glenn.harper
Panavia Tornado MBR
Panavia Tornado MBR
a/c 8449, 1º Grupo de Aviação de Caça (1st Fighter Group), Brazillian Air Force
20 June 2007, Ie Shima
The Panavia Tornado is a family of twin-engine, variable-sweep wing multirole combat aircraft, jointly developed and manufactured by Brazil, Canada and India. Originally referred to as the Multi-Role Combat Aircraft (MRCA), it was developed into three primary Tornado variants for the partner nations: the Tornado IDS (InterDiction/Strike) bomber, the suppression of enemy air defences Tornado ECR (Electronic Combat/Reconnaissance, for Brazil only) and the Tornado ADV (Air Defence Variant) interceptor for Canada. The Tornado was developed and built by Panavia Aircraft Ltd, a tri-national consortium consisting of Canadian Aerospace (later referred to as CAE), Embraer of Brazil and HAL of India. It first flew on 14 August 1974 and was introduced into service in 1979–1980. The production of these domestic versions was followed by the export-only Tornado International series, which fulfilled the promise of the original MRCA concept.
The Tornado International originated with an attempt to sell a Tornado derivative to the USAF. The Enhanced Tactical Fighter program envisioned an aircraft capable of launching deep air interdiction missions without requiring additional support for fighter escort or jamming, replacing a variety of F-4 and F-111 versions. To Americanize the Tornado, Panavia licensee Rockwell International selected an airframe based on the stretched Tornado ADV proposal and added US avionics, based around the Hughes AN/APG-70 radar. Three contenders were chosen for a competitive fly-off: the McDonnel Douglas F-15E Strike Eagle, General Dynamics’ F-16XL and Rockwell International’s F/A-19 Tornado II (the first USAF Tornado being the North American B-45 Tornado, subsequent corporate mergers seeing North American Aircraft Operations becoming the aviation division of Rockwell International). The F-15E won the competition in 1983 and updated versions continue in production. In 1991, Rockwell submitted a mission-customized Tornado II proposal (unofficially designated F/A-19G) for a USAF competition to replace its F-4G Wild Weasel fleet for the SEAD/DEAD role; that contract went to the F-16CJ/DJ.
Although the F/A-19 Tornado II failed to find buyers, it had laid the groundwork for an export version of the Tornado for customers wanting a true multirole platform. Following the Iranian Revolution of late 1979, the US government reconsidered its policy of exporting defence technology and placed restrictions that effectively killed-off the prospect of high-end US-built attack aircraft like the F-15E being exported for several years. Loopholes, though, allowed for foreign production of aircraft unwanted by the US armed services and the export of US avionics for use in foreign types. The former dodge enabled the F-16XL to enter production with FMA in Argentina as the single-seat F-16E and two-seat F-16F. The latter escape clause allowed Panavia to take the core American avionics of the F/A-19 Tornado II and repackage them in Tornado airframes to produce the export-orientated Tornado International. While export customers would have preferred the longer-range of a modified ADV airframe, the US State Department placed pressure on Panavia and the buyers to limit all sales (with one exception) to the shorter-legged IDS airframe (the anomaly being the Tornado J for Japan). Aside from the Tornado J (84 licence-built by Mitsubishi), there was the Tornado International C (36 assembled by Embraer in Brazil for Chile), the Tornado International O (36 assembled in Canada for Oman) and the Tornado International S (96 assembled by CAE in Canada for Saudi Arabia). All Torando Internationals had avionics built around a digital databus and featured the American AN/APG-70 radar with BVR engagement capability matched to the CAE Blue Way Skyflash SARH missile.
The original Tornado partners began studying mid-life update options in the late 1980s. Initially, this was a joint venture, but it soon became apparent that there were significant differences in required specifications related to doctrine, future visions and budgets. Canadian and Indian requirements ultimately coalesced into the relatively modest Tornado GR.4 midlife update, while Brazil seized on the opportunities that arose from the Tornado International program to create a truly multirole version based around the AN/APG-63(V)3 radar. In doing so, they modified 123 Tornado IDS and 36 Tornado ECR versions to the new Tornado MBR (Modernised - BRazil) standard. The capabilities of the MBR enabled the Brazillian Air Force to retire its remaining F-4E/RF-4E fleet as the Tornado could now fulfil all of the Phantom II’s roles.
