With 2024 marking numerous 50th anniversaries within military aviation including the first flights of the Fighting Falcon, Blackhawk and Tornado, Germany unveiled a new Tornado livery in celebration of the latter. On the 25th of March 2024 the freshly painted Panavia Tornado 43+92 took to the skies from Ingolstadt Manching for the first time.
During the aircrafts delivery flight to Nörvenich, the aircrew made off several low passes to the large crowd of aviation enthusiasts gathered at Ingolstadt Manching.
With over 100 Tornados still in service, this aircraft remains the backbone of the German Air Force alongside the Eurofighter Typhoon. It is also the only aircraft in the German inventory capable of delivering nuclear ordinance. Despite their age, Germany plans to operate the Tornado until 2030 with deliveries of its replacement, the Lockheed Martin F-35, beginning from 2026.
Whilst the Tornado infrequently operates outside of Europe with the exception of the Saudi Arabian fleet, the German Air Force will send twelve aircraft to Alaska for Exercise Arctic Defender 2024 as part of the larger tri-nation Pacific Skies 24 deployment. This deployment includes key multi-national exercises such as RIMPAC and Pitch Black although the Tornado fleet will return to Germany from Alaska.
History of the Tonka
The Panavia Tornado stands as a testament to international cooperation in military aviation. Developed by Britain, Germany, and Italy in the 1970s, the Tornado has excelled in various roles, from low-level penetration to reconnaissance with 990 units produced between 1974 and 1998.
Its swing-wing design and advanced avionics made it a formidable force with use by Italy, Saudi Arabia and the United Kingdom during the Gulf War alongside combat operations throughout the Middle East, Eastern Europe and North Africa. Beyond its combat capabilities, the Tornado paved the way for further collaborative efforts in European defence. As it phases out of service, the legacy of the Tornado lives on as a symbol of innovation and cooperation in aviation history.
The new anniversary livery pays homage to the history of the Tornado with a combination of paint schemes from its original white and red test scheme through to a splinter camo reminiscent of the types former green camo and the current grey blue scheme, showing the evolution of the Tornado to its modern standards.
We will surely miss the Tornado, as it is getting more and more rare in the skies. So catch them whilst you can!
