Panavia Tornado

For a description of the format and data included in Production Tables, see here.

Contents

Type Description - Primary Variants

• Tornado IDS
• (IDS = Interdiction Strike) A deep penetration all weather bomber. The fuselage is a conventional all-metal semi-monocoque structure, mainly of aluminium alloy, built in three main sections: centre fuselage section, including the engine air intake trunks and wing centre-section box and pivot mechanism, the front fuselage, including both cockpits, and the rear fuselage, including the engine installation. Fibre Reinforced Plastic (FRP) is used for dielectric panels and interface between the fixed portion of wing. The radome hinges sideways to starboard for access to radar. A powerful door-type airbrake is recessed into the fuselage upper surface on each side of the fin.
  The all-metal wings is of continuous variable geometry, having a leading-edge sweep of 25° in the fully forward position and 68° when fully swept, and are generally used in one of three positions: fully forward, used for take off and landing as it gives aircraft good low speed handling; mid sweep, gives best agility or fully swept, which allows best performance. The wing carry-through box is of electronbeam-welded titanium alloy, the majority of the remaining wing structure being of aluminium alloy, with an integrally stiffened skin. There is a Krueger flap on the leading edge of each wing glove box. The wings each pivot hydraulically, on Teflon-plated bearings, from a point in the centre-section just outboard of the fuselage. The root of the outer wing mates with the pivot pin through attachment members made of titanium alloy and fixed to the upper and lower light alloy panels of the outer wing box. Sweep actuators are of the ballscrew type, with hydraulic motor drive. In the event of wing sweep failure, the aircraft can land safely with the wings fully swept. High-lift devices on the outer wings include full-span leading-edge slats (three sections on each side), full span double-slotted fixed-vane trailing-edge flaps (four sections each side), and spoilers (two on upper surface on each side). Spoilers give augmented roll control at unswept and intermediate wing positions at low speed, and also act as lift dumpers after touchdown. All the flying control surfaces are actuated by electrically-controlled tandem hydraulic jacks. There are no ailerons, the movable surfaces being primarily the tailerons and one piece rudder.
  The tail unit is a cantilever all-metal structure, consisting of a swept two-spar fin and rudder, and low-set all-moving horizontal surfaces ('tailerons' ) which operate together for pitch control and differentially for roll control, assisted by use of the wing spoilers when the wings are not fully swept. A Passive ECM antenna fairing is located near the top of the fin, with a ram-air intake for heat exchanger at the base.
  The hydraulically-retractable tricycle undercarriage features a forward-retracting twin-wheel steerable nose unit and single-wheel main units retracting forward and upward into centre section of fuselage. A runway arrester hook is fitted beneath rear of fuselage.
  The primary self-contained nav/attack system includes Texas Instruments multi-mode forward-looking radar; Ferranti FIN 1010 three-axis digital inertial navigation system (DINS) and combined radar display; Decca Type 72 Doppler radar system and Ferranti nose-mounted laser ranger and marked target receiver.The IDS has thirteen stores stations on seven pylons, two on each wing and three under the fuselage. These carry a wide range of laser guided bombs, medium range cruise missiles, special munition dispersers and external fuel tanks, and also conventional freefall/retarded dumb bombs. External fuel tanks extend the radius of action, and a retractable in-flight refuelling probe is fitted. Two 27 mm Mauser BK-27 revolver cannon internally mounted under starboard side of fuselage with 180 rounds. Two Turbo-Union RB.199-34R-101 turbofan powerplants, each rated at 8,090 lb.st dry and 15,950 lb.st with afterburning, fitted with bucket-type thrust reversers. From Batch 4 onwards, powerplants were the Turbo-Union RB.199-34R-103, rated at 9,656 lb.st dry,16,920 lb.st with afterburning.

• Tornado IDS/R
• Reconnaissance variant of the IDS. Export version of the Tornado GR.1A.

• Tornado IDS/T
• A fully operational dual control training variant of the IDS.

• Tornado ADV
• (ADV = Air Defence Variant) Long range, long endurance interceptor, initially developed as the Tornado F.3, with approximately 80% parts commonality with the Tornado IDS. The main armament comprises four Sky Flash MRAAMS (medium-range air-to-air missiles) recessed under the fuselage in staggered pairs. To accommodate these nose-to-tail the fuselage has been lengthened by 9 in. immediately aft of the cockpits, this increased length also accommodating another 200 lmp gal of fuel. Unlike the IDS, the flight refueling probe is a permanent fit and it retracts fully on the left side, not the right. The fixed wing glove is extended forward to generate vortex lift at high angles of attack, and Krueger flaps are not fitted. The left gun is removed. providing space for additional avionics. The longer radome accomodates the GEC Avionics Al-24 Foxhunter radar. Also introduced is a Marconi TACAN, Cossor ILS and IFF and a revised communications suite. Two Turbo-Union RB.199-34R-103 turbofan powerplants, each rated at 9,000 lb.st dry and 17,000 lb.st with afterburning.