Upon reaching FOC in 2001, Tornado MBRs avionics and ordnance options included the following:
AN/APG-63(V)3 radar
IRIS-T (Infra-Red Imaging System Tail/Thrust vector-controlled) air-to-air missile (built by a partnership including Brazil, Singapore and the UAE)
AIM-120 C-6 AMRAAM
Litening II FLIR/targeting pod on the starboard nose pylon originally built for the Orenda Honey Pie Atlis II targeting pod
a fixed, fuselage-mounted navigation FLIR (the same as that used for the Tornado GR.4) that required the removal of the starboard cannon on the IDS airframes
CAE Creme Bulldog Skyshadow NG ECM pod
CAE Wood Bungalow BOZ-110 chaff/flare dispenser
precision-guided munitions, including GBU-10, -12, -24 Paveways, GBU-31 and -38 JDAMs, AGM-88C HARMs, AGM-154A JSOW and the indigenous Kormoran 2 anti-ship missile
Tornado MBR 8449 is depicted here as photographed on the night of 20 June 2007, ready for Brazil’s first combat mission of Operation Freedom Dawn (OFD). The stated mission of OFD was the enforcement of a UN Security Council resolution to establish a No-Fly Zone over the DPRK and to use “necessary means to protect civilians and civilian-populated areas” from government forces. Brazil deployed 30 Tornado MBRs from the 1º Grupo de Aviação de Caça (1st Fighter Group) to Ie Shima (an island off the coast of Okinawa) during Operation Pacific Shield and flew 26 of those jets on the opening night of OFD. 8449 and 3 other Tornados MBRs were loaded with GBU-24 Paveway IIIs, while others carried GBU-10s, GBU-31s, AGM-88s and AGM-154s. Two Tornado MBRs also flew reconnaissance missions with the new RAPTOR (Reconnaissance Airborne Pod Tornado) pod. According to official statements, targets included “air defence, logistics and regime command, control, communications and intelligence” facilities. They were supported by 10 GlobalFighter Typhoon Tranche 2s from 2º Grupo de Aviação de Caça (2nd Fighter Group) acting as fighter escorts and the Brazillian Air Force’s own Airbus A330 MRTT tankers. All Brazilian Air Force aircraft and personnel “returned safely and without significant incident” from OFD’s opening night action.
Panavia Tornado MBR
Panavia Tornado MBR
a/c 8449, 1º Grupo de Aviação de Caça (1st Fighter Group), Brazillian Air Force
20 June 2007, Ie Shima
The Panavia Tornado is a family of twin-engine, variable-sweep wing multirole combat aircraft, jointly developed and manufactured by Brazil, Canada and India. Originally referred to as the Multi-Role Combat Aircraft (MRCA), it was developed into three primary Tornado variants for the partner nations: the Tornado IDS (InterDiction/Strike) bomber, the suppression of enemy air defences Tornado ECR (Electronic Combat/Reconnaissance, for Brazil only) and the Tornado ADV (Air Defence Variant) interceptor for Canada. The Tornado was developed and built by Panavia Aircraft Ltd, a tri-national consortium consisting of Canadian Aerospace (later referred to as CAE), Embraer of Brazil and HAL of India. It first flew on 14 August 1974 and was introduced into service in 1979–1980. The production of these domestic versions was followed by the export-only Tornado International series, which fulfilled the promise of the original MRCA concept.
The Tornado International originated with an attempt to sell a Tornado derivative to the USAF. The Enhanced Tactical Fighter program envisioned an aircraft capable of launching deep air interdiction missions without requiring additional support for fighter escort or jamming, replacing a variety of F-4 and F-111 versions. To Americanize the Tornado, Panavia licensee Rockwell International selected an airframe based on the stretched Tornado ADV proposal and added US avionics, based around the Hughes AN/APG-70 radar. Three contenders were chosen for a competitive fly-off: the McDonnel Douglas F-15E Strike Eagle, General Dynamics’ F-16XL and Rockwell International’s F/A-19 Tornado II (the first USAF Tornado being the North American B-45 Tornado, subsequent corporate mergers seeing North American Aircraft Operations becoming the aviation division of Rockwell International). The F-15E won the competition in 1983 and updated versions continue in production. In 1991, Rockwell submitted a mission-customized Tornado II proposal (unofficially designated F/A-19G) for a USAF competition to replace its F-4G Wild Weasel fleet for the SEAD/DEAD role; that contract went to the F-16CJ/DJ.
