Tornado IDS

Description
The Tornado Interdiction/Strike (IDS) is a family of aircraft operated by Germany, Italy, Saudi Arabia and the United Kingdom. The IDS family consists of 2 of the world's most sophisticated and capable attack aircraft with a large payload, long range and high survivability.

The Tornado was cleared to carry almost all the air-launched weapons in the NATO inventory, including cluster bombs, anti-runway munitions, and nuclear weapons. The aircraft also has a limited air-to-air capability with Sidewinder AAMs. RAF Tornadoes are designated by the GR (Ground attack and Recon) series. The GR.1 was delivered in a gunmetal grey/olive drab green camouflage, but this was changed to dark grey during the late 1990s. In operations over Iraq some GR.1s received a sandy "pink" scheme. GR.4s participating in the 2003 Iraq War were painted in a light grey scheme. German Navy examples normally sport a distinctive black/blue/gunmetal grey camouflage pattern.

The RAF is investigating replacements. This could be a manned aircraft, a UAV or a cruise missile (possibly Storm Shadow) based weapons system. Options for manned aircraft include modified versions of the Eurofighter Typhoon or the F-35 Lightning II (JSF). If selected the Typhoon would likely be modified for internal weapons carriage and increased internal fuel capacity. Currently no other Western aircraft (in service or planned) matches the Tornado IDS's strike capabilities.

Variants
Tornado GR.1

Tornado GR.4

Related Development
Tornado ADV Tornado ECR
 * Tornado F.2
 * Tornado F.3

Weapons

 * Gun /2x 27mm Mauser BK-27 Revolver Cannon
 * Standard Missile / AIM-9M Sidewinder
 * BDSP / JP223 Anti Runway Munitions Dispenser (AC5) / MW-1 Munitions Dispenser (AC04)
 * LASM / Exocet (AC04)
 * PGB / Paveway III (AC04)

Ace Squadrons/Pilot
De Vico (AC04)

Source
www.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tornado_IDS