Sky Shadow Common Jamming Pod (CJP) upgrade

[Flame2512]

I recently stumbled upon this press release from Finmeccanica – Selex ES (these days Leonardo) announcing a contract they had received to upgrade the Sky Shadow-2 ECM pod used on the Tornado GR.4 into the Common Jamming Pod (CJP). The new pod would retain the Sky Shadow shell, but modernise all the internals and add two of the same Towed Radar Decoys (TRDs) used on the Eurofighter Typhoon. This is the first time I'd ever heard of the Common Jamming Pod.

https://www.leonardo.com/en/press-r...-es-to-provide-rf-jamming-for-royal-air-force

Does anyone have any photographs of the Common Jamming Pod, showing the location of the TRDs? I'm curious where these TRDs would have been mounted as every photo I've never seen any photos of a Tornado GR.4 with a Sky Shadow pod which looks anything other than completely standard. Presumably there should be some sign of the TRDs eternally? Unless it is something like a rear fairing on the pod is jettisoned in flight to reveal the TRDs, which seems unnecessarily complex?

There seems to be remarkably little information online about the Common Jamming Pod, however a few books I have seem to suggest it did enter service as planned around 2015/16. The 2017 edition of Royal Air Force Aircraft & Weapons states:

Sky Shadow-2/Common Jamming Pod
The Sky Shadow electronic countermeasures(ECM) pod has been a standard Tornado fit since the aircraft entered service. Usually carried to port, opposite the BOZ-107, Sky Shadow was developed specifically for Tornado and first delivered in 1980. From the outset it was capable of detecting, analysing and jamming enemy radar emissions. Today’s pod looks essentially similar to the 1980s’ version, but appearances in this case are misleading. Sky Shadow was initially updated to Sky Shadow-2 configuration, but was more recently reworked as the Common Jamming Pod (CJP). Developed by Selex, CJP inserts a new suite of digital technology into the Sky Shadow shell. As well as internal electronic systems, it includes a pair of towed radar decoys, similar to those deployable from Typhoon’s wing tip pods

While Salute: Tornado - Tribute to an RAF Icon states:

In RAF service, the Tornado was rarely seen without a Sky Shadow electronic countermeasures (ECM) pod on its port outer underwing pylon, balanced by a BOZ-107 chaff/flare pod to starboard. Developed specifically for Tornado and first delivered in 1980, Sky Shadow detected, analysed and jammed enemy radar emissions. Just like the Tornado itself, the Sky Shadow of 2019 appeared little changed compared with that of 1980. However, the pod was first updated to Sky Shadow-2 configuration, before a later upgrade reworked it as the Common Jamming Pod (CJP), with a new suite of digital technology. It also included a pair of towed radar decoys.

 

[timmymagic]

I recently stumbled upon this press release from Finmeccanica – Selex ES (these days Leonardo) announcing a contract they had received to upgrade the Sky Shadow-2 ECM pod used on the Tornado GR.4 into the Common Jamming Pod (CJP). The new pod would retain the Sky Shadow shell, but modernise all the internals and add two of the same Towed Radar Decoys (TRDs) used on the Eurofighter Typhoon. This is the first time I'd ever heard of the Common Jamming Pod.

https://www.leonardo.com/en/press-r...-es-to-provide-rf-jamming-for-royal-air-force

Does anyone have any photographs of the Common Jamming Pod, showing the location of the TRDs? I'm curious where these TRDs would have been mounted as every photo I've never seen any photos of a Tornado GR.4 with a Sky Shadow pod which looks anything other than completely standard. Presumably there should be some sign of the TRDs eternally? Unless it is something like a rear fairing on the pod is jettisoned in flight to reveal the TRDs, which seems unnecessarily complex?

There seems to be remarkably little information online about the Common Jamming Pod, however a few books I have seem to suggest it did enter service as planned around 2015/16. The 2017 edition of Royal Air Force Aircraft & Weapons states:


While Salute: Tornado - Tribute to an RAF Icon states

I've definitely seen a photo of the rear of a pod with the towed decoys in, mounted on the wing of a GR.4. I think it might be here on SPF somewhere...it 'might' have been in connection with early use of Britecloud (the photo) if my memory isn't playing tricks on me...

Also see post 21 here....this was the original towed decoy from 1995...was originally mounted in a Saab BOZ pod by Marconi, with a Zeus techniques generator (from Harrier GR.5).

https://www.secretprojects.co.uk/threads/panavia-tornado-avionics.41815/

 

[Flame2512]

I've definitely seen a photo of the rear of a pod with the towed decoys in, mounted on the wing of a GR.4. I think it might be here on SPF somewhere...it 'might' have been in connection with early use of Britecloud (the photo) if my memory isn't playing tricks on me...

Also see post 21 here....this was the original towed decoy from 1995...was originally mounted in a Saab BOZ pod by Marconi, with a Zeus techniques generator (from Harrier GR.5).

https://www.secretprojects.co.uk/threads/panavia-tornado-avionics.41815/

If you ever stumble across that photo again I would be very interested to see it. I've seen lots of stuff about the BOZ TRD on the Tornado F.3, but nothing about the Sky Shadow Common Jamming Pod TRD.