49made air-to-ground weapon aiming a science
rather than an art. Moreover, weapon aiming
and flying were not constrained by weather
or daylight, and the aircraft was equally adept
at hitting its target on time whatever the
conditions. The co-ordination and co-operation
required between pilot and navigator was
never more intense and critical than on a night
bomb drop in poor weather, where the dialogue
between front and back would be a carefully
worded script of check and counter check. The
bonds formed between a crew at 500kts and
300ft (91m) above the ground in poor weather
at night would stay in the memory forever and
cement life-long respect and friendships.
I finally embarked on my first tour at
RAF Brü ggen, Germany in early 1985 as
a not-much-older flying officer. But there
was little time to build up your skills, as
squadrons were forming so fast that nobody
had a monopoly on experience and we all
learned together on the job. But even more
critically, we had a role to fulfil, and as
the Jaguar squadrons went out of service
as quickly as we stood up, we had to take
on our essential war role – deterring the
Warsaw Pact forces that were camped
some 200 miles (321km) to the east, with
all their divisions and barrels aimed at
us. Within three months of arriving you
would be made limited combat ready,
which meant you were now qualified to
stand nuclear quick readiness alert (QRA).
Missions had been pre-planned and were
extremely familiar to the crews who spent
24 hours in the QRA compound waiting
for the klaxon to sound. It often did, but
every time we checked in on the radio,
breathless after our sprint to the aircraft,
we would be told to stand down as it was
only a practice. Even routine training
days were interrupted by the constant
exercising and testing of the growing wing.
In just over a year, Brü ggen was made
up of four brand new Tornado GR1
squadrons and was now a potent strike
and attack wing in the NATO order of
battle. RAF Laarbruch, Honington and
Marham all had similar experiences, and
at its peak the RAF Tornado GR Force was
made up of nine frontline squadrons.
I was to spend four flying tours at Brü ggen
and served on three of the four squadrons
based there, including becoming a qualified
weapons instructor, and ultimately
commanding No IX (Bomber) Squadron
during the Kosovo campaign (see p56-57).
Over that period, the Cold War ended and
campaigns in the Gulf and the Balkans saw
new weapons and tactics introduced, but
the Tornado and its crews took it all in their
stride, constantly adapting. And perhaps
this is the most impressive thing of all
about the Tornado: its ability to shift with
the times. It’s something it has done with
remarkable ease, switching from role to role
and between different theatres of action.
Now, as the RAF Tornado Force enters
its final year, it still finds itself engaged
on combat missions overseas, as it has
done since 1985. Even if you discount
the Cold War as an overseas operation,
the first Gulf War heralded a period of 28
years of unbroken, deployed operational
service – few forces in any air arm
can boast of or beat such a record.
And so, as seems to be the fate of somany combat aircraft, the RAF Tornado
Force bows out at the peak of its powers.
It is testament to those who envisaged its
concept, its designers, its manufacturers and
suppliers, and the many men and women
who flew, serviced and supported it, that
it has been such a stalwart over so many
years in such varied roles and scenarios.
When the Tornado first came into service
it was known as the MRCA (Multi-Role
Combat Aircraft). Some mischievously
(as is normal for a new aircraft) labelled
it ‘Mother Riley’s Cardboard Aircraft’
or ‘Much Refurbished Canberra Again’.
They were all wrong. No aircraft has had
such a diverse operational career and few
others can truly claim to be multi-role.
It will rightly take its place as a valued
servant of the RAF, one that was the
very tip of the spear and ‘in contact’
for a quarter of the RAF’s existence.
It wasn’t the prettiest, but it looked
the part; it wasn’t the fastest, but was
rarely caught, and it was closer to third
generation than fifth, but when the chips
were down, it could always be relied upon
to deliver without fuss or fanfare. It was
a workhorse rather than a thoroughbred,
but anyone who ‘rode’ her trusted her to
deliver and bring them home safely.
She has earned her retirement as air
power evolves and requires increasing
performance and capability – but the
Tornado can leave with her head held high,
safe in the knowledge of a job superbly
done. The aircraft, its crews, engineers
and entire support team deserve their
place in RAF history – in time, the jet
will be revered as one of the greats.A No 617 Squadron Tornado GR1B in its element
over the North Sea in the anti-shipping strike role.
Twenty-six Tornadoes were optimised for this mission
and equipped with the BAe Sea Eagle missile. The
GR1B entered service with the ‘Dambusters’ in 1994
and was subsequently fi elded by No 12(B) Squadron,
also at Lossiemouth. WO (Ret’d) Rick Brewell
Above: A Tornado GR4 from No IX(B) Squadron – a unit that the author commanded – undertakes a
training sortie over the northwest of England in October 2012 in preparation for an imminent deployment
to Afghanistan. Overseas operations have been the norm for the TGRF since the 1991 Gulf War. Crown
Copyright Below: Versatility has always been a key to the Tornado’s success and its longevity. While
the GR1A provided a useful low-level reconnaissance capability with its internal sideways-looking and
infrared linescan systems, the GR4 introduced the RAPTOR pod for a digital imaging capability and data
link. Jamie HunterAFM