GR.1 Tornado
by Staff EditorThe Tornado, a variable-geometry design, is built by a consortium from Britain, Germany and Italy known as Panavia with its head quarters in Munich, Germany. The Tornado was originally designed to fulfill six different roles. After the Tornado went into service another role was defined; defense suppression -- Italy and Germany procured the Electronic Combat Reconnaissance (ECR) version armed with the HARM missiles. The six original roles were: 1. Interdiction Strike. 2. Counter Air Strike 3. Battlefield Interdiction 4. Close Air Support 5. Reconnaissance 6. Interception. This last role is filled by the Tornado F.3, while the GR.1 serves the other five. From conception to operational service took twelve years, but what was remarkable about this was that the Tornado and all its systems were delivered on time and on budget.
GR.1 Specifications
| Manufacturer: | Panavia |
| First Flight: | 10/1979 |
| Wingspan: | 45.7 ft. (13.9 m) full forward; 28.3 ft. (8.6 m) full aft |
| Height: | 19.5 ft. (5.95 m) |
| Length: | 54.8 ft. (16.7 m) |
| Max Take-off Weight: | 61,620 lbs. (27,951 kg) |
| Thrust: | 15,800 lbs. (70 kN) x two engines |
| Top Speed at Altitude: | Mach 1.9 |
| Ceiling: | 50,000+ ft. (15,240+ m) |
| Range: | 750 nm (1,390 km) |
| Crew: | Two |