• Tornado ADV/T
• A fully operational dual control training variant of the ADV to RAF F.3 standard..

• Tornado IDS(ECR)
• (ECR = Electronic Combat and Reconnaissance) Identical to the IDS, but has the electronic warfare equipment and weapons for the suppression of enemy air defences and for electronic and tactical reconnaissance, whilst retaining all the capabilities of the Tornado IDS. ECR Tornado utilises the basic platform, and in particular the gun and ammunition bays of the IDS, to house sophisticated electronic warfare equipment. The emitter location system (ELS) located in the gun bays and wing roots of the aircraft, detects, locates and classifies enemy emitters, including air defence radars and communications stations. The Forward Looking Infra-red (FLIR) assists in operating and navigating the aircraft in darkness and adverse weather conditions. Imagery is displayed on rear cockpit´s displays or on the pilot´s HUD. Tornado ECR carries the High Speed Anti Radiation Missile (HARM AGM-88). Two Turbo-Union RB.199-34R-105 turbofan powerplants, each rated at 9,700 lb.st dry and 18,300 lb.st with afterburning

Type Description - UK Variants

• Tornado GR.1
• RAF IDS variant. As the IDS but incorporating an extra fuel tank in the tail fin. A flight refueliing probe was a requircmcnt for the RAF, and so the GR.1 features a packaged probe which can be attached in a fairing on the outside of the right side just below the canopy. The probe itself lies alongside the windscreen, and on pilot command can be extended hydraulically from a hinge just ahead of the canopy's screen joint.

• Tornado GR.1T
• A fully operational dual control training variant of the GR.1.

• Tornado GR.1A
• Reconnaissance variant of the GR.1, fitted with the TIRRS (Tornado Infra-Red Reconnaissance System), one on each side of the fuselage replacing the cannon, and a single IRLS (Infra-Red Linescan) reconnaissance sensor mounted on the underside of the fuselage. In addition to the TIRRS, the GR.IA can carry a Vicon 18 Series 601 podded sensor system in situations where lowlevel operations are precluded, rendering the TIRRS virtually useless.

• Tornado GR.1B
• Specialised anti-shipping variant of the GR.1, equipped to carry up to four Sea Eagle anti-ship missiles. At first the GR.1B lacked the radar capability to track shipping, instead relying on the missile's seeker for target acquisition; later updates allowed target data to be passed from aircraft to missile.

• Tornado GR.1BT
• A fully operational dual control training variant of the GR.1B.

• Tornado F.2
• Designation of Tornado ADV in RAF Service

• Tornado F.2T
• A fully operational dual control training variant of the F.2.

• Tornado F.3
• Unlike the Tornado F.2, the Tornado F.3 is equipped with an automatic manoeuvring device system (AMDS) to reduce the pilot's workload, particularly in combat, giving the optimum sweep settings and combat flap and slat settings for the particular performance and flight weapon load. An automatic wing sweep system is also employed on the F.3. Two Turbo-Union RB.199-34R-104 turbofan powerplants, each rated at 9,100 lb.st dry and 16,500 lb.st with afterburning. This powerplant introduced a 14in extension to the afterburner section and uses a DECU 500 full authority digital engine control, or 'FADEC'.

• Tornado F.3T
• A fully operational dual control training variant of the F.3.

• Tornado GR.4
• Upgrade of existing GR.1 and GR.1B aircraft, of various sytems and armament capabilities, to a common standard. The principal external change is a new fairing under the port forward fuselage to house a FLIR (Forward Looking Infra-Red System), complemented by Night Vision Goggles as standard equipment. An integrated Global Positioning Inertial Navigation System (GPINS) and a Laser Ranger and Marked Target Seeker (LRMTS) are also added. The GR.4 typically carries up to a maximum of 5 Paveway IV smart weapons or 2 Storm Shadow cruise missiles but can be configured with various weapons, targeting pods and reconnaissance pods simultaneously, including the Dual Mode Seeker (DMS) Brimstone, ALARM Mk2 missile, Litening III and the Reconnaissance Airborne Pod Tornado (RAPTOR). Only one integral 27mm Mauser cannon is fitted. Two Turbo-Union RB.199-34R-103, rated at 9,656 lb.st dry,16,920 lb.st with afterburning.

• Tornado GR.4A
• Tornado GR.1A aircraft brought up to Tornado GR.4 standard. The aircraft is now fitted with the RAPTOR pod in place of the TIRRS, with the ability to transmit real-time, Long Range Oblique Photography (LOROP). Additional capability in the Non-Traditional Intelligence Surveillance and Reconnaissance (NTISR) role is provided by the Litening III Laser designator pod and the use of the ROVER data link for providing tactical operators with real time Full Motion Video (FMV) in the battle space.

