Tornado IDS ASSTA1 (Germany)

This page is about the strike aircraft Tornado IDS ASSTA1 (Germany). For other versions, see Tornado (Family).

◄Tornado IDS ASSTA1

Alpha Jet A

◄Tornado IDS ASSTA1

Alpha Jet A

Germany

VIII Rank

Battle rating:

AB	RB	SB
11.7	11.7	11.7

Class:

Strike aircraft

Research:400 000

Purchase:1 080 000

Show in game

Description

The ◄Tornado IDS ASSTA1 is a rank VIII German strike aircraft with a battle rating of 11.7 (AB/RB/SB). It was introduced in Update "Apex Predators". The Panavia 200 (PA-200) Tornado is a two-seat, twin-engine, swing-wing, multi-role combat aircraft built jointly by Germany, the United Kingdom and Italy. The version in game is the Tornado Interdiction/Strike or IDS and is intended as a low-flying fighter bomber armed with precision weapons.

Its first combat missions were in the second Gulf War by the British, Italian and Saudi Arabian air forces. This was later followed by missions in the Yugoslavian and Kosovo wars, in which the Bundeswehr also participated for the first time. German Tornados also flew reconnaissance missions as part of the ISAF mission and in northern Iraq.

General info

Flight performance

Max speed

at 12 195 m2 362 km/h

Turn time28 s

Max altitude13 500 m

EngineTurbo-Union RB199-34R Mk.103

Type

Cooling systemAir

Take-off weight0 t

Describe how the aircraft behaves in the air. Speed, manoeuvrability, acceleration and allowable loads - these are the most important characteristics of the vehicle.

Characteristics	Max speed (km/h at _,___ m)		Max altitude (metres)	Turn time (seconds)		Rate of climb (metres/second)		Take-off run (metres)
	AB	RB		AB	RB	AB	RB
Stock	___	___	13500	__._	__._	__._	__._	___
Upgraded	___	___		__._	__._	__._	__._

Details

Features
Combat flaps	Take-off flaps	Landing flaps	Air brakes	Arrestor gear	Drogue chute
✓	✓	✓	✓	✓	X

Limits	Wings (km/h)	Gear (km/h)	Flaps (km/h)			Max Static G
			Combat	Take-off	Landing	+	-
Min sweep	972	520	972	552	440	~__	~__
Max sweep	1,555		N/A	N/A	N/A	~__	~__

Optimal velocities (km/h)
Ailerons	Rudder	Elevators	Radiator
< ___	< ___	< ___	N/A

Engine performance

Engine			Aircraft mass
Engine name		Number	Basic mass		Wing loading (full fuel)
Turbo-Union RB199-34R Mk.105		2	14,500kg		1023kg/m2
Engine characteristics			Mass with fuel (no weapons load) (upper: fuel only, lower: empty+fuel combined)						Max Gross Weight
Weight (each)	Type		15m fuel	20m fuel	30m fuel	45m fuel	53m fuel	drop tanks add +24m fuel
2,200 kg	___		1,527kg 16,027kg	1,914kg 16,414kg	2,871kg 17,371kg	4,307g 18,807kg	5,090kg 19,590kg	+2,340kg	26,021kg
Maximum engine thrust @ 0 m (RB/SB)			Thrust to weight ratio @ 0 m (WEP)
Condition	100%	WEP	15m fuel	20m fuel	30m fuel	45m fuel	53m fuel	+24m fuel	MGW
Stationary	3,962 kgf	7,588 kgf	0.95	0.92	0.87	0.80	0.77	0.66	0.58
Optimal	4,291 kgf (1,190 km/h)	8,478 kgf (1390 km/h)	1.06	1.03	0.98	0.90	0.87	0.77	0.65

Survivability and armour

Flares/Chaff

Aircraft countermeasures to distract IR and radar-guided missiles and also AA radar

Crew2 people

Speed of destruction

Structural0 km/h

Gear0 km/h

The Tornado has no armor to speak of and is relatively large, making it an easy target for enemy guns. Almost any hit to the center part of the Tornado will leave its speed crippled, while any hit to the wings and tail will most likely cripple flight performance, if not downright disabling the aircraft. Although it could in theory make its way back to base even with only one engine, any enemy attention during this timespan will most likely get you sent back to the hangar. It also has 2 pilots, which means that you can continue flying in the unlikely case of only 1 pilot losing consciousness. To sum it up: It has better surivabilty than many aircraft thanks to redundant systems, but it's by no means an Su-25.

