List of Panavia Tornado operators

Panavia Tornado operators
A Royal Air Force Tornado in flight during Operation Iraqi Freedom

This is a list of operators of the Panavia Tornado multi-role combat aircraft.

Operators

Operators of the Panavia Tornado

As of 2014, 362 operational Tornados are in use.^[1]

 Italy

• Italian Air Force has 59 IDS and 15 ECR aircraft in operation as of January 2011.^[2]
  • 102° Gruppo, 6° Stormo at Ghedi, flying IDS. Active from 1993.
  • 154° Gruppo, 6° Stormo at Ghedi, flying IDS. Active from 1982.
  • 156° Gruppo, 6° Stormo at Ghedi, flying IDS. Active from 1984.
  • 12° Gruppo, 36° Stormo at Gioia del Colle, flying IDS/ADV F.3, now inactive, operational between 1984/1995-2004, replaced by Eurofighter Typhoon.
  • 155° Gruppo E.T.S., 50° Stormo at Piacenza, flying IDS/ECR. Active from 1985. Equipped with ECR from 1998.^[3][4]

 Germany

• German Air Force had 160 IDS and 34 ECR aircraft in service as of January 2011.^[2] 85 aircraft (65 IDS and 20 ECR) are to remain in service until 2025.^[5]
  • Jagdbombergeschwader 31 "Boelcke" at Nörvenich flying IDS. Converted to Eurofighter Typhoon in 2009.^[6]
  • Jagdbombergeschwader 32 at Lagerlechfeld flying ECR (34 aircraft). Disbanded in March 2013, operated between August 1958 - March 2013.
  • Taktisches Luftwaffengeschwader 33 at Büchel flying IDS. Active, 46 aircraft.^[7]
  • Jagdbombergeschwader 34 "Allgäu" at Memmingen. Disbanded in 2003.
  • Jagdbombergeschwader 38 "Friesland" at Jever. Disbanded, German Tactical Conversion unit, August 1983–September 2005.^[8][9]
  • Taktisches Luftwaffengeschwader 51 "Immelmann" at Jagel/Schleswig, flying ECR. Active, 25 aircraft.^[10]
  • Fliegerisches Ausbildungszentrum der Luftwaffe at Holloman Air Force Base, NM, USA, flying IDS. Operational Conversion Unit, active, flying 14 aircraft.^[11]
• German Navy
  • Marinefliegergeschwader 1 at Jagel, flying IDS. Disbanded, operated between 2 July 1982 – 1 January 1994.^[12]
  • Marinefliegergeschwader 2 at Eggebek, flying IDS. Disbanded, operated between 1986–2005.

 United Kingdom

RAF Tornado GR.4 releasing flares during a combat mission over Iraq on 22 April 2004

• Royal Air Force had 35 F3, 86 GR4 and 22 GR4A aircraft in use as of January 2011.^[2] By March 2015, it operated 59 GR4/4A aircraft in the forward fleet, 28 in the 'depth maintenance' fleet, and 11 in storage.^[13]
  • No. 2 Squadron at Marham, flying GR4/4A until 2015. Up till 2015, 12 aircraft.^[14][15]
  • No. 5 Squadron at Coningsby, flying F3. Disbanded, operated between 1987–2003^[16]
  • No. 9 Squadron at Marham, flying GR4/4A. Active, 12 aircraft.^[17]
  • No. 11 Squadron at Leeming, flying F3. Disbanded, operating between 1988–2005.^[18]
  • No. 12 Squadron at Lossiemouth, flying GR4/4A. Active, 12 aircraft.^[19]
  • No. 13 Squadron at Marham, flying GR4/4A. Disbanded 13 May 2011, 12 aircraft.^[20]
  • No. 14 Squadron at Lossiemouth, flying GR4/4A. Disbanded, 12 aircraft.^[21]
  • No. XV (Reserve) Squadron at Lossiemouth, flying GR4. Reserve, 26 aircraft. GR4 Operational Conversion Unit.^[22]
  • No. 16 Squadron at Laarbruch, flying GR1. Disbanded, operated between 13 December 1983 – 11 September 1991.^[23]
  • No. 17 Squadron at Brüggen, flying GR1. Disbanded, operated between 1 March 1985 – 31 March 1999.^[23][24]
  • No. 20 Squadron at Laarbruch, flying GR1. Disbanded, 29 June 1984–May 1992.^[23]
  • No. 23 Squadron at Leeming, flying F3. Disbanded, operated between 1 November 1988 – 28 February 1994.^[23]
  • No. 25 Squadron at Leeming, flying F3. Disbanded, operated between 1989–2008.^[25]
  • No. 27 Squadron at Marham, flying GR1. Disbanded, operated between 12 August 1983 – 1 October 1993.^[24]
  • No. 29 Squadron at Coningsby, flying F3. Disbanded, operated between 1987–1998.^[26]
  • No. 31 Squadron at Marham, flying GR4/4A. Active, 10 aircraft.^[27]
  • No. 41 (Reserve) Squadron at Coningsby. The Typhoon & Tornado Test and Evaluation Squadron (TES). Reserve, 2 Aircraft.
  • No. 43 Squadron at Leuchars, flying F3. Disbanded, operated between 1989–2009.^[28]
  • No. 56 (Reserve) Squadron at Leuchars, flying F3. Disbanded, operated between 1992–2008.^[29]
  • No. 111 Squadron at Leuchars, flying F3. Disbanded, operated between 1990–2011.^[30]
  • No. 617 Squadron at Lossiemouth, flying GR4/4A. Inactive, 12 aircraft.^[31]
  • No. 229 OCU
    (No 65 (Reserve) Squadron) at Coningsby, flying F2/3. Renumbered 56(R) Sqn, 1984–1992 F.2/3 Operational Conversion Unit.^[32]
  • No. 1435 Flight at Mount Pleasant, flying F3. Replaced by Typhoon FGR4, 4 aircraft, based in the Falklands.^[33]
  • Tri-National Tornado Training Establishment at Cottesmore, flying IDS, GR1. Disbanded, operated between 1980–31 March 1999.^[24][34]
  • Tornado Weapons Conversion Unit
    (No. 45 Squadron) at Honington, flying GR1. Renumbered XV(R) Sqn, operated between 1 August 1980 – 31 March 1992.^[24][34]

