First Tornado ASSTA 3.0 upgrade aircraft makes maiden flight

Manching: CASSIDIAN has announced the the first flight of latest capability standard ASSTA 3.0 (Avionics System Software Tornado Ada) for the German Air Force fleet of Tornado combat aircraft. The first ASSTA 3.0 production aircraft performed its functional maiden flight at Cassidian’s Manching site on 8 February. Over the next few months, the company is scheduled to finalise and certify the ASSTA 3.0 software. The first Tornados upgraded is expected to be delivered to the German Air Force in mid-2012 as planned. Tornados remain in service until beyond 2025.

In addition to installation of MIDS (Multifunctional Information Distribution System / Link 16), the ASSTA 3.0 standard includes a state-of-the-art radio device, a digital video and voice recorder (DVDR), and the integrated Laser Joint Direct Attack Munition (LJDAM) which can be guided to its target by means of satellite navigation or by laser. While activities for ASSTA 3.0 are ongoing, the

development of version 3.1 has already begun. This involves replacing the old monochrome TV/tabs with colour displays (L/RNHDD) and integrating the MIDS Basic Package with full Mission Control/Situation display and the video images from the Light Designator Pod and the Recce Light Pod.

Led by Panavia GmbH, Cassidian is responsible for the project management, development, manufacture and installation of the combat efficiency improvements for the German Tornados in close cooperation with Alenia Aeronautica in Italy and BAE Systems in the UK. As an industrial partner in the trinational Tornado programme, Cassidian was in charge of developing and manufacturing all of the Tornado’s centre fuselage sections, and was also responsible for the avionics, the communication system, the flight control computer and the aircraft’s entire computer system.