Warplanes: November 21, 2001

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Britain's Royal Air Force has received the 100th of the 142 Tornado strike fighters being upgraded into Tornado-GR4s. The entire project will cost $1.7 billion. The upgrade includes a new laser designator that uses a thermal imaging sight, revised controls (HOTAS, Hands On Throttle And Stick, moving all of the buttons and switches needed in combat from the control panels to the throttle or stick), cockpit displays compatible with a pilot wearing night vision goggles, laser inertial navigation system with integral GPS, and a ground proximity warning system.--Stephen V Cole