Operated by Germany and Italy, the ECR (Electronic Combat and Reconnaissance) is a Tornado variant devoted to SEAD missions. It was first delivered on 21 May 1990. The ECR is equipped with an emitter-locator system (ELS) which is designed to locate enemy radar sites and armed with the AGM-88 HARM. The Luftwaffe's 35 ECR’s were delivered new, while Italy received 16 converted IDS’s (also designated as Tornado ITECR, ITalian Electronic Combat and Reconnaissance).

The ECR retains the Cerberus jamming pod, BOZ-101 chaff/flare dispenser and AIM-9 self defence AAM’s of the IDS, but both cannons are deleted.

German ECR’s were equipped with a Honeywell infra-red imaging systems for reconnaissance, however operational experience lead to the removal of this system; It was considered impractical for one aircraft to be tasked with both SEAD and reconnaissance.

Italian ECR’s (ITECR) differ from the Luftwaffe aircraft in that they were never equipped with a reconnaissance capability and as IDS conversion they are equipped with RB199 Mk.103 engines. Luftwaffe ECR’s are equipped with RB199 Mk.105 which have a slightly higher thrust rating. The first ITECR was delivered on 27 February 1998, and formally accepted on 7 April 1998.