PHOTO and VIDEO: Libyan Navy frigate burns after NATO airstrike

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Smoke and flames pour from the Libyan Navy frigate Al Ghardabia, after it was hit during an airstrike by Tornado bombers of Britain's Royal Air Force on the port area of Tripoli, in the early hours of Friday May 20, 2011. NATO confirmed that its warplanes targeted the vessels and accused Libya of using its ships in the escalating conflict, including attempts to mine the harbor in Misrata. Rebels trying to end the nearly 40-year rule of Libyan leader Moammar Gadhafi have been struggling to hold the Western city of Misrata against repeated attacks by forces loyal to Gadhafi. (AP Photo)

Meanwhile, Russia Today has video footage of the strike on the Al Ghardabia, as well as cockpit video of the strikes on Libyan warships, released by the RAF.



Base Leg Note: The Al Ghardabia (213) is a Russian/Soviet-built Project 1159 (Koni-class) frigate. Libya operated two such frigates, but the Al Hani (212) was captured by rebels in Benghazi earlier in the Libyan civil war.

RAF Typhoon hits targets in Libya with help from Tornado

In concert with the RAF's Panavia Tornado GR4 fleet, an RAF Typhoon has again been in action against Libyan ground forces. Enhanced Paveway II and Paveway IV bombs were used, with designation provided the Tornado's Rafael Litening III targeting pod.

RAF Tornadoes to get Helmet-Mounted Cueing System

BAE Systems is responding to an urgent operational requirement to equip the RAF's Tornado fleet with a Helmet Mounted Cueing System. The helmet mounted cueing system had already been developed and deployed on the RAF's now-defunct Harrier fleet.

VIDEO: RAF Tornado hits pro-Gaddafi forces' tank with Brimstone

NATO released aerial footage on Friday showing operation Unified Protector forces using a missile to strike a pro-Gadhafi tank operating in Misrata. The images, filmed by a British Royal Air Force Tornado GR4 surveying the area before the strike, show the tank being used to spearhead an attack in the city, according to NATO. The RAF jet filmed the tank firing it's gun as it circled overhead. The moment of impact of the Brimstone missile appears clearly on the footage, creating a huge cloud of smoke which clears to show the burning debris of the tank. Ground forces can then been seen fleeing from the area near where the missile struck.

RAF beefs up Libya strike force with four more Tornadoes

It has been announced that the RAF will deploy four more Tornadoes to Operation Unified Protector over Libya. The Marham-based Tornados will help fill gaps left by US forces, which have ceased most combat operations over Libya.

RAF Tornados attack Libyan armoured vehicles with Brimstones

UK Defence Secretary Dr Liam Fox has announced the first reported use of the Brimstone precision guided missile over Libya when RAF Tornadoes attacked armoured vehicles belonging to pro-Gaddafi forces during a armed reconnaissance mission mission near Ajdabiya.

RAF details Typhoon, Tornado operations in Operation Ellamy

With its aircraft playing a leading part in the effort against Libya so far, the RAF has released more details on its Typhoon and Tornado operations in Operation Ellamy. These include mission types, weapon loads and bases of operations.

RAF retires its last Tornado F3 fighters

After a service life spanning 25 years, the Royal Air Force has stood down its last Panavia Tornado F.3 with the disbandment of 111 Sqn, which has flown F3s from RAF Leuchars in Scotland since 1990.

RAF strikes Libya from Marham, longest mission since Falklands

In the RAF's longest mission since the Black Buck missions flown by its Avro Vulcans during the 1982 Falklands conflict, Tornadoes from RAF Marham have struck a target, said to be part of Libya's Integrated Air Defence System near Tripoli by flying a 3000-mile mission. The operation was supported by VC10 and Tristar tankers as well as E-3D Sentry and Sentinel surveillance aircraft.

UK, Canada offer aircraft to enforce Libyan no-fly zone

In a swift response to UNSC Resolution 1973, Britain has said it will send Typhoon and Tornado fighter jets to help enforce a no-fly zone over Libya. The move follows Canada's pledging six CF-18s for the enforcement action, joining Denmark who has already pledged its F-16s.

PHOTO: RAF Tornado in commemorative scheme at Red Flag

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NELLIS AIR FORCE BASE, Nev. -- A Royal Air Force Tornado GR4 returns from a flight during Red Flag 11-3, March 1. Red Flag is a realistic combat training exercise involving the air forces of the United States and its allies. The exercise takes place north of Las Vegas on the Nevada Test and Training Range--the U.S. Air Force's premier military training area with more than 12,000 square miles of airspace and 2.9 million acres of land. (U.S. Air Force photo by Tech Sgt. Michael R. Holzworth)

2 more RAF Tornado squadrons to decommission

Two of the UK Royal Air Force's Panavia Tornado GR4 squadrons are to be decommissioned at the beginning of June, as the service's fleet of the type will be reduced to 136 aircraft. The two squadrons are RAF 13 Sqn and 14 Sqn, which are based at Marham and Lossiemouth respectively.

RAF 111 Sqn to disband next month

After nearly a century of existence, 111 Sqn at RAF Leuchars will disband with its Tornado F.3 interceptors next month. The squadron was formed in Palestine in 1917 and has served in numerous conflicts since then.

Further cuts could cost RAF its fleet of Tornados

And the cuts keep coming; The RAF's remaining Tornado ground attack aircraft could be rushed out of service because of a fresh spending crisis at the Ministry of Defence. If this option is chosen, the immediate withdrawal of the RAF's eight Tornado fighters in Afghanistan will occur, followed by an accelerated withdrawal of the rest of the fleet within three years.

ISR needs puts fighters in Surveillance Role

Aviationweek looks at how changing combat conditions in Afghanistan and the advent of high-resolution pod-mounted sensors have seen fighter aircraft being used in what we now know as Non-Traditional Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance (NTISR). Targeting, reconnaissance and Synthetic-Aperture Radar pods are now a vital weapons in the arsenal against the insurgency.

RAF Tornado crashes off Scotland, pilots eject

A Royal Air Force Tornado GR.4 has crashed off the west coast of Scotland after reporting a fire on board the aircraft. Both crew successfully ejected and have been picked up by a Search and Rescue helicopter. The Tornado was from one of three squadrons based at nearby Lossiemouth.

RAF bracing for Tornadoes, Chinooks to face further cuts

Hot on the heels of losing its Harriers and Nimrods, the RAF is bracing itself for further budget and capability cuts with its Tornadoes being slashed by more than half to just 60 jets, along with 12 Chinooks ordered by the previous government.

Italian air force accepts first Tornado IDS with mid-life update

Alenia Aeronautica has delivered the first Panavia Tornado upgraded to "basic full mid-life update" status to the Italian air force. The aircraft is the first of 15 aircraft being upgraded under a contract awarded in October 2007. The Italian Air Force has recently announced that its remaining Tornadoes will undergo a more comprehensive upgrade.

RAF's 14 Sqn Tornadoes return from Afghanistan

After 450 missions and over 1,700 flight hours, the Tornado GR.4s of RAF 14 Sqn have returned to RAF Lossiemouth after a four month Afghan deployment. During this time, the squadron launched Paveway laser-guided bombs, Brimstone missiles and took over 1,100 reconnaissance images.

Italy to complete Mid-Life upgrades of Tornado fleet

The Italian Air Force has awarded a contract to carry out a Mid-Life Upgrade of 25 Tornado strike aircraft. Most of the work will be carried out by Finmeccanica’s Alenia Aeronautica with deliveries running until 2015. The Air Force already has 33 Tornadoes upgraded to an earlier MLU standard.