Tornado GR4 cockpit upgrade contract signed

THE MOD AND BAE SYSTEMS SIGN £82M TORNADO CONTRACT

The Defence Logistics Organisation, part of the Ministry of Defence (MOD), and BAE Systems have announced the award of a cockpit upgrade contract worth some £82 million for the MOD’s fleet of Tornado GR4 aircraft.

The contract will replace 1970s wet film and display processing technologies with a new pilot multi-functional display (PMFD) integrated with a new radar and navigator’s map processor known as the Tornado Advanced Radar Display and Information System (TARDIS). TARDIS is supplied by BAE Systems Platform Solutions Sector, and the PMFD by Astronautics.

The proposed design incorporates the latest display and map-generation technology and includes future growth expansion capabilities. The display systems are vital to operations and provide the prime navigational and attack displays used throughout a sortie.

As prime contractor and design authority BAE Systems Customer Solutions & Support (CS&S) will begin fitting the equipment in July 2004 to meet an In Service Date of August 2006.

Air Commodore Nigel Bairsto, Tornado Integrated Project Team Leader, DLO Equipment Support (Air) said, “This contract represents an excellent deal for the Armed Forces and the taxpayer. The avionics upgrade will ensure the Tornado GR4 can meet any future operational requirements. This contract award is a good example of some of the excellent work that is being done by the DLO in partnership with industry and is part of ongoing work to ensure Tornado continues to evolve and remain the RAF’s weapon of choice.”

Mark Greenhalgh, CS&S Director Strike Operations, said, “This capability improvement builds on the major GR4 upgrade programme which delivered the last of 142 aircraft on time and to cost in June 2003. We will fit the TARDIS equipment at RAF stations during routine maintenance to minimise disruption, cost and downtime for the GR4 fleet.”

GR4 upgrades for Saudi Arabia?

According to Middle East defence sources, BAE has been negotiating to upgrade the fleet of Tornado warplanes it sold to the Saudi regime under the original highly lucrative Al Yamamah deals which began in 1985.

The RAF is currently refitting its own Tornados with modernised avionics and “smart” weapons systems. These are the kinds of upgrades BAE now wants to sell to the Saudis.

In a statement the company said: “BAE Systems gives information to ECGD (export credits guarantee department) in accordance with the procedures they have laid down for the provision of ECGD cover. In all cases where ECGD cover has been put into effect, BAE Systems has provided ECGD all required information.”