There are (parts of) retired British Tornado jets launching Storm Shadow missiles over Ukraine.
The weapons pylon adapter for the Ukrainian Su-24 aircraft that are launching Storm Shadow missiles against Russian targets come from out-of-service RAF Tornado jets.
Yes, there are (parts of) RAF Tornadoes launching Storm Shadow over Ukraine.
UK Defence Journal contributor OSINTtechnical tweeted:
“It has been brought to my attention that the weapons pylon adapter for the Ukrainian Su-24 Storm Shadow has been borrowed from an out of service RAF Tornado. Yes, there are (parts of) RAF Tornadoes launching Storm Shadow over Ukraine.”
— OSINTtechnical (@Osinttechnical) July 2, 2023
Storm Shadow
Storm Shadow is a long-range, air-launched, stand-off attack missile developed by MBDA for the United Kingdom, France, and Italy, capable of engaging strongpoints and hardened bunkers with high precision.
Defence Secretary Ben Wallace announced that the Storm Shadow cruise missiles given to Ukraine were striking targets with precision as the country continued to fight off Russia’s invasion.
“The Storm Shadow missile has had a significant impact on the battlefield,” Mr Wallace said in a statement to the House of Commons.
“Its accuracy and ability to deliver successfully the payload, as sent and designed by the Ukrainians, has been almost without fault.”
The Tornado
The Panavia Tornado GR4 was a twin-engine, variable-sweep wing combat aircraft, used by the Royal Air Force (RAF) among other international air forces. It was a heavily upgraded version of the initial Tornado IDS (Interdictor/Strike) aircraft and was designed to conduct low-level, high-speed flight for ground-attack and reconnaissance missions.
The Tornado GR4 featured numerous advanced systems that provided it with a wide array of capabilities. This included advanced avionics, navigation systems, and a robust weapon carrying capacity for air-to-surface missiles, as well as various types of bombs. The aircraft was also noted for its Terrain Following Radar, which enabled it to conduct automated low-level flight, and its Swing-wing design that provided both excellent high-speed and low-speed flight characteristics.
The Tornado GR4 was officially retired from service with the RAF on April 1, 2019, marking the end of four decades of service.
Well at least part of a Tonka has has managed to deliver on what it was designed to do… Ie rain destruction down on ivans head.
I think all of us past a certain age, spent a lot of time over the past few decades wondering how/what/when/if NATO weapons would perform in a war with Russia. Seemingly it would appear it all to easy for Nato?
I don’t think I’m being too optimistic when I say an all out conventional war between NATO and Russia would be a 1 week affair at most.
The only profound issue if risk is the nuclear escalation…with the massive MAD level of Nuclear weapons Russia would become somewhat of just an irritation to nato ( on the scale of Iran ).
Russia would get the worst of any kind of war conventional or Nuclear .Nato will have far better delivery and defence against nukes .
Hi Peter I’m affraid a nuclear exchange is an everyone dies event. There is not realist defence against a strategic nuclear deterrent..the U.S. would May manage to knock our maybe 5-10 warheads ( the equivalent of 1-2 ICBMs) if it’s lucky…both Russia an the west would be consumed by around a thousand warheads each and the rest of humanity ( Africa, China, South America Australia ect) would spend a few years all starving to death…within a decade if humanity is lucky you may still have a few populations of hunter gathers in say the far north or other isolated areas where the skill of living as a hunter never died…
The issue is black soot and the new models of the effects of black soot on crops..now models show that a 100 warhead exchange will cut he worlds food production by around 10% for just under a decade..so I’d Pakistan and India kicked off, around 10% of the world’s population starves if Russian and the west fife off their 2000+ warheads there is no food production for a decade…..everyone who was not killed in the exchange dies of starvation…..that’s it end of human civilisation, back to the Stone Age with a few 10s of thousands of souls left on the plant ( yes metal takes civilisation) if we are luck.
Imo 24 hours job done .
Yep. Nato would be on its knees. Out of ammo, equipment and “man” power.
hahaha….whatever you say buddy 😂
The Russian weapons have iterated much. Most of it is warmed up Cold War stuff.
However, the biggest issue is the utter incompetence of the tactics, maintenance, leadership and training. I find that jaw dropping TBH.
If the Russian systems were used properly things would be a lot harder for Ukraine. But that requires tactics and training.
NATO weapons have iterated mainly to do with Mad Vlad’s boats and Chinese claims. So NATO has a massive tech margin over Russia – Russia never had a meaningful electronics industry.
It is recycling so environmentally friendly: what us not to like?
Removing Orcs from the Ukrainian environment is also helping us have a better planet.
