Tornado US Wild Weasel

[alanqua]

Hello everybody,

Does anybody have more information on this Tornado project for the US? It was supposed to be a Wild Weasel aircraft or something. Could you help me to find more information on that please? The only thing I have is a scan (see in attachment).

Thanks, regards
Alain

 

[Scorpion82]

Was it from a modell? I can't imagine the US looking for a SEAD Tornado (obviously ECR derivate). I personally would suppose it to be some kind of fantasy product. But I don't know it.

 

[Trident]

I vaguely remember hearing that the Tornado ECR was tentatively considered by the USAF very early during the variant's history.

 

[Antonio]

Tornado FOWW (Follow On Wild Weasel)

The USAF first evaluated the Tornado as a potential competitor in its Enhanced Tactical Fighter competition. There were suggestions that, in exchange, the RAF might have cancelled the Tornado ADV and bought F-15 two seaters for use in the ADF role. And the end, the revised Dual Role Fighter competition was won by the F-15E.

Later, Panavia, entered the Tornado to the FOWW competition (150 aircraft shuould be purchased) in agreement with Rockwell. MBB took the lead thanks to its experience integrating the HARM on Luftwaffe's ECR variant. Other designs in the competition were F-15, F-16, ATF and ATA variants.
A contract award was expected in 1990 but the RPF was not issued and USAF replaced the dedicated F-4G with HARM-equipped F-16.

Source: World Air Power Journal. Volume 30 Autumn/Fall 1997. Tornado Variants Briefing. Part 1: IDS and Recce pg 121

The drawing is the same you posted, FOWW armed with Maverick and Shrike although HARM would have been the operational weapon.

I remember also a desktop model but I'll have to dig my archive.

Cheers,

Antonio

 

[alanqua]

Hello,

Thanks for your input. Could you post the image you mention (desktop model) please? I got my image through a friend of mine but I lack a 3 view plan.

Thanks for you help anyway!
Regards
Alain

 

[Antonio]

Could you post the image you mention (desktop model) please?

Alain,

I'm looking for it and I'll post it as soon as I'll find it

 

[Thorvic]

This is the desktop model

 

[TinWing]

Later, Panavia, entered the Tornado to the FOWW competition (150 aircraft shuould be purchased) in agreement with Rockwell. MBB took the lead thanks to its experience integrating the HARM on Luftwaffe's ECR variant. Other designs in the competition were F-15, F-16, ATF and ATA variants.
A contract award was expected in 1990 but the RPF was not issued and USAF replaced the dedicated F-4G with HARM-equipped F-16.

It always seemed unlikely that new airframes would have been required. The F-4G amounted to a conversion of the F-4E, and the eventual withdrawal of the Wild Weasel fleet was purely an economic matter, not airframe hours.

 

[LowObservable]

There was certainly a Tornado WW briefing some time in the 1980s at Langley AFB. I may have a brochure but I'm not at home. The idea was that it would be less expensive to adopt the new airframe than to do the very extensive and costly mods needed for a full-scale Weasel kit on the F-15.

 

[fightingirish]

In the article "Tornado als Wild Weasel ", Flug-Revue, Febuary1989, page 24+25,
the author writes, that Panavia and Rockwell International decided in December 1988 signed a contract to work together on this project. Soon Rockwell took over AIL Division (Electronic Warfare Division) from Eaton. If they had won a contract, parts would have been built in Europe and final assembly and electronic systems would have been in Rockwell's assembly facility near Palmdale, California. The author was quiet sceptical about its success, because the USAF would have to built up a new logistics for this aircraft.

This artist's impression by "Volare" was published in the German magazine Flug-Revue, Febuary1989, page 24.
The Italian magazine "Volare" was a subsidiary company of Flug-Revue.
The rudder looks different than on the Tornado ECR, maybe a streamlined version of that on the Prowler.
No fuel probe on the starboard side under the cockpit, of course.

 

[Triton]

Wasn't there a proposal to sell the PANAVIA Tornado to the United States Air Force?

 

[firepilot]

I think Panavia had tried to sell some ECR variants to the USAF

 

[overscan (PaulMM)]

Merged to existing topic.

 

[Triton]

"Tornado gets Wild Weasel chance". Flight International , September 10, 1988
http://www.flightglobal.com/pdfarchive/view/1988/1988%20-%202524.html

 

[Triton]

I found this illustration on Photobucket.

Source:
http://i729.photobucket.com/albums/ww291/joncarrfarrelly/USAF_FIN_01.jpg

 

[Triton]

Profile of Panavia Tornado in USAF Electronic Warfare configuration.

Source:
http://www.britmodeller.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=71318

 

[AAAdrone]

What's pictured appears to be an EW variant. What is shown is a USAF Tornado with the underwing ALQ-99 jamming pods and receiver pod in the tail. The link features the appropriate "Wild Weasel" configuration in the first two side-profile pictures with the HARM and sidewinder missiles.

 

[Triton]

What's pictured appears to be an EW variant. What is shown is a USAF Tornado with the underwing ALQ-99 jamming pods and receiver pod in the tail. The link features the appropriate "Wild Weasel" configuration in the first two side-profile pictures with the HARM and sidewinder missiles.

Thank you for the correction, AAAdrone.

Source:
http://www.britmodeller.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=71318