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.

As of 2018, 320 operational Tornados are in use.^[1] Active units are in bold.

 Italy

Italian Tornado IDS takes on fuel over Afghanistan

Italian Tornado ADV at Gioia del Colle airbase

Formation of German Tornadoes, together with a MiG-29

UK Tornado IDS in formation with an Avro Lancaster

A pair of UK Tornado ADVs operating over the Falkland Islands

Saudi Tornado IDS operating over Doha

Saudi Tornado ADV takes off during Operation Desert Shield

• Aeronautica Militare - Italy procured a total of 100 IDS aircraft, of which 99 were production models and one was a pre-series aircraft converted to production standard. Twelve of these were dual-control versions. Sixteen were subsequently converted to ECR aircraft.^[2][3] In 1993, an agreement was reached with the United Kingdom to lease a total of 24 ADV aircraft, which were operated until 2004.^[4][5] As of 2018, Italy operates 70 Tornado IDS and 5 Tornado ECR.^[1]
  • 102° Gruppo, 6° Stormo at Ghedi, flying IDS. Active from 1993.
  • 154° Gruppo, 6° Stormo at Ghedi, flying IDS. Active from 1982.
  • 155° Gruppo E.T.S., 6° Stormo at Ghedi, flying IDS/ECR. Active from 1985, equipped with ECR from 1998. Previously assigned to 50° Stormo at Piacenza.
  • 156° Gruppo, 6° Stormo at Ghedi, flying IDS. First operational with Tornados from 1984. Now inactive. Previously assigned to 36° Stormo specialised in antishipping and TASMO roles.
  • 12° Gruppo, 36° Stormo at Gioia del Colle, flying ADV, now inactive, operational between 1984/1995-2004, replaced by Eurofighter Typhoon.
  • 21° Gruppo, 36° Stormo at Gioia del Colle, flying ADV. Now with 9° Stormo flying helicopters in special operations. Previously assigned to 53° Stormo at Cameri airbase.

^[6][7]

 Germany

• Luftwaffe - Germany's air force obtained a total of 245 Tornado aircraft, with 210 of them as the IDS version, and 35 ECR.^[8]
  • Jagdbombergeschwader 31 "Boelcke" at Nörvenich flying IDS. Converted to Eurofighter Typhoon in 2009.^[9]
  • Jagdbombergeschwader 32 at Lagerlechfeld flying ECR (34 aircraft). Disbanded in March 2013, operated between August 1985 – March 2013.
  • Taktisches Luftwaffengeschwader 33 at Büchel flying IDS. Active, 46 aircraft.^[10]
  • Jagdbombergeschwader 34 "Allgäu" at Memmingen. Disbanded in 2003.
  • Jagdbombergeschwader 38 "Friesland" at Jever. Disbanded, German Tactical Conversion unit, August 1983 – September 2005.^[11][12]
  • Taktisches Luftwaffengeschwader 51 "Immelmann" at Jagel/Schleswig, flying ECR. Active, 25 aircraft.^[13]
  • Fliegerisches Ausbildungszentrum der Luftwaffe at Holloman Air Force Base, NM, USA, flying IDS. Operational Conversion Unit. Disbanded December 2019.^[14]
• Marineflieger - The German Naval Air Arm obtained 112 IDS aircraft for the anti-shipping mission.^[8]
  • Marinefliegergeschwader 1 at Jagel, flying IDS. Disbanded, operated between 2 July 1982 – 1 January 1994.^[15]
  • Marinefliegergeschwader 2 at Eggebek, flying IDS. Disbanded, operated between 1986 and 2005.

