Overview
The Panavia Tornado was built by a British, German and Italian consortium as one aircraft for many roles. Its variable-sweep wings let it fly very fast at treetop height for low-level strike, then spread wide for short take-offs and landings.
The main versions were the IDS bomber, the ECR for attacking air-defence radars and the British ADV long-range interceptor. Tornados fought in the 1991 Gulf War, the Balkans, Libya, Iraq and Syria. The RAF retired its last GR4s in 2019, but Germany, Italy and Saudi Arabia still fly it. Specifications are for the IDS.
Specifications
Dimensions
| Length | 16.72 m |
|---|---|
| Wingspan | 13.91 m |
| Height | 5.95 m |
| Wing area | 26.6 m² |
Weights & fuel
| Empty weight | 13,890 kg |
|---|---|
| Max. take-off weight | 28,000 kg |
Performance
| Max. speed | 2,400 km/h |
|---|---|
| Max. Mach | Mach 2.20 |
| Ferry range | 3,890 km |
| Combat radius | 1,390 km |
| Service ceiling | 15,240 m |
| Rate of climb | 77.0 m/s |
Crew & capacity
| Crew | 2 |
|---|
Powerplant
| Engines | 2 |
|---|---|
| Engine model | Turbo-Union RB199-34R Mk 103 |
| Thrust (each) | 43.8 kN |
| Thrust with afterburner (each) | 76.8 kN |
Figures are compiled from public sources and may be approximate; they can vary by variant and configuration.
Armament
- 27 mm Mauser BK-27 cannon
- About 9,000 kg of weapons, including Storm Shadow, Brimstone and Paveway guided bombs
Photos
Photo 1: Gacman67 / Wikimedia Commons · CC BY-SA 3.0
Some text and images come from Wikipedia / Wikimedia Commons under CC BY-SA licences.
