- Yes
- No
Introduction: The Panavia Tornado was Britain’s main combat aircraft during the latter part of the Cold War. Representing the pinnacle of 1970’s and 1980’s technology, it was a formidable adversary, with missions being carried out at high-speeds at treetop level, penetrating heavily defended airspace to drop both conventional and nuclear payloads with pinpoint accuracy. However, it was necessary to keep pace with the advancement of technology, and it was necessary to upgrade both the aircraft and its weapons.
Description: Tornado GR.1 ZA354 spent its entire career as a trials aircraft, being taken on charge by the MoD in 1980, and sent to BAE Warton. It was this aircraft which tested the JP233 submunitions dispenser and ALARM anti-radiation missiles at test ranges in both the UK and US. These trials were fully completed by 1990, and the missiles would see action the following year in the Gulf War. Lessons learnt from the conflict, in combination with previous studies, were combined to form the upgrade that would eventually become the Tornado GR.4. One of the new weapon systems for the GR.4 was the Storm Shadow cruise missile, which was still at the requirements phase when the GR.4 was being drawn up. The missiles would eventually enter service by 2003, in time for Operation Telic, but as with all systems, it had to go through a test phase first to prove itself and find flaws. This called for ZA354 to test a new system once again. The aircraft took part in carriage and drop tests of the Storm Shadow cruise missile, playing a big part in the weapon’s certification. Once this was completed, the aircraft was retired in 2005. Thankfully, the aircraft survives at the Yorkshire Air Museum.
Performance:
Spoiler
| Crew | 2 |
|---|---|
| Length | 16.72 m (54 ft 10 in) |
| Wingspan | 13.91 m (45 ft 8 in) at 25° sweep |
| 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 | 13,890 kg (30,622 lb) |
| Gross weight | 20,240 kg (44,622 lb) |
| Max take off weight | |
| Power plant | 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 |
| Maximum speed (Sea level) | 1,482 km/h (921 mph; 800 kn) IAS near sea level |
| Maximum speed (High altitude) | Mach 2.2 (2,400 mk/h, 1,300 kn) at 9,000 m (30,000 ft) |
| Combat radius | 1,390 km (860 mi, 750 nmi) |
| Ferry range | 3,890 km (2,420 mi, 2,100 nmi) |
| Service ceiling | 15,240 m (50,000 ft) |
| Rate of climb | 76.7 m/s (15,100 ft/min) |
| Wing loading | 767 kg/m2 (157 lb/sq ft) |
| Thrust/weight | 0.77 |
| Design load factor | |
| Avionics | – RAPTOR aerial reconnaissance pod |
| – Rafael LITENING targeting pod | |
| – TIALD laser designator pod | |
| – GEC Sky Shadow electronic countermeasure pod | |
| Armament | – Guns: 2× 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 with a capacity of 9,000 kg (19,800 lb) |
Weaponry:
- 2 x 27 mm Mauser cannons
- 2 x AIM-9G / AIM-9L
- 12 x 1,000 lb free fall bombs
- 12 x BL755 cluster bomb
- 9 x ALARM anti-radiation missile
- 1 x JP233
- 3 x Paveway II Laser Guided Bomb (1,000 lb)
- 2 x Paveway III Laser Guided Bomb (2,000 lb)
- 1 x TIALD targeting pod
- 4x Storm Shadow cruise missiles
Countermeasures:
- 1 x BOZ-107 pod (28 flares & 540 chaff) - it seems carrying 2 is possible (so 56 flares & 1,080 chaff total)
- 1 x Sky Shadow ECM pod
Conclusion: I believe that this would make for an interesting addition to the game, as this aircraft effectively gives half of the GR.4’s capability, which would allow it to sit at a slightly lower BR. The GR.4 would be quite high up in BR due to the large number of Brimstone missiles that it carries, so this could sit somewhere in the middle.
Sources:
Spoiler
https://aerialvisuals.ca/AirframeDossier.php?Serial=50501
Aircraft Photo of ZA354 | Panavia Tornado GR1 | UK - Air Force | AirHistory.net #506810
BAe Systems Tornado GR1 with Storm Shadows - Research Corner - ARC Discussion Forums
Panavia Tornado (UK versions) - Technical data and discussion - Great Britain - War Thunder - Official Forum
https://aerialvisuals.ca/AirframeDossier.php?Serial=50501
https://aerialvisuals.ca/AirframeDossier.php?Serial=50501