Panavia Tornado P02
Serial Number:
XX946
Period:
Post-WWII
Collection Ref: 1994/1458/A
Location: RAF Museum Cosford, War Planes
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.
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.