Modifications and economy

Repair costBasic → Reference

AB2 962 → 4 395

RB7 491 → 11 116

SB11 414 → 16 938

Total cost of modifications305 000

469 000

Talisman cost3 100

Crew training310 000

Experts1 080 000

Aces3 400

Research Aces1 280 000

Reward for battleAB / RB / SB

90 / 340 / 600 %

250 / 250 / 250 %

Modifications

Flight performance	Survivability	Weaponry
Compressor Research: 12 000 Cost: 18 000 340 New boosters Research: 14 000 Cost: 22 000 400 Wings repair Research: 19 000 Cost: 29 000 540 Engine Research: 33 000 Cost: 51 000 940	Fuselage repair Research: 12 000 Cost: 18 000 340 Airframe Research: 14 000 Cost: 22 000 400 Cover Research: 19 000 Cost: 29 000 540	Flares/Chaff Research: 12 000 Cost: 18 000 340 bk_27_belt_pack Research: 12 000 Cost: 18 000 340 Mk83 Research: 12 000 Cost: 18 000 340 G-suit Research: 14 000 Cost: 22 000 400 LITENING II Research: 14 000 Cost: 22 000 400 40px ASSTA 3.0 LJDAM Research: 14 000 Cost: 22 000 400 bk_27_new_gun Research: 19 000 Cost: 29 000 540 GBU-16 Research: 19 000 Cost: 29 000 540 EFS Research: 33 000 Cost: 51 000 940 GBU-24 Research: 33 000 Cost: 51 000 940

Armaments

Ballistic Computer
CCIP (Guns)	CCIP (Rockets)	CCIP (Bombs)	CCRP (Bombs)

Offensive armament

The Tornado IDS ASSTA1 (Germany) is armed with:

• 2 x 27 mm Mauser BK27 cannons, chin-mounted (180 rpg = 360 total)

Suspended armament

The Tornado IDS ASSTA1 (Germany) can be outfitted with the following ordnance presets:

• 2 x 1,500 l drop tanks
• 56 x large calibre countermeasures
• 2 x AIM-9L Sidewinder missiles
• 7 x 1,000 lb LDGP Mk 83 bombs (7,000 lb total)
• 12 x 1,000 lb LDGP Mk 83 bombs (12,000 lb total)
• 4 x 1,092 lb GBU-16 Paveway II bombs (4,368 lb total)
• 1 x 2,000 lb GBU-24 Paveway III bomb (2,000 lb total)

Custom loadout options

	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	10	11
1,000 lb LDGP Mk 83 bombs			1, 2	1, 2‡	1, 2‡ *	1‡	1, 2‡	1, 2‡	1, 2
1,092 lb GBU-16 Paveway II bombs			1†	1*†		1†‡			1†
2,000 lb GBU-24 Paveway III bombs				1*†
AIM-9L Sidewinder missiles		1								1
Large calibre countermeasures	28										28
LITENING II								1†
1,500 l drop tanks			1						1
* Guided bombs on hardpoint 4 cannot be equipped with 1,000 lb bombs on hardpoint 5-6 † LITENING II targeting pod must be equipped when using guided bombs ‡ Bombs on hardpoint 6 cannot be equipped with dual bomb mounts on hardpoints 4-8 or GBU-24 on hardpoint 4

Usage in battles

There are multiple ways to use the Tornado in ARB, one tactic is to stick to the team and try and give support with your AIM-9Ls on your way to the enemy bases and/or ground targets. This gives you the advantage of team cover and a bit of safety, although you will undoubtably be in the midst of battle once enemy interceptors and fighters reach your team. The other tactic would be to go full throttle directly to the enemy bases while keeping extremely low to the ground to decrease your chances of being spotted by radar and line-of-sight. While this leaves you mostly alone and isolated from the possible support of your team, you will be able to take a more direct route to your main target, meaning you'll be able to evade any slower or unsuspecting enemies. Taking an active role in air-to-air combat is not advised, as the Tornado's flight performance is not suited to it and you'll most likely be shot down very quickly. In the case of 1-to-1 confrontation the best option is to simply hope you are faster and run away, against capable fighters like the MiG-23, F-16, MiG-29, Viggen, F-14 and Mirage2000 you don't stand a chance, unless the enemy pilot is extremely unexperienced.

Pros and cons

Pros:

• High acceleration
• Laser-guided munitions give it a good ground attack capability

Cons:

• Bombs severely limit its maximum speed to about Mach 1.05
• Very sluggish and slow turning rate, is unable to effectively manoeuvre
• Only has access to 2 x AIM-9L for air-to-air purposes
• No search radar
• Tracking radar is limited to 5°x6° and has 2 km effective range

History

In 1967, the Netherlands, Belgium, Canada, Italy and the Federal Republic of Germany joined together to form the F-104 Replacement Group to begin joint planning for a Multi-Role Aircraft 75 (MRA-75) as a successor to the Starfighter.

In the UK, there was a need for a successor to the Canberra at the same time. Initially, work was done here on a national development, the BAC TSR.2. After this project was discontinued in 1965, development of a joint swing-wing fighter began with France under the Anglo-French Variable Geometry (AFVG) program. In addition, British forces were looking at introducing the General Dynamics F-111. However, France withdrew from the AFVG project in June 1967, and about six months later the British gave up their option to buy the F-111.

