|
RAF Tornado F3
Key Points:
-
Two-seat supersonic fighter
-
Long patrol time at great distance from base
-
'Swing Wings' move in flight
Details
The Tornado F3 was developed from the original
Tornado GR1 attack aircraft as a dedicated fighter and entered service (as
the Tornado F2) with the RAF in 1986. In reality the 18 F2s built were
little more than an interim aircraft lacking radar and the more powerful
engines of the definitive F3.
First deliveries of the Tornado F3 were made to the
RAF in 1986. Fitted with the Foxhunter radar and more powerful engines, the
aircraft replaced ageing Lightning and Phantom fighters in the air defence
role. One key feature of the F3 is its ability to patrol at long distance
from its home base, and these air patrols can be extended by air-to-air
refuelling.
The standard weapons carried by the Tornado F3 are
up to four Sidewinder or ASRAAM short-range air-to-air missiles on the wing
pylons and four Skyflash or AMRAAM medium-range mmsiiles mounted under the
fuselage. In the months before the 2003 Gulf War, a small number of Tornado
F3s underwent a modification programme to allow them to operate as 'wild
weasel' anti-radar aircraft. The modifications permitted the carriage of a
pair of ALARM anti-radar missiles to be carried in place of the Skyflash or
AMRAAM missiles, but the modified aircraft were not deployed during the
conflict.
In its usual air defence role, the F3 can receive
real-time information through a datalink on approaching targets from
patrolling Sentry early warning aircraft and attack nominated targets
without having to use its own radar and give its position away to the enemy.
Similarly, in the anti-radar role, F3s can pass information back to the
Sentrys or ground-stations to pass on the location of an opponent's radar
site for onward relay to other aircraft or ground forces.
Roles
Counter-Air (CA). (Perhaps better described by it's
more common title of 'Air Defence'. )
Suppression of Enemy Air Defences (SEAD -
pronounced 'see-add'). Attacks on enemy air defence systems such as
surface-to-air missile positions with ALARM missiles. (Limited to a few
aircraft upgraded for this new role.)
Armament
One 27mm cannon plus four Sky Flash or AMRAAM
medium range air-to-air missiles plus four AIM-9L Sidewinder or ASRAAM
short-range air-to-air missiles. A small number of aircraft have also be
modified to carry the ALARM anti-radar missile.
F3 Specifications
Engines: Two Turbo-Union RB199s
Llength: 61ft 3in (18.68m)
Wingspan: 45ft 7in (13.90m) at 17° sweep; 28ft 2in
(8.60m) at 68° sweep
Top Speed: 1,480mph (2,333km/h) at 40,000ft
(12,492m)
Crew: Pilot and Weapons Systems Operator
(Crown Copyright - MOD)
More information about the
RAF Tornado F3
|
