JP233 [SEP] conflict
free-falling bombs, the JP233 dispenser pods remained with their aircraft during operation and were jettisoned once empty.
Deployment.
Deployment was rather frightening for the flight crew, since it required the aircraft to fly low, straight and level over an enemy airfield, and when over the runway the pods would dispense their payload. During the Gulf War it was widely reported in the popular press that Tornados were shot down by AAA fire and MANPADS during delivery of the JP233 munition, but in fact none of the losses occurred
, the threat of their long range missiles being a significant deterrent to Iraqi pilots, who would deliberately avoid combat when approached. Early on in the conflict, the GR1s targeted military airfields across Iraq, deploying a mixture of unguided bombs in loft-bombing attacks and specialised JP233 runway denial weapons. Six RAF Tornados were lost in the conflict, four were lost while delivering unguided bombs, one was lost after delivering JP233, and one trying to deliver laser-guided bombs. On 17 January 1991, the first Tornado to be