The Warzone knocked out a very interesting article (with video) of the Russians launching a shed load of AAA missiles at a incoming Stormshadow and missing with the final frame of that Storm shadow htting its target.
Looking at the video the bottom half has been blurred so as not to give away any info of the target area, however right on the last frame it become clear showing a very flat clear area, which leads me to believe that the target is Berdyansk airport (40 miles west of Mariupol) which saw the Russians redeploy loads of Helicopters in which to afford CAS to Russian positions under Ukrainian attack. Now it was hit the other day by something, with the Russians even stating that they shot down the incoming StormShadows. Well video from the city showed numerous small mushroom clouds over the airfield and the above video might be a much closer look.
Futher to my last here is a Kyiv post news article on the above strike , where they point out that the Russians have/had redeployed a large number (29) of attack helicopters to the airfield.
It has been well reported that one of the bugbares for the Ukrainian counter offensive has been Russian attack helicopters using 9K121 Vikhr Anti tank missiles to deadly effect out of range of Ukrainian SHORAD
So I suspect the Ukrainians decided to mitigate that problem at source.
Yes and Storm Shadow is the ideal weapon system to do this. Where the Russian air forces have failed is keeping a large number of helicopters at a single base, why not disperse them? Also they should of intercepted the Su24 aircraft before it launched the Storm Shadow, it must show up on russian radars the minute it is launched. Why haven’t they gained air dominance?
Primarily because they are Donkeys. 😀
The fact that Ukraine even has planes at this stage much less planes it has had since the start and can launch cruise missiles shows how inept the Donkeys are.
S400 is clearly nothing like it was cracked up to be.
UKR SU24s probably dodging radar flying at very low level plus countermeasures/jamming/spoofing pods etc.
How many parked up helicopters would one Storm Shadow hit destroy with its blast radius? Roughly?
I’m assuming not quite 29.
29 sounds like a significant chunk of what Russia have (had?) left.
I realise most western countries have discarded their cluster munitions but I do wonder if France still has some Apache Missiles ? They are the predecessor to Storm Shadow / Scalp but carried cluster bomb munitions foe precisely this sort of operation.
Il a été retiré et mis en sommeil depuis 2008-2009.
Merci c’est en tres dommage.
50 years since school boy french so I hope I got that right.😎
👍
We probably have our JP232’s sat in a warehouse somewhere: deactivated for sure but I doubt destroyed.
But are constrained by international treaties from giving them away.
I wonder how the footage got released. Not the kind of thing the Orc’s what people seeing.
Whilst the subject is the Ukraine, here is a video of a Russian T62 driving down the road, when it comes across a line of surface laid anti-tank mines.
How can Ukraine still have an operational airforce? Why haven’t Russia destroyed all the air bases and gained air dominance over Ukraine? Is it a failure of Russian technology or a failure of tactics? I personally think it is a combination of both, but more so on the tactics used. It all shows the importance of SEAD. The RAF in my opinion gave up too many of it’s capabilities too soon. One example is the GR4/Alarm weapon system. I would also say the Torndao would be a way more effective weapon system for Ukraine than the F16. The Tornado is faster at lower level, has a much greater payload, and more importantly much longer range. I can’t see the F16 being effective without AAR. Also it won’t be able to carry weapons like Storm Shadow. Granted the Tornado would more vulnerable to the Su35, but staying low and fast I reckon it could stand a chance of escaping an interception. Finally there must be 100s of surplus Tornado airframes available across Europe?
F3 would have actually been a useful capability for Ukraine.
As an interceptor against Shahed and Cruise Missiles it could have conducted long duration patrols to close gaps in Ukrainian air defences. Amraam, Sky Flash, Sidewinder and Asraam would have been more than capable at swatting Russian missiles down.
Amazing what war does to industry. Strip out the layers of management and bureaucracy and let the engineers deal with the aircraft technicians directly, you get quick effective results like this. Maybe now is time to “stick” meteor on the su27, then you get a weapon system to take on the russisn su35.
Meteor would need a full integration to the weapons system and radar. It needs the use of a data link for long range engagements.
Complete non-starter I’m afraid..
Perhaps not, I’ll say no more!
You know that Tornado pylon device in a Su-24 violated probably a hundred of regulations including racial and genre assessments.
I bet British Universities did not get their usual cut…
Most of the Tornado F3 and GR4 aircraft were cut up for spares. A small number are used as ground instructional airframes at RAF Cosford and Honington among others. I don’t know what the Germans and Italians have done with their surplus jets (if they have any?)
