- Yes
- No
The Panavia Tornado is a multi-role combat aircraft that emerged from a collaborative effort among three European nations: the United Kingdom, West Germany, and Italy. To accomplish this, in 1969 a consortium known as Panavia Aircraft GmbH was formed to oversee the Tornado’s development. The Tornado was designed as a variable-sweep wing aircraft, giving it the capability to operate in various roles, including air superiority, ground attack, and electronic warfare. The first prototype Tornado made its maiden flight in 1974, and production began in the late 1970s. The Tornado entered service with the Royal Air Force, German Air Force, and Italian Air Force in the early 1980s, quickly becoming a cornerstone of NATO’s defence strategy during the Cold War.
While the Tornado has begun to show its age with all of its operators either having replaced it or are in the process of replacing it, over the years they have received various improvements and modernisations. Luftwaffe Tornadoes would receive several sets of upgrades over their life times, ASSTA1 (Avionics System Software Tornado in Ada) which introduced the AGM-88 HARM, AS.34 Kormoran II, GBU-24 Paveway III, GBU-16 Paveway II, and Litening II targeting pod among other system improvements. This was followed by ASSTA2 which introduced a display system upgrade for the pilot and navigator, and also introduced the Taurus KEPD 350 cruise missile. ASSTA3 would introduce the Link 16 data link and GBU-54 LJDAM while the final upgrade in the series, ASSTA3.1, would introduce new coloured displays for the navigator and the BOZ-101 EC which, unlike the old countermeasure pod, featured a new missile approach warning system. Around this time the cockpit of the Tornado would also be adapted for use of night-vision devices.
One of the latest improvements to the German Tornado fleet has been the Service Life Enhancement Program (SLE) which was initiated in 2021 and involves a complete rebuild of each airframe, checking the airframe for cracks and replacing high-wear components with new custom manufactured ones so as to extend the service life to 8,000 hours. The front and main landing gear of the Tornado were also reinforced. Additionally, SAAB was contracted by Panavia to provide updates to the Tornado’s BOW Advanced Radar Warning Receiver in order to enhance their processing power and extend their lifetime.
The Tornado IDS SLE represents what could possibly be the final evolution of the Tornado in German service before being replaced by the F-35 and Eurofighter Typhoon ECR. While it would not represent a huge step up from the Tornado IDS ASSTA1 currently in War Thunder, it would still bring many welcome improvements, such as the higher resolution targeting pod, missile approach warning system, improved missile for self-defence, and some new air-to-ground ordnance.
Specifications
Length: 17.23 m
Height: 5.95 m
Wingspan at 25 Degrees Sweep: 13.91 m
Wingspan at 45 Degrees Sweep: 11.58 m
Wingspan at 67 Degrees Sweep: 8.56 m
Wing Area at 25 Degrees Sweep: 31 m²
Empty Weight: 14 t
Maximum Take-Off Weight: 28.5 t
Powerplant: 2x Turbo-Union RB199-34R
Maximum Dry Thrust: 41,000 N
Afterburner Thrust: 69,000 N
Speed (at Low Level): up to Mach 1.3
Armaments
Air-to-air Missiles
AIM-9L/I-1 Sidewinder
IRIS-T AIM-2000
Precision Guided Munitions
GBU-54 LJDAM
GBU-24 Paveway III
GBU-16 Paveway II
AS.34 Kormoran II
AGM-88 HARM
HOPE glide bomb
HASBO glide bomb
Taurus KEPD 350
Dumb Munitions
500 lb Mk 82
1000 lb Mk 83
BL755
Mehrzweckwaffe 1 (MW-1)
Other
Rafael LITENING III
Tornado Self Protection Jammer (TSPJ)
Saab Avitronics BOZ-101 EC
Future Considerations
Brimstone
LaGS (Laser Guided Sidewinder)
Sources
Bundeswehr - Verlängerte Lebenszeit: Tornado hebt wieder ab
Panavia - Mid Life Update - GAF
Panavia - Successful makeover for the German Tornado: Tornado Service Life Enhancement
Interessengemeinschaft Deutsche Luftwaffe - ASSTA 3.1: Der modernste Tornado der Luftwaffe
FLUG REVUE - Tornado-Piloten können Nachtsichtbrillen nutzen