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PygmalionOfCyprus / cmo-db-requests

Public issue/request tracking for the Command: Modern Operations database
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Tornado F.3 Link 16/JTIDS Update #4290

Open TempestII opened 6 months ago

TempestII commented 6 months ago

DB Selector

DB3K

Affected DBID(s)

1149, 1586, 1684, 1685

Summary of Changes

RAF Tornado F.3s had been upgraded with Link 16 / JTIDS and secure comms by the time Operation Telic started, are confirmed to have been used operationally in early 2003. Therefore: Add Comms ID 52; Add Comms ID 187; to 1149, 1586, 1684, 1685.

I'm unable to find exactly when L16 was added, so it could have been earlier than these variants.

Sources

https://theaviationgeekclub.com/raf-tornado-f3-crew-members-tell-the-story-of-a-tense-mission-flown-to-intercept-an-iraf-mig-25-foxbat-the-night-before-the-beginning-of-operation-iraqi-freedom/

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Panavia_Tornado_ADV

claudejdev commented 6 months ago

Larry Bond, Chris Carlson, & Peter Grining "Commonwealth Aircraft - Aircraft of the United Kingdom, Australia, Canada, and New Zealand 1955 - 2023", Jan. 2024

That would mean adding Link 16 to ID 1151 and 483 too.

Piggybacking a bit, if you don't mind, TempestII :

German IDS would have Link 16 from 2012 (In 2010, ASSTA Standard 3 update) Leek, Michael. The Panavia Tornado: A Photographic Tribute. 2015. Page 308. That's for ID 2699 and 3808.

PS: as mentioned on several occasions, I'm willing to share, in fair use, all my resources with any DB contributor. Just reach out on the forum or Discord. I can't process everything by myself and there are thousands of suggestions that could still be made from that material.

TempestII commented 6 months ago
  • 1994: Link 16 data link fitted to No.5, 29, 111 Sqn aircraft (two squadrons sets delivered) - limited to using radar or Link 16 in the same increment.
  • 1998-02: 116 remain - 100 undergo Capability Sustainment Programme (CSP) with internal 3rd Gen radar decoys vice Phimat pod. All fitted with Link 16, can use Link 16 and radar in same increment. Fitted with NVG from 41st CSP (2000).

Larry Bond, Chris Carlson, & Peter Grining "Commonwealth Aircraft - Aircraft of the United Kingdom, Australia, Canada, and New Zealand 1955 - 2023", Jan. 2024

That would mean adding Link 16 to ID 1151 and 483 too.

Piggybacking a bit, if you don't mind, TempestII :

German IDS would have Link 16 from 2012 (In 2010, ASSTA Standard 3 update) Leek, Michael. The Panavia Tornado: A Photographic Tribute. 2015. Page 308. That's for ID 2699 and 3808.

PS: as mentioned on several occasions, I'm willing to share, in fair use, all my resources with any DB contributor. Just reach out on the forum or Discord. I can't process everything by myself and there are thousands of suggestions that could still be made from that material.

Many thanks for chipping in! Do your sources indicate if RAF GR.1s of GR.4s ever got Link 16? I've been looking online trying to confirm, and I've found a source that said the GR.4 had L16 towards the end of the Afghanistan campaign, maybe from 2013.

https://www.key.aero/article/raf-tornados-steadfast-strikers

claudejdev commented 6 months ago

From the same source:

Tornado GR.1, GR.1A, GR.1B

Tornado GR.4, GR.4A

Cheers