BAE Receives Tornado Weapon Upgrade Contract

The UK Ministry of Defence (MoD) has awarded BAE Systems a contract to integrate improved weaponry on the Royal Air Force’s (RAF) Tornado GR4 fleet.

BAE will upgrade and integrate the insensitive munition (IM) variant of the duml Mode Brimstone guided missile on Tornado GR4 aircarft.

The weapon will provide the RAF with a low collateral, precision attack capability against manoeuvring and fixed targets, and form part of the selective precision effects at range (SPEAR) system.

BAE will carry out a series of flight trials in 2011 at its Warton site to verify that the Tornado GR4s are ready to carry and deploy the weapon.

The RAF currently operates Tornado GR4 aircraft from its bases at Marham and Lossiemouth, and has also deployed the aircraft in Afghanistan.