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The Air Defence Variant (ADV) of
the Tornado from which the F3 was developed flew for the first time in October
1979. The aircraft has a long-range, autonomous capability that enables
operations to be conducted some 350 nm away from bases in bad weather, in an ECM
environment and operating against multiple targets at high or low-level, which
can be engaged at distances in excess of 20 nm.
With tanker support, the Tornado
F3 Combat Air Patrol (CAP) time is increased from 2 hrs and 30 mins to a loiter
time of several hours. The Tornado F3 was originally armed with 4 x
semi-recessed Sky Flash, 4 x Sidewinder AIM-9L missiles, and a single
Mauser 27 mm cannon and had about 80% commonality with the Tornado GR1.
The main
difference between the Tornado GR and the F3 is the extended fuselage, longer range air intercept Foxhunter Radar
(replacing the terrain-following/ground mapping radar of the Tornado GR1) and
the armament. Extension of the fuselage provides additional space for avionics
and an extra 900 litres of fuel. RAF Tornado F3s are equipped with the Joint
Tactical Information Distribution System (JTIDS).
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Operating in conjunction with
Sentry AEW1 airborne early warning aircraft and other allied fighters, the
system gives a real-time picture of the air battle, including information
obtained by other sensors in other fighters or airborne early warning (AEW)
aircraft.
RAF Tornado F3s
were sent to the Gulf in August 1990 and by the end of hostilities on the 28
February 1991, 18 x F3 aircraft had flown some 2,500 sorties during their
deployment including 700 sorties during the period of hostilities. Tornado F-3s
from all four active UK squadrons were deployed during the 2003 Iraq War (Op Telic).
Under
the recent £140 million Tornado F3 Capability Sustainment Programme (CSP), 100
F-3s were upgraded to incorporate the Raytheon AIM-120 Advanced Medium-Range
Air-to-Air Missile (AMRAAM), and the Matra BAe Dynamics Advanced Short- Range
Air-to-Air Missile (ASRAAM).
For the Iraq War, F-3s were also modified to carry
the ALARM anti-radiation missile. The F3 will almost certainly stay in service
until 2007-2010. Its replacement is the Eurofighter Typhoon. Expect a Tornado F3
Squadron to have between 16 and 20 established crews.
| Tornado
F3 Specifications |
| Crew
|
2
|
| Wingspan (open)
|
13.9m
|
| Wingspan (swept)
|
8.6m
|
| Height
|
5.9m
|
| Length
|
18.7m
|
| Max
Weapon Load |
8,500kg |
| Max
Take Off Weight |
27,900kg |
| Max
Speed |
Mach
2.2 (1,452 mph/2,333kph) |
| Engines |
2 x
Turbo-Union RB 199-34R Mk104 Turbofans |
| Intercept Radius |
1,850 km (subsonic) or
550 km (supersonic) |
| Radar |
Foxhunter Air Intercept radar known
as the A124 |
| Armament |
1 x 27mm Mauser Cannon |
| |
AAM 4 x Sky Flash |
| |
AMRAAM |
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4 x AIM-9L Sidewinder |
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ALARM |
| |
ASRAAM |
In service with:
|
25 Squadron |
16 x Tornado F3 |
RAF Leeming |
|
43 Squadron |
16 x Tornado F3 |
RAF Leuchars |
|
111 Squadron |
16 x Tornado F3 |
RAF Leuchars |
|
1435 Flight |
4 x Tornado F3 |
RAF Mount Pleasant |
|
56 (Reserve) Squadron |
20 x Tornado F3 |
RAF Leuchars |
Tornado in World Service
(Original Procurement Figures) |
| Country |
GR1/1DS |
F2/F3/ADV |
ECR/GR1A/Recce |
| UK |
199 |
170 |
26 |
| Germany |
302 |
- |
36 |
| Italy |
70 |
24 leased from UK |
- |
| Saudi Arabia |
48 |
24 |
- |
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