The Return of the RAF: Tornado GR.4 and King Air

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The Return of the RAF: Tornado GR.4 and King Air

27.04.2015, 15:15

The British Royal Air Force comes back to the NATO Days in Ostrava & Czech Air Force Days after a one-year break. It will bring aircraft that could be seen for the last time in 2013 - fighter bomber Tornado GR.4 and trainer airplane King Air.

The United Kingdom presented itself at the Ostrava-Mosnov airport for the first time in 2003, when the airport was a venue of the event for the first time as well. Since than it has missed only in 2014 and the UK is one of the most traditional foreign participants. It was represented by the British Military Advisory and Training Team deplyed in Vyskov in 2004 and 2005, since 2005 the Royal Air Force has been participating and so it was exactly ten years ago, when first British Tornados (F3 variant) arrived to the Mosnov airport. "Although Poland and Slovakia took part in the event sooner than the UK, we can say it was Britons who brought other foreign participants to the event and so it stood at the beginning of present-day NATO Days," states Zbyněk Pavlačík, chairman of Jagello 2000, main organizing agency. "We hope that the British Tornado will please those, who expected this aircraft as a part of German group.

Panavia Tornado GR.4 participated for the first time in 2006. It is twin-engine, variable-sweep wing fighter bomber excelling at low-level penetration of enemy defences and designed for attacks against ground targets in enemy territory. Tornados were deployed in Iraq, Afghanistan, Libya and now they participate in aerial campaign against the Islamic state

On the contrary, Beechcraft King Air is utility aircraft used by the RAF especially for pilots' training, but it can also transport up to 13 passangers.

Visitors of previous NATO Days in Ostrava could enjoy flying displays of both Tornado (F3 variant) and King Air in 2013, this year both aircraft will be stationed at static display.