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The Panavia PA-200 Tornado is a twin-engine, variable-sweep wing multi-role combat aircraft, jointly developed and manufactured by Panavia Aircraft GmbH, a
multi-national company established by three partner nations (Britain, Germany and Italy) for the production of the Tornado Multi-Role Combat Aircraft. The
company was founded on 29th March 1969 and initially comprised British Aircraft Corporation (42½%), Messerschmitt-Bölkow-Blohm (42½%) and Fiat Aviazone (15%) who
became Aeritalia later that year. The company was registered in Germany as it was based in Freisling, Bavaria, and its ownership is now divided at 42.5% each by
Airbus and BAE Systems with 15% with Leonardo S.p.A. On 14 August 1974, the first
Tornado prototype (D-9591 s/n P-01) made its first flight from Ingolstadt Manching Airport, in West Germany. In 1979-1980, the Partenavia Tornado entered service
with the Lufwaffe / Marine in Germany; the Royal Air Force in UK and the Aeronautica Militare in Italy. Due to its multirole design, it was able to replace several
different types of aircraft in the adopting air forces. The Royal Saudi Air Force (RSAF) became the only export operator of the Tornado, in addition to the three
original partner nations. A training and evaluation unit operating from RAF Cottesmore, the Tri-National Tornado Training Establishment, maintained a level of
international co-operation beyond the production stage. When in 1998, the last production Panavia Tornado was manufactured, Including all variants, 992 aircraft
were built.
The ICAO Aircraft Type Designator for the Panavia Tornado is TORThere were three primary Tornado variants in both single and
dual-control versions:
- Tornado IDS — (Interdictiono Strike) is the basic version of the fighter bomber. (745 built)
- Tornado ECR — (Electronic Combat and Reconnaissance) version developed from the IDS version at the request of the German Air Force. The German Air Force
purchased 35 Tornado ECR aircraft. The Italian Air Force acquired 16 Tornado ECRs by converting Tornado IDS airframes. (51 built)
- Tornado ADV — (Air Defence Variant) interceptor aircraft version developed from the IDS version at the request of the Royal Air Force. The initial
production model, the Tornado F2, entered service with the Royal Air Force (RAF) in 1986. On 20 November 1985, the Tornado F3 made its maiden flight. (194 built)
Delivery of the first PA-200 Tornados to the Bundeswehr began in 1981 and was completed in
1992 with the handover of the last PA-200 Tornado ECR aircraft. A total of 357 multi-role combat aircraft was delivered to the German Air Force and the German Navy.
The total number of Tornados delivered to the German Air Force (Luftwaffe) was 247, including 35 ECR variants. Originally Tornados equipped five fighter-bomber wings,
with one tactical conversion unit and four front-line wings, replacing the Lockheed F-104 Starfighter. In addition to the order made by the Luftwaffe, the German Navy
(Marineflieger) received 112 of the IDS variant in the anti-shipping and marine reconnaissance roles, again replacing the Lockheed F-104 Starfighter. When one of the
two Tornado wings of the German Navy was disbanded in 1994, its aircraft were used to re-equip a Luftwaffe's reconnaissance wing formerly equipped with McDonnell Douglas
RF-4E Phantoms. The second wing was enlarged and continued in the anti-shipping, reconnaissance and anti-radar roles until it was disbanded in 2005 with its aircraft and
duties passed on to the Luftwaffe.
In 1991, the Panavia Tornado ECR s/n 4335 line no 848/GS268 was taken on strenght with the Luftwaffe (German Air Force) as 46+35.
On 5 November 2024,
the Luftwaffe TaktLwG 51' Panavia Tornado ECR 46+35 was seen during the Weapons Instructor Course (WIC) 2024 at Leeuwarden Air Base (EHLW/LWR). |