Britain decided to participate in a joint project in 1967 after initial coordination discussions with the F-104 Replacement Group nations. In 1968, the participating countries signed an initial memorandum that aimed at a joint project called the Multi-Role Combat Aircraft (MRCA). At this point, Canada and Belgium withdrew their intentions to participate, followed shortly thereafter by the Netherlands.

In 1969, the definition phase began. The concept of the swing-wing was retained because of its versatility. The goal of the remaining nations, Germany, Italy and Great Britain, was to build a multi-role combat aircraft that could be used for conventional as well as nuclear air attacks, aerial reconnaissance and naval warfare from the air. The Warsaw Pact was seen as an adversary with a strong air defense and, at the same time, the ability to take offensive action against NATO itself with a large force deployment. The emphasis of the resulting operational requirements was therefore on high assertiveness and robustness. To ensure this, the new aircraft was required, among other things, to be capable of extreme low-level flight and precise weapons employment in all weather conditions, day and night, and also to have highly effective self-protection equipment. In addition, it was to be capable of using runways damaged by enemy air attacks. The UK also defined a requirement for a long-range interceptor fighter.

To ensure adequate representation of the interests of the participating nations in this multinational project, their governments decided to establish a joint organization under the NATO umbrella, the NATO Multi-Role Combat Aircraft Development and Production Management Organization (NAMMO). A separate agency, NAMMA, was established as the executive body with personnel from the three nations. NAMMA's mission was expanded in 1987 to include in-service support (NATO Multi-Role Combat Aircraft Development, Production and In-Service Support Management Agency). The agency merged with NEFMA from the Eurofighter program in 1995 to form the NATO EF 2000 and Tornado Development, Production & Logistics Management Agency (NETMA).

The industrial groups involved in the program, British Aircraft Corporation (BAC), Messerschmitt-Bölkow-Blohm (MBB) and Fiat Aviazione, merged to form the independent international Panavia Aircraft GmbH, based in Munich, which had overall responsibility during the production phase and was the sole point of contact for NAMMA.

In 1969, the invitation to tender was issued for the development of the engine. Here, the British company Rolls-Royce came out on top with the Turbo-Union RB199 engine against the American manufacturers Pratt & Whitney and General Electric, partly because of the high degree of technology transfer offered to the other participating nations. The Turbo-Union Ltd. consortium, based in Great Britain and involving Rolls-Royce, Motoren- und Turbinen-Union (MTU) and Fiat, was set up to manufacture the engine.

Development began on July 20, 1970, after the United Kingdom had prevailed with the concept of the two-seat twin-engine aircraft; based on experience with the F-104 and the Fiat G.91 and for cost reasons, Germany had originally called for only one pilot and only one engine. The envisaged number of aircraft declined from 1,500 (GB: 300, D: 550, I: 200, others: 600) in 1968, including the British fighter version, to 809 (GB: 385, D: 324, I: 100) in 1972. Overall, delivery figures over the entire production and service period totaled: GB: 402, D: 357, I: 100. Production of the assemblies proceeded according to a division of labor. The cockpit and tail sections as well as the vertical stabilizer were manufactured by BAC (later BAE Systems), MBB (later DASA and EADS) produced the center fuselage section and the air intakes, and Fiat (later Aeritalia and Alenia Aeronautica) produced the wings with the high-lift aids. Final assembly took place from 1973 at three sites in Warton (Lancashire, UK), Manching (Germany) and Turin (Italy).

The maiden flight took place in Manching, Germany on August 14, 1974, and in 1976 the aircraft, until then designated MRCA, was given the name Tornado.

Series production began in 1979. In 1980, the first Tornado was delivered to the Tri-National Tornado Training Establishment (TTTE) at Cottesmore for flying crew training. Equipment for operational units in the United Kingdom and Germany began in 1982, followed by Italy in 1984 and Saudi Arabia, the sole export customer, in 1986.

In late 1989, the U.S. Department of Defense investigated whether the Tornado could be used by U.S. air forces in the Wild Weasel role to replace the Phantom F-4G. However, this consideration was discarded in the early 1990s in favor of the existing F-16s.

From 1990 to 1991, the German Electronic Combat and Reconnaissance (ECR) variants were produced, which would later play an important role in the Balkan War. In 1991, the South Korean Air Force expressed interest in purchasing 50 Tornado ECRs. Due to delays caused by technical problems, the number was initially reduced to 24, and eventually the intention was abandoned.

In 1995, 339 Tornado fighter aircraft were in service with the Bundeswehr (Air Force and German Navy). Production of the Tornados then ended in 1998, after a total of 992 had been produced.

Media

Excellent additions to the article would be video guides, screenshots from the game, and photos.

See also

Related development

• Tornado GR.1
• Tornado IDS (1995) (Italy)

External links

Paste links to sources and external resources, such as:

• topic on the official game forum;
• other literature.