Panavia Tornado ADV / F.3
Panavia / British Aerospace · United Kingdom · first flew 1979 · fighter
The Tornado ADV (Air Defence Variant) is a stretched, dedicated interceptor version of the Tornado with a long-nose AI radar and semi-recessed missiles, optimised for long-range interception.
Recognition (WEFT)
| W — Wings | High-mounted, swept |
|---|---|
| E — Engines | 2 × turbofan, fuselage-mounted |
| F — Fuselage | Fuselage stretched by 1.36 m compared with the IDS/GR.4, giving a noticeably longer, slimmer appearance |
| T — Tail | Conventional |
WEFT is AircraftIQ's four-point recognition method — how it works.
Spot it by:
- Fuselage stretched by 1.36 m compared with the IDS/GR.4, giving a noticeably longer, slimmer appearance
- Long pointed nose radome housing the Marconi AI.24 Foxhunter radar, significantly more tapered than the blunt IDS nose
- Semi-recessed Sky Flash (and later AMRAAM) missiles on the underfuselage centreline, visible as rectangular housings
Tell the ADV/F.3 from the IDS Tornado and GR.4 by the longer, more tapered nose (housing the large Foxhunter radar), the stretched fuselage that adds over a metre to overall length, and the semi-recessed missile bays beneath the belly — the GR.4 carries nothing semi-recessed centreline.
Specifications
- The Panavia Tornado ADV / F.3 has a length of 18.68 m (61 ft).
- It has a wingspan of 13.91 m (46 ft).
- Its maximum speed is 2338 km/h (1453 mph).
- Typical crew: 2.
Figures are for the representative variant described above; marks differ. See how AircraftIQ sources figures.
History
Designed to replace the Lightning and Phantom as UK air-defence interceptor, the ADV prototype (F.2) first flew in October 1979. The longer fuselage allowed a