RAF IDS (interdictor/strike) variants were initially designated the Tornado GR1 with later modified aircraft designated Tornado GR1A, Tornado GR1B, Tornado GR4 and Tornado GR4A. The first of 228 GR1s was delivered on 5 June 1979, and the type entered service in the early 1980s.

Oct 21, 2005 · Can anyone tell me the differences between the Gr 1 and Gr 4 varients? Also, was the laser ranger exclusive to Gr1/Gr4 or did the German IDS carry it as well? And where and when did the linescan come into play?

gr1 The key difference between the GR4 and the GR1 is the addition of a FLIR sensor under the fuselage. Fitting the FLIR pod necessitated the removal of one of the Mauser cannons.

Panavia upgraded 142 Tornado GR.1s to GR.4 standard, beginning in 1996 and finishing in 2003. The aircraft is equipped with Forward Looking Infra-Red (FLIR) and is Night Vision Goggle (NVG) compatible, resulting in an all-weather night capability as well as making it an impressive platform for mounting passive night electro-optical operations.

The Tornado GR4 is not only a capable strike aircraft but also excels in reconnaissance roles. With its ability to carry the RAPTOR (Reconnaissance Airborne Pod for Tornado), the aircraft provides high-resolution imagery from a safe distance, supporting intelligence and …

Tornado GR4 & Tornado GR4A Finally, the Tornado GR1 and GR1A received a mid-life update, called Tornado GR4 and Tornado GR4A respectively. In both cases a sensor pod is placed under the forward fuselage, just behind the cannons.

FOR 37 YEARS the Panavia Tornado has served on the Royal Air Force front line — with 28 years of being engaged in almost unbroken combat operations. It first entered service with No IX (Bomber) Squadron, when the unit officially reformed with the Tornado GR1 at RAF Honington on June 1, 1982, under the leadership of Wg Cdr Peter Gooding. The ...

So the GR4 is the second main variant of the Tornado. The GR1 came first and was upgraded as a midlife update with increased avionics and better kit to allow it to fight into a new age. There was an F3 version. That was a fighter version that only the RAF flew.

Dec 25, 2024 · Panavia Tornado IDS GR1A. Reconnaissance version for the Royal Air Force and the Royal Saudi Air Force. Panavia Tornado IDS GR4. Updated GR1 airframes, starting in 1994. 142 Tornados...

Aug 7, 2006 · I've seen a GR1 Tornado fly in UK Airspace within the last week. It had Black Crosses on it (OK it was a Luftwaffe IDS, which is a lot closer to a GR1 than a GR4).