The Panavia Tornado, a Cold War-era multirole fighter, was a cornerstone of European and Middle Eastern air power for over four decades. However, the Tornado’s tenure is coming to a close. Although highly adaptable and enduring, the Tornado is being phased out in favor of modern aircraft such as the Eurofighter Typhoon and Lockheed Martin’s F-35 Lightning II. The Tornado’s best days are behind it. After enduring heavy use in conflicts such as Desert Storm, Kosovo, Iraq, and Afghanistan, the Tornado is gradually being relegated to obscurity.

The Tornado—developed as a multinational partnership between the United Kingdom, West Germany, and Italy—proved itself to be a highly adaptable platform, fit for a wide range of combat roles. The most notable........

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