 United Kingdom

• Royal Air Force - The United Kingdom obtained a total of 228 IDS aircraft; of these, 16 were subsequently converted to undertake the reconnaissance mission, alongside a further 14 new build airframes. Another 28 were converted for the anti-shipping mission.^[16] In addition, a total of 165 ADV aircraft were obtained, comprising 18 F.2s and 147 F.3s.^[17] The United Kingdom was the first country to completely phase out the Tornado when its last two units were disbanded in March 2019.^[18]
  • No. II (Army Co-operation) Squadron at Laarbruch then Marham, flying GR4/4A (12 aircraft). Disbanded, operated between September 1988 – January 2015.^[19][20]
  • No. V (Army Co-operation) Squadron at Coningsby, flying F3. Disbanded, operated between 1987 – January 2003^[21]
  • No. IX (Bomber) Squadron at Honington, then Brüggen and Marham, flying GR4/4A (~12 aircraft). Disbanded, operated between 6 January 1982 – 14 March 2019.^[22]
  • No. XI (Fighter) Squadron at Leeming, flying F3. Disbanded, operated between August 1988 – October 2005.^[23]
  • No. 12 Squadron at Lossiemouth, flying GR4/4A (~12 aircraft). Disbanded, operated between September 1993 – 31 March 2014; 9 January 2015 – 14 February 2018.^[24]
  • No. XIII Squadron at Honington then Marham, flying GR4/4A (12 aircraft). Disbanded, operated between 1 January 1990 – 13 May 2011.^[25]
  • No. 14 Squadron at Brüggen then Lossiemouth, flying GR4/4A (12 aircraft). Disbanded, operated between 1 November 1985 – 1 June 2011.^[26]
  • No. XV (Reserve) Squadron at Laarburch, then Honington (became GR4 Operational Conversion Unit) and Lossiemouth, flying GR4 (26 aircraft). Disbanded, operated between 1 September 1983 – 31 March 2017.^[27]
  • No. 16 Squadron at Laarbruch, flying GR1. Disbanded, operated between 13 December 1983 – 11 September 1991.^[28]
  • No. XVII Squadron at Brüggen, flying GR1. Disbanded, operated between 1 March 1985 – 31 March 1999.^[28][29]
  • No. 20 Squadron at Laarbruch, flying GR1. Disbanded, operated between 29 June 1984 – 31 July 1992.^[28]
  • No. 23 (Fighter) Squadron at Leeming, flying F3. Disbanded, operated between 1 November 1988 – 28 February 1994.^[28]
  • No. XXV (Fighter) Squadron at Leeming, flying F3. Disbanded, operated between July 1989 – 4 April 2008.^[30]
  • No. 27 Squadron at Marham, flying GR1. Disbanded and reformed as 12 Squadron, operated between 12 August 1983 – 1 October 1993.^[29]
  • No. 29 (Fighter) Squadron at Coningsby, flying F3. Disbanded, operated between April 1987– 31 October 1998.^[31]
  • No. 31 Squadron at Brüggen then Marham, flying GR4/4A (~10 aircraft). Disbanded, operated between September 1984 – 14 March 2019.^[32]
  • No. 41 (Reserve) Squadron at Coningsby. The Typhoon & Tornado Test and Evaluation Squadron (TES) (2 Aircraft). Disbanded, operated between 1 April 2006 – 16 November 2017
  • No. 43 (Fighter) Squadron at Leuchars, flying F3. Disbanded, operated between September 1989 – 13 July 2009.^[33]
  • No. 45 (Reserve) Squadron at Honington, flying GR1. Renumbered XV(R) Sqn, operated between January 1984 – 31 March 1992.^[34]
  • No. 56 (Reserve) Squadron at Leuchars, flying F3. Disbanded, operated between 1 August 1992– 22 April 2008.^[35]
  • No. 111 (Fighter) Squadron at Leuchars, flying F3. Disbanded, operated between June 1990 – 22 March 2011.^[36]
  • No. 617 Squadron at Marham then Lossiemouth, flying GR4/4A (12 aircraft). Disbanded, operated between 1 January 1983 – 28 March 2014.^[37]
  • No. 229 Operational Conversion Unit (No 65 (Reserve) Squadron) at Coningsby, flying F2/3. Renumbered 56(R) Sqn, operated between 1984 – 31 July 1992.^[38]
  • No. 1435 Flight at Mount Pleasant, flying F3 (4 aircraft). Replaced by Typhoon FGR4, operated between July 1992 – September 2009.^[39]
  • F3 Operational Evaluation Unit at Coningsby, flying F3.^[40] Merged with SAOEU becoming FJWOEU, operated between 1987 – 2004.^[41]
  • Fast Jet and Weapons Operational Evaluation Unit (FJWOEU) at Coningsby, flying F3/GR4. Redesignated as 41(R) Sqn, operated between 2004 – April 2006.^[42]
  • Strike Attack Operational Evaluation Unit (SAOEU) at Boscombe Down, flying GR1/4. Merged with F3 OEU becoming FJWOEU, operated between 5 October 1987 – 2004.^[42]
  • Tri-National Tornado Training Establishment (TTTE) at Cottesmore, flying IDS, GR1. Disbanded, operated between 1 July 1980 – 31 March 1999.^[29][43]
  • Tornado Weapons Conversion Unit (TWCU) at Honington, flying GR1. Redesignated 45(R) Sqn, operated between 1 August 1980 – January 1984.^[29][43]
  • Tornado Operational Evaluation Unit at Boscombe Down, flying GR1. Redesignated as SAOEU, operated between 1 September 1983 – 5 October 1987.^[41]

 Saudi Arabia

• Royal Saudi Air Force - Saudi Arabia initially obtained 72 Tornados, comprising 48 IDS and 24 ADV. A further 48 IDS aircraft were subsequently obtained.^[44]
  • 7th Squadron RSAF IDS^[45]
  • 29th Squadron RSAF ADV^[45] 1989-2006^[44]
  • 34th Squadron RSAF ADV^[45] 1989-1992^[44]
  • 66th Squadron RSAF IDS^[45] from 1990, now inactive^[44]
  • 75th Squadron RSAF IDS
  • 83rd Squadron RSAF IDS

• 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.

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Panavia Tornado.

• 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 Archived 20 December 2008 at the Wayback Machine
• German IDS Tornado 44+97 at the Deutsches Museum subsidiary Flugwerft Oberschleißheim, Germany (DE)