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In spring 2019 it was decided that if the reconnaissance mission was extended as part of the Counter Daesh mandate, the Eurofighter would initially support the Tornado and later completelyshould replace.

The RecceLite II reconnaissance container was not intended for use on the Eurofighter until the start of this project. Until then, it had only been used in the Air Force with the Tornado weapon system. After the members of the Tornado squadron had been deployed in Afghanistan, Turkey and Jordan in recent years, it was necessary to look for alternatives in order to relieve the burden on the weapon system and the personnel and to release them from the operational obligation. At the same time, the aim was to ensure that the units equipped with the Tornado could concentrate more on training and practice flight operations, which for many years could only be carried out with restrictions due to the prioritization of material and personnel for operational commitments.

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A member of the squadron loads the mission data into the reconnaissance container (Photos: Bundeswehr/Sarah Wetjen)

The similarity of the design of the RecceLite II with that of the Laser Designator Pod II, which has been flown on the German Eurofighter since 2015, allowed a quick approval process through to release for use. However, the data link antenna presented a particular challenge. It is an obvious structural change compared to the laser designator pod, which could initially only be released for flight operations with the acceptance of restrictions in the Eurofighter's flight spectrum.

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