High value 250 g/m2 silky luster paper poster at the size of DIN A3 (420x297 mm, 16 1/2 x 11 3/4'') with aircraft scheme and textual descriptions. All text in german language! DIN A2 and DIN A1 versions are optional, but will be printed after reception of the order which means a delay of ca. 1 week for the shipping.
Background storyThe German Luftwaffe Combat Wing 1 was mainly formed from parts of Fighterbomber Wing 32 from Lechfeld and Recce Wing 51 "Immelmann" from Jagel/Schleswig. The order was given from the German Parliament with decission from June 30 1995. CW-1 was stationed at the Italian Airforce base Piacenca. Up to 14 RECCE and ECR TORNADO were provided to the wing to support the UN peace mission in the former Yugoslavia. The first operational mission took off from Piacenza August 7 1995. German TORNADO ECR accompanied american fighter jets into the airspace above Sarajewo and had the task to protect the allies against radar guided airdefense missiles. From 1995 until 1999 the ECR and RECCE Tornados supported the NATO rapid reaction ground forces and the UN missions UNPROFOR, IFOR and SFOR. The first Luftwaffe active war-type combat mission after WW II started in the evening of March 24 1999 with the beginning of operation ALLIED FORCE in the escalating Kosovo conflikt. On base of the decission of the german parliament dated October 16 1998 Combat Wing 1 flew 66 RECCE missions and 438 ECR SEAD (suppression of enemy air defense) missions. With this it provided important reconnaissance information and protection for the allied airplanes. After 79 days the operation ended June 10 1999. Until the decommissioning of CW-1 in August 2001 overall 2559 operational ECR missions and 4715 RECCE mission with more than 13000 recce targets were flown. There were no own losses during the whole mission.
ECR TORNADO
With the IDS (interdictor strike) version of the
TORNADO german Luftwaffe and Marine owed since years a tactical fighter
jet with great firepower, range and survivability which allowed the
effective combat against targets at day and at night and under all
weather conditions. Based on this system the TORNADO ECR (Electronic
Combat and Reconnaissance) was created and introduced. The basic change
of the ECR was the so called "1st avionic upgrade" of the IDS version.
Also added were stronger Turbo Union RB-199 Mk-105 engines (Mk-101 and
Mk-103 has the IDS).
ECR TORNADO armament
A key element in
development of the ECR TORNADO is the integration of the
"fire-and-foret" anti-RADAR missile HARM (High Speed Anti-Radiation
Missile). In co-operation with the newly developed ELS (Emitter Locator
System) which makes it possible to pin-point threatening radars of SAMs
(surface-to-air missiles) this forms an unbeatable and reliable (and
worldwide unique) team of sensor and weapon. For self defense the ECR
TORNADO carries 2 IR guided AIM-9L(i) "Sidewinder" air-to-air missiles,
the electronic warfare jammer "Cerberus III" (C-III) and the chaff and
flare dispenser BOZ-101.