It is a failing of both. Intrinsically the Russian Air Force (RuAF) have failed to push and maintain the air offensive. This is perhaps due to the lack of precision guided stand-off weapons, but also a lack of direction. Especially when faced by an enemy that has has a say in events. Their previous experiences of Syria, Georgia and Chechnya. Were predominantly facing little opposition. That their sheer numbers quickly overwhelmed.
Their greatest failing, is the mission to pacify and then continue with the suppression/destruction of enemy air defences. From Day 1, the RuAF should have made the Ukrainian air defences their top priority. Instead they used Cruise missiles and Iskander to target fixed SAM and radar sites. Which succeeded in knocking out about 50% of Ukraines air defences. But if failed to follow this up by hunting for and targeting the mobile SAMs.
If they had succeeded, then their newer Su-30/35s etc would then have air dominance of Ukraine’s Air Force. Once the Mig-29s and Su27s were dealt with, then they could have provided better close air support (CAS) to their troops on the ground. But they didn’t! In air power terms, it has been an unmitigated disaster.
In years to come, they will using the RuAF as the prime example of what not to do in a modern air campaign!
Sadly most of the RAF F3s were chopped up, though some went to Saudi as Christmas Trees. Similarly the GR4s were knackered. A lot of them had cracks in the titanium wing boxes, that were being monitored for crack propagation. They would have needed either properly repairing by BAe by specialist welding or have new wing boxes manufactured, not cheap either way.
The Tornado GR4 could fire the HARM missile as could the F3.
Shows what can be done, getting BAE to integrate stowmshadow on typhoon cost £500 million. They can stick it on Su24 for a couple of quid and do it in a few months.
Exactly, remove the red tape and continuous approval processes along with an element of health and safety and its amazing what can be achieved with old bits laying around in a shed.
Simplistic twaddle sorry
Please explain!
“N UK thenationalnews.com…” Britain is looking to buy the advanced Israeli-made Rampage supersonic missile, to replace Storm Shadows sent to Ukraine. A defence source told The National that the British had looked at the missile during a recent trip. “The RAF contingent recently visited Israel to look at the Rampage and they were impressed” the source said.”They are looking to mount it on their Typhoon fighters to gto “Thive them much more firepower” Hm…
Mmm why on earth would we do that when the replacement FC/ASW is due in 2028. We can just build more Storm Shadows in the meantime.
I am just amazed by it too, like you. Regards…
Rampage is a lot cheaper…
It’s essentially an air launched GMLRS…
If we were going to do anything it would be an air launched PrSM or GMLRS-ER
But….there is no way we’ll buy Rampage…we don’t really want more Israeli weapons (there is also the Sky Sniper from Israel as well).
All good news to start your Sunday and France is following suit it appears with the delivery of SCALP-EG.
I wonder if Germany has any spare parts for them as well as a donation of some of its retiring 93 Tornado GR4s.
Excellent, hopefully France will match us, missile by missile, hopefully before they melt down into full civil war and start lobbing them at each other!!!
We can expect the French to start coming over in small boats to escape a decidedly unstable country soon.
No doubt it’s Brexit fault too.
Re Germany, no, no chance, they won’t provide Taurus missiles, or surplus Tornado IDS.
If the Ukrainians replaced Fencer with IDS, it would give Ivan a major headache!
You would have thought they could spare a few including Tornados.
24 May 2023
“According to reports, the German military acquired around 600 Taurus missiles of which only around 150 are kept at operational readiness at any given time. Each of those missiles cost around $1 million, around 10 years ago.
They can’t.
Their SCALP purchase was less than half the UK’s purchase. They were also looking to reduce their stockpile to 100 from c400 in 2019..
All fur no knickers are the French Armed Forces…its across the board with complex weapons.
It appears that France has a useful stockpile to hand.
Between 440-460.
https://twitter.com/FRHoffmann1/status/1660356936859107349/photo/1
That article is speculative and out of date.
France confirmed a week ago that they were ‘contemplating’ sending c50 SCALP at some indeterminate point in the future.
So not any time soon…
16.05.2023 10:34
Macron announced that France will transfer SCALP-EG long-range missiles to Ukraine: what is known
“French President Emmanuel Macron said this in an interview with TF1 on May 15.
He stressed that France’s strategy is to “help Ukraine to hold out, to bring everyone back to the negotiating table.
In addition, he said, Paris is negotiating with a number of countries to “train pilots. Macron also spoke out about supplying Ukraine with aeroplanes.
“We are not waging war against Russia, we are helping Ukraine to resist the Russian aggressor.”
What a slippery way to talk. I bet his expenses account is described as mr macron doesn’t enjoy making large expenses claims, as president he leads by example to lubricate the wheels of commerce as a way to resist shrinkage in growth of the luxury goods market.