 Saudi Arabia

• Royal Saudi Air Force has 84 IDS in operation as of January 2011.^[2]
  • 7th Squadron RSAF IDS^[35]
  • 29th Squadron RSAF ADV^[35] 1989-2006^[36]
  • 34th Squadron RSAF ADV^[35] 1989-1992^[36]
  • 66th Squadron RSAF IDS^[35] from 1990, now inactive^[36]
  • 75th Squadron RSAF IDS
  • 83rd Squadron RSAF IDS

References

1. Hoyle, Craig (26 September 2014), "Kings of the swingers: Top 13 swing-wing aircraft", Flightglobal, Reed Business Information, archived from the original on 27 September 2014, retrieved 27 September 2014
2. "World Military Aircraft Inventory". 2011 Aerospace. Aviation Week and Space Technology, January 2011.
3. Lake World Air Power Journal Volume 32, pp. 134–135.
4. Niccoli Air International April 2008, pp. 46–47.
5. http://www.luftwaffe.de/portal/a/luftwaffe/!ut/p/c4/04_SB8K8xLLM9MSSzPy8xBz9CP3I5EyrpHK9nHK98sS0NL2s1JJivZL8ojz9gmxHRQCuLSDf/
6. "The German Air Force receives its first fighter-bomber Eurofighter Typhoons." Eurofighter press release, 16 December 2009 via ''Flight Global Training. Retrieved: 29 November 2011.
7. http://www.flugrevue.de/militaerluftfahrt/luftwaffe/jagdbombergeschwader-33-der-luftwaffe-in-buechel/557708
8. Lake World Air Power Journal Volume 32, p. 131.
9. List Air International May 2006, p. 51.
10. http://www.flugrevue.de/militaerluftfahrt/luftwaffe/die-fliegenden-verbaende-der-luftwaffe-taktisches-luftwaffengeschwader-51-immelmann-ehemals-ag-51/476900?seite=10
11. http://www.holloman.af.mil/library/factsheets/factsheet.asp?id=4364
12. Lake World Air Power Journal Volume 32, p. 132.
13. Brazier, Julian MP. "Written Answer - 225369". www.parliament.uk. Hansard. Retrieved 30 November 2015.
14. http://www.raf.mod.uk/organisation/2squadron.cfm
15. "2 Squadron." Royal Air Force. Retrieved: 9 April 2011.
16. "5 Squadron." Royal Air Force, Retrieved: 5 December 2011.
17. "9 Squadron." Royal Air Force, Retrieved: 5 December 2011.
18. "11 Squadron." Royal Air Force, Retrieved: 5 December 2011.
19. "12 Squadron." Royal Air Force, Retrieved: 5 December 2011.
20. "No XIII Squadron Disbandment – RAF Marham". Royal Air Force. 13 May 2011. Retrieved 11 June 2011.
21. "14 Squadron." Royal Air Force, Retrieved: 5 December 2011.
22. "15 Squadron". Royal Air Force. Retrieved 29 December 2010.
23. Lake World Air Power Journal Volume 32, p. 122.
24. Lake Air International April 2008, p. 26.
25. "25 Squadron." Royal Air Force, Retrieved: 5 December 2011.
26. "29 Squadron." Royal Air Force, Retrieved: 5 December 2011.
27. "31 Squadron." Royal Air Force, Retrieved: 5 December 2011.
28. Urquhart, Frank (15 April 2009). "Historic squadron is disbanded – but Fighting Cocks may fly again". The Scotsman.
29. "56 Squadron." Royal Air Force, Retrieved: 5 December 2011.
30. "111 Squadron." Royal Air Force, Retrieved: 5 December 2011.
31. "617 Squadron." Royal Air Force. Retrieved: 5 December 2011.
32. Lake World Air Power Journal Volume 32, p. 125.
33. "Typhoons arrive in Falklands." Falklands.gov, September 2009.
34. Lake World Air Power Journal Volume 32, p. 126.
35. Lake World Air Power Journal Volume 32, p. 137.
36. "Saudi Arabia". Panavia. Retrieved 12 January 2015.

• Lake, Jon. "Aircraft of the RAF: Part 1 – Panavia Tornado". Air International, Vol. 74, No. 4, April 2008, pp. 24–29. ISSN 0306-5634.
• Lake, Jon. "Tornado Variant Briefing: Part III: Tornado Operators". World Air Power Journal, Volume 32, Spring 1998, pp. 118–137. London: Aerospace Publishing. ISBN 1-86184-006-3. ISSN 0959-7050.
• List, Friedrich. "German Air Arms Review". Air International, Vol. 70, No. 5, May 2006, pp. 50–57. ISSN 0306-5634.

External links

• Tornado (BAe) on Fas.org
• Panavia Tornado IDS Attack Bomber on Aerospaceweb.org
• Panavia Tornado on Tornado-data.com
• List of all active German Tornados
• German IDS Tornado 44+97 at the Deutsches Museum subsidiary Flugwerft Oberschleißheim, Germany (DE)