The Tornado GR4 Programme - A New Approach
Abstract
The growing costs of new weapon systems will encourage potential customers to consider upgrading their existing fleets. Today's aircraft will therefore be expected to remain longer in service and counter the threats of the future. Industry will need to adapt from developing and manufacturing new weapon systems to finding ways to improve the capability of an existing asset to maintain a deterrent in a higher technological environment. According to the 1997 British Aerospace Military Aircraft Value Plan The upgrade and re-life of existing aircraft is a valuable market opportunity - over the past five years the upgrade of existing assets has accounted for 16 per cent of the total value of combat orders world-wide'. The RAF's IDS (Interdictor Strike) Tornado aircraft are expected to have a service life-span of up to 40 years and to ensure their combat effectiveness are currently undergoing a Mid Life Update (MLU) - the largest of its kind in Europe. The Mid Life Update programme returns 142 IDS Tornado aircraft to industry and upgrades them to a new variant, designated Tornado GR4/4A, which will become the new common standard for the RAF IDS aircraft.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Apr 01, 2000
- Accession Number
- ADP010303
Entities
People
- T. Watkins