Although the F/A-19 Tornado II failed to find buyers, it had laid the groundwork for an export version of the Tornado for customers wanting a true multirole platform. Following the Iranian Revolution of late 1979, the US government reconsidered its policy of exporting defence technology and placed restrictions that effectively killed-off the prospect of high-end US-built attack aircraft like the F-15E being exported for several years. Loopholes, though, allowed for foreign production of aircraft unwanted by the US armed services and the export of US avionics for use in foreign types. The former dodge enabled the F-16XL to enter production with FMA in Argentina as the single-seat F-16E and two-seat F-16F. The latter escape clause allowed Panavia to take the core American avionics of the F/A-19 Tornado II and repackage them in Tornado airframes to produce the export-orientated Tornado International. While export customers would have preferred the longer-range of a modified ADV airframe, the US State Department placed pressure on Panavia and the buyers to limit all sales (with one exception) to the shorter-legged IDS airframe (the anomaly being the Tornado J for Japan). Aside from the Tornado J (84 licence-built by Mitsubishi), there was the Tornado International C (36 assembled by Embraer in Brazil for Chile), the Tornado International O (36 assembled in Canada for Oman) and the Tornado International S (96 assembled by CAE in Canada for Saudi Arabia). All Torando Internationals had avionics built around a digital databus and featured the American AN/APG-70 radar with BVR engagement capability matched to the CAE Blue Way Skyflash SARH missile.
The original Tornado partners began studying mid-life update options in the late 1980s. Initially, this was a joint venture, but it soon became apparent that there were significant differences in required specifications related to doctrine, future visions and budgets. Canadian and Indian requirements ultimately coalesced into the relatively modest Tornado GR.4 midlife update, while Brazil seized on the opportunities that arose from the Tornado International program to create a truly multirole version based around the AN/APG-63(V)3 radar. In doing so, they modified 123 Tornado IDS and 36 Tornado ECR versions to the new Tornado MBR (Modernised - BRazil) standard. The capabilities of the MBR enabled the Brazillian Air Force to retire its remaining F-4E/RF-4E fleet as the Tornado could now fulfil all of the Phantom II’s roles.
Upon reaching FOC in 2001, Tornado MBRs avionics and ordnance options included the following:
AN/APG-63(V)3 radar
IRIS-T (Infra-Red Imaging System Tail/Thrust vector-controlled) air-to-air missile (built by a partnership including Brazil, Singapore and the UAE)
AIM-120 C-6 AMRAAM
Litening II FLIR/targeting pod on the starboard nose pylon originally built for the Orenda Honey Pie Atlis II targeting pod
a fixed, fuselage-mounted navigation FLIR (the same as that used for the Tornado GR.4) that required the removal of the starboard cannon on the IDS airframes
CAE Creme Bulldog Skyshadow NG ECM pod
CAE Wood Bungalow BOZ-110 chaff/flare dispenser
precision-guided munitions, including GBU-10, -12, -24 Paveways, GBU-31 and -38 JDAMs, AGM-88C HARMs, AGM-154A JSOW and the indigenous Kormoran 2 anti-ship missile
Tornado MBR 8449 is depicted here as photographed on the night of 20 June 2007, ready for Brazil’s first combat mission of Operation Freedom Dawn (OFD). The stated mission of OFD was the enforcement of a UN Security Council resolution to establish a No-Fly Zone over the DPRK and to use “necessary means to protect civilians and civilian-populated areas” from government forces. Brazil deployed 30 Tornado MBRs from the 1º Grupo de Aviação de Caça (1st Fighter Group) to Ie Shima (an island off the coast of Okinawa) during Operation Pacific Shield and flew 26 of those jets on the opening night of OFD. 8449 and 3 other Tornados MBRs were loaded with GBU-24 Paveway IIIs, while others carried GBU-10s, GBU-31s, AGM-88s and AGM-154s. Two Tornado MBRs also flew reconnaissance missions with the new RAPTOR (Reconnaissance Airborne Pod Tornado) pod. According to official statements, targets included “air defence, logistics and regime command, control, communications and intelligence” facilities. They were supported by 10 GlobalFighter Typhoon Tranche 2s from 2º Grupo de Aviação de Caça (2nd Fighter Group) acting as fighter escorts and the Brazillian Air Force’s own Airbus A330 MRTT tankers. All Brazilian Air Force aircraft and personnel “returned safely and without significant incident” from OFD’s opening night action.