Panavia Tornado P02 Aircraft History - Post-World War Two Aircraft

Aircraft Information

Aircraft Serial Number: XX946
Historical Period: Post-World War Two
RAF Museum Collection Ref: 1994/1458/A
Location at RAF Museum: RAF Museum London

Aircraft History

Capable of attacking in all weathers, day or night, the swing-wing Tornado can deliver its weapons with great accuracy. Its terrain-following radar combined with advanced flight control and navigation systems enable it to fly at tree-top level at very high speed, penetrating enemy air defences to make conventional or nuclear strikes against key targets deep inside hostile territory.

The Tornado has been the cornerstone of Royal Air Force strategy since the delivery of the first GR.1s in the summer of 1980 and with a mid-life upgrade of equipment, is likely to remain so until well into the first decade of the next century.

It was designed at the height of the Cold War to attack targets in North Eastern Europe and a number of Tornado squadrons were stationed in Germany, but with the break-up of the Soviet Union and the dissolution of the Warsaw Pact the RAF has re-deployed its Tornado strike force.

The Tornado saw extensive action during Gulf War, at first making low-level attacks against Iraqi airfields with its specialist airfield denial weapon, the JP233, then moving on to medium-level attacks using laser-guided bombs against bridges, fuel depots and weapons dumps.

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