• Tornado GR.4T
• A fully operational dual control training variant of the GR.4.

Specification
Span*	Length	Height	Wing Area	Empty Wt	Max AUW	Max Speed**	Max Speed***	Range	Service Ceiling
45 ft 8 in	54 ft 10 in	19 ft 6 in	286 sq ft	30622 lb	44622 lb	921 mph/ 800 kn	1460 mph/ 1269 kn	860 mi	50000 ft
13.92 m	16.71 m	5.94 m	26.57 m2	13890 kg	20240 kg	1482 kph/ M 1.2	2350 kph/ M 2.2	1384 km	15240 m

* at 25 degrees sweep** at 200 ft*** at 30,000 ft.

Projected Variants

• GAFAD
• (German Air Force Air Defence) Post 1975, single seat Tornado possibly with fixed wing. By 1980, a carbon fibre FSW design was being studied, giving reduced drag at transonic speeds

• LVJ Tornado
• Tornado ADV fuselage with low set compound delta wing and short coupled canards on air intakes.

• Super Tornado
• (a.k.a. Tornado International) Tornado ADV cleared for Sea Eagle, ALARM and bombs. Offered to export customers and RAF for Buccaneer replacement. Stopped in 1988.

• Tornado J
• Proposal to Japan's FS-X program. Based on ADV airframe with features from IDS and ECR

• Tornado 2000
• IDS with the main fuselage and wings remaining the same, with the forward fuselage being extended in similar manor to the F-3 but with a new faceted appearance rather than the traditional boxy shape. The intakes were also changed to a more stealthy shape. Avionics were to be updated and a more multimode radar fitted.

Production Tables Index

Prototypes and Pre Production
Aircraft Delivered to UK
Aircraft Delivered to Germany
Aircraft Delivered to Italy
Exports

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Production Summary

Notes

1. The Tornado is a multinational programme, managed by the Panavia Aircraft GmbH consortium, established in 1969 and owned the British Aircraft Corporation (British Aerospace from 29 April 1977), Messerschmitt-Bölkow-Blohm and Fiat Aviazione (which became Aeritalia the same year, then Alenia in 1990). On the government side, the NATO Multirole Combat Aircraft Development and Production Management Agency (NAMMA) was established to manage development and production of the Tornado.
2. The designation GR.4B, used in some publications for aircraft upgraded from GR.1B to GR.4 standard, is incorrect, as all GR.4 aircraft are capable of taking on the anti-shipping role of the GR.1B.
3. Known in the Luftwaffe as the Tornado EKA (Elektronische KampffhrungundAufkliirung).
4. The full c/n for the Tornado can be considered to consist of three parts, formulated thus:  Plane Set No / Variant No / Type Contruction Number
   • Plane Set No: - this is a unique three digit number, in a series starting 001, assigned to each aircraft, irrespective of Country of Origin, Type or Variant, in an approximately chronological order.
   • Variant No: - this is a two alpha, three digit number. The two alpha characters indicate the Customer Nation and variant type, either Standard or Trainer:
     For the IDS variants, the national letters are:  B = U.K (B for Britain), G = Germany, I = Italy C = Saudi Arabia For the ADV variant, the national letters are:  A = U.K, D = Saudi Arabia In both cases, the Variant Types are S = Standard, T = Trainer The three digit number is a linear series, beginning with 001, within each Nation / Varant combination. Thus, BS005 represents the fifth Standard IDS Tornado for the U.K., GT002 the second Standard IDS trainer for Germany.
   • Type: - this is a linear four digit number, starting at N001, where 'N' is a number representing the Constructing Nation and Build Type (ie IDS or ADV):2 = UK built ADV, 3 = UK built IDS, 4 = German built IDS, 5 = Italian built IDS Thus the one hundredth UK built Tornado IDS is 3100, the 20th Italian built Tornado IDS is 5020
   Therefore c/n 539/GT050/4214 can be read as the 539th Tornado produced overall, being the 50th Trainer for Germany, and the 214th aircraft produced in Germany.
   For convenience in the tables, only the Variant No has been used., but a correlation between Serial Number and the full c/n can be found in the following tables:

Production References

1. Panavia Tornado, Andy Evans (The Crowood Press, 1999)
2. AIRData #2 - Panavia Tornado IDS, Andy Evans (SAM Publications, 2009)
3. http://www.tornado-data.com/Production/Production%20List.pdf
4. https://www.scramble.nl/database/military
5. http://www.ukserials.com/
6. https://air-britain.com/pdfs/production-lists/Panavia_Tornado.pdf