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RECCE Tornado's armed or not?


Anatol Pigwa

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The recce Tornado is nothing more than a standard IDS with an EADS pod. Not seen an ECR with the pod but I would think that should be possible.

 

Example of an IDS with EADS recce pod:

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Edited by Nebbor
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There is /was no recce Tornado variant with the Luftwaffe.

All Can and would be armed, at least with Sidewinders/ Iris-T and cannon ammunition were applicable.

 

In conflicts up to know Luftwaffe Tornados did not use air to ground munitions other than Harm missiles in Allied Force against Serbia/ Yugoslavia as far as I know.

In Afghanistan AG 51 Tornados were recce only.

The same seems true for Incirlik / Turkey and Jordan based Tornados over Syria.

The only recce dedicated Tornado variant was the RAF GR.1A.

 

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20 hours ago, tweeky said:

And the Gr4a too

I was not sure with the GR4a was the line scanner ever operational on it? or was it just missing the gun and had a ballast scanner... ....

 

 

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Luftwaffe Recce Tornados are, as previously mentioned IDS Tornados with a different panel in the rear cockpit. There were different recce pods over time so check your timeframe. The gun had to be pawed due to weight and balance constraints. When recce wing 51 deployed for the first time to Afghanistan a high german politicuan visited the wing and asked for the possibility to remove the ammunition , obviously in fear that the Luftwaffe Tornados could be used in anger for instance extended self defense as per theater ROEs

 

B/r

Michael

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It's an autocorrect mistake. Sorry. I answered via my cellphone.

Gun needed to be loaded and they flew with hot gun in Afghanistan. I have some pictures from when I was the Flight Safety Officer of Mazar-e-Sharif back in 2008. I'll check where I have them and could send you some via PM.

Cheers

Michael

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4 hours ago, alhenderson said:

I thought that the GR.4A had the external similarities to the GR.1A but none of that kit was operational?

 

Al.

That is how I understood it.

Basically ensuring the CoG...

 

Just some disadvantage....

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