a certain attitude to go 500kts in the dead of night 300ft AGL trusting a TFR.

So, im agreeing with you to a certain extent, but i take the different Tornado versions, each with their own advantages and disadvantages, as a tactical decision, not a political one.

Brian Michael Bo Pedersen

A beautifull plane that served its owners well.

Southfront: Its called “variable geometry”, not variable sweep wing :-)

cechas vodobenikov

I have no expertise, however, likely this and the eurofighter r quality fighters, perhaps similar to the French mirage….that it has survived for 5 decades suggests that it is worthy