English: **STRICTLY EMBARGOED UNTIL 15:00 TUESDAY 5TH January**On January 31st of January 2019, the RAF operated the final operational sortie of the Tornado GR4. The aircraft (ZA601/066 and ZA542/035) took off from RAF Akrotiri in Cyprus. Pictured here is the last aircraft to take off, bringing an end to four and a half years of the types involvement on Op SHADER.After almost 40 years serving the UK on military operations across the world, iconic RAF Tornado jets has returned home for the last time.First entering service in 1979, the fast jets has been used in operations across the world, most recently bombarding Daesh to push the terrorist group back through Syria and Iraq.The weapons capabilities of the soon-to-retire Tornados are now being delivered by RAF Typhoon jets, which will continue to take a leading role in the Coalition’s mission against Daesh. Under ‘Project Centurion’, worth £425million over the past three years, the Typhoon can now also launch the world-leading Meteor air-to-air missile, the Stormshadow deep strike cruise missile and the precision attack missile Brimstone.These improved RAF Typhoon jets will form the backbone of the UK’s combat air fleet, alongside the recently introduced new fleet of F-35 Lighting jets over the coming years.The Tornado will be officially retired from service at the end of March and will only be used for training purposes over the UK in the intervening period.