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Description: The Panavia Tornado IT-ECR is the result of the mid-life upgrade of the Italian Panavia Tornado ECR.But before talk about this version, let’s talk about the history and origin of the Tornado. The Tornado project began on March 26, 1969, when Germany, Italy, the United Kingdom and the Netherlands agreed to build a new multi-role fighter-bomber. In 1970, the first two prototypes, P01 (German), flew on August 14 1974, and the British P02 on October 30 of the same year. The first Italian prototype, the P05, flew on October 5 1975. The initial production plan called for a total of 212 aircraft for the RAF, 200 for the Luftwaffe, 112 for the Naval Air Forces and 100 for the AMI. The only country to acquire this aircraft outside the development period was Saudia Arabia. In July 2002, the AMI (Italian Air Force) began the “IT Mid Life Uptate” to increase combat efficiency and modernize most aspects of the aircraft and keep it in service until 2025. The plan was to modernize 70% of the Tornado fleet at a maximum cost of 1450 million euros, and the entire conversion project will be completed by 2015. The MLU project was divided into three parts: The first part included the conversion of 18 aircraft to the RET6 (Retro Enabling Task) standard, which introduced new systems such as a new IFF, more secure radio communication systems, a new night vision system and more weapons such as the EGBU 24, GBU 31 and Storm Shadow. Other features included the WSO’s navigation system and the ability to carry new pods such as the Rafael Recce Light and Thales CLDP. in 2003, the first part of the project was started and completed in 2007. The second part, called RET7, involved upgrading 15 more Tornados and was conducted from 2009 to 2011. The final part of the project, called “MLU Full” or RET8, involved upgrading a total of 25 more aircraft (10 IDS and 15 ECR) with the new DASS control system, new radar warning systems and the ability to carry new weapons such as the ATK AGM88-E Harm and the GBU 39/B. The aircrafts will be probably retired in the 2025 and will be replaced in future with the Eurofighter EF 2000 ECR. The aircraft is mainly fitted with a very good number of different sistem for the electronic warfare, anti-radiation missiles (the ATK AGM88-E) and two air to air short range missiles (the AIM 9 L/I-1).
Why it Should be in the Game: When in future electronic warfare will be maiby a new feature, this aircraft alongside with the normal ECR will be a very good option, since it has advanced sistems and a good number of weapons. It will be a very dangerous aircraft for the Anti aircrfts and for the enemy aircrafts.
Specifications:
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Wings Span: 8.60/13.90 m
Leght: 16.70 m
Height: 5.95 m
Weight: 28000 kg
Propulsion: 2x Turbo Uninion RB199
Maximum speed: 2400 km/h
range: 3800 km
Crew: 2
Weapons:
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Bomb
5x GBU 32
Anti Radiation Missile:
ATK AGM 88-B Harm
ATK AGM 88-E Harm
Air to Air Missiles:
AIM9L/I-1
Sources:
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Books:
Coccarde Tricolori Speciale 10 (RN Publishing) (Riccardo Nicoli)
Italian Aviation Series Tornado IDS/ECR (Aviation collectables company)
Italian Tornado MLU – QRA Aviation – Military Aviation Magazine
Vola il primo Tornado "Basic IT Full MLU" dell'Aeronautica Militare
https://www.difesa.it/SGD-DNA/Staff/DT/ARMAEREO/Programmi/Ala-Fissa/Documents/Tornado.pdf
Altri 15 Tornado MLU per l’Aeronautica Militare/Italian Air Force Orders Fifteen More Tornado MLU
Panavia Tornado - Militarypedia
Tornado, caccia multiruolo europeo – Armieoltre
https://www.giorgiociarini.it/index.php/8-portfolio/120-6-stormo-tornado-ids.html
https://www.aeronautica.difesa.it/2023/05/23/tornado/
40 anni del Tornado - 40 years of Tornado - The Aviation
A Ghedi i Tornado dell'Aeronautica Militare celebrano 40 anni di operatività - Aviation Report
https://www.coccardetricolori.it/panavia-tornado-ids-ecr-a-200/
CONSEGNATO IL PRIMO VELIVOLO TORNADO ECR - Aeronautica Militare
Tornado ECR-SEAD del 6° Stormo
SI VIS PACEM, PARA BELLUM: IL TORNADO, LA VERSIONE "E.C.R." E L'ULTIMO ATTO IN ITALIA ALL'AEROPORTO DI GHEDI
‘Magnum!’ Flying A Wild Weasel Mission With The Tornado ECR And The F-35 - The Aviationist
Italian Tornado IDS Aircraft Are Flying Anti-Daesh ISR Missions With Enhanced Countermeasures Pod - The Aviationist
Flying With The Tornado Attack Jets At The Bombing Range - The Aviationist
ECR, un successo tecnologico e operativo nella storia italiana del Tornado
Pictures
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