Is MBDA still able to produce storm shadow, as it’s a great equaliser for Ukraine and I suspect they would like to fire off a lot of them.
I think bits long out of production, probably most of its avionics are obsolete too.
So that’s a no go, it’s replacement is on the way now and should be fielded within 5 years.
The UK is clearly happy to risk a relitivly intact example falling into Ivan’s hands, so it shows the level of obsolescence. The missile was fielded in 2003 and uses 1990’s technology.
So we just need to ensure we we can get the replacement inservice as soon as and hand as many as practicable to Ukraine.
Absolutely, it’s still more than capable of dropping the hammer on Ivan, so I would feed as many as we can without cleaning ourselves out, surely we can donate 100, hopefully France will donate a few dozen…
Storm shadow underwent upgrades and refurbishment starting in 2017
“The regeneration will consist of a midlife refurbishment of current missile parts such as the turbo-jet engine, an upgrade of the navigational system, and a like for like replacement of items such as the cabling, seals and gaskets.”
Posted a link to UKDJ article on it but still awaiting approval
You are still probably right that it couldn’t go back into production but it’s not quite entirely 90s tech
It is interesting and sad at the same time that when needs must, system integration can take weeks vs. the eventually ready years & years way of doing things. If I said lets adapt P-8s to drop StringRay now, I wonder how long it would take to get it working if one cuts through all the red tape.
I would guess Storm Shadow has a rudimentary integration on Su24, we must have had a team in Ukraine working the problem.
We’ve had to develop an interface rail that fits into the old Soviet era pylon at the top and mimics Tornado GR4 interface below.
Incredibly Impressive speed of integration with little to no opportunity to test fly inert shapes, check its effect on aerodynamics etc, etc…
I’m guessing a simplified pre programmed target and mission profile set before takeoff, with a separate box of tricks ‘gaffer taped’ in the Su24 avionics bay, with its own dedicated wiring and spliced into the weapons release wiring.
I dare say the aircraft just ‘thinks’ it’s dropping an iron bomb…
Excellent work by all 👍
It all depends on who signs off the risk. If the cack hit the fan, it is certain that the MoD will sign off the risk. During peacetime the integration process takes so long because both the “supplier” and “customer” strife to reduce the threat to life as low as reasonably possible.
Integrating the P8 with an air dropped Stingray could be relatively painless. Both the US MK54 and Stingray communicate with the mission computer (MC) via MIL-STD-1553B databus. SO a lot of the communication side o fo things would be fairly straight forward. However, the P8’s MC will need programming to recognize the Stingray along with its launch parameters. For example when used from Nimrod, Stingray had a max drop height of around 500ft.Which is a lot lower than the Mk54 with the wing kit fitted. One of the key issues that would need modelling and testing. Which is how does the Stingray behave when released from the aircraft? For example how does the airstream around the bomb bay make the Stingray react? The computational fluid dynamics sadly will take months, as a lot will depend on whether Boeing hand over air flow data. Besides as soon as you get Boeing involved, the price immediately triples!
Lot easier on a helo as torps where fitted with aerodynamic/anti icing Type B nose caps .
As you said the wing kit is the issue although I am not even sure its in service yet…trialled yes but not in full service.
Other issues for Sting Ray are the need to remove the battery port cover (which also precludes its use on ASROC). Mk 54 is just straight forward arming wires, umbilical’s and a stabilising drogue chute that detaches on water entry. Sting Ray is wires and a drogue which unscrews in the water ( to stop plunging) but the battery cover needs to be removed and it takes quite a force to remove it. You also need to retain it so it doesnt flat around damaging stuff on the aircraft.
Surprised Stingray doesn’t use a detachable umbilical for power, like most weapon systems these days? Some systems like ASRAAM can either have one or two umbilicals depending on “customer” preference. Where the two umbilcal method has just power etc going through one, whilst the other is for the databus. Pretty certain BAe could do the same for Stiingray.
Are there any Tornado or other jets in storage that could, be activated in an emergency?
Related, the UK is looking to buy an Israeli alternative, Rampage missile to replace Storm Shadow short term. Either because its cheaper or MBDA can’t manufacture more in a reasonable time frame. I’d be telling MBDA to sharpen their pencil and get their finger out instead.
https://www.defense-aerospace.com/uk-looks-to-buy-israeli-stand-off-missile/
UK MOD meeting its Sustainability targets at last LOL
I wonder… If Pukin is really as ‘sick’ as they say, when he gets nearer his demise, would he launch Nukes for the ‘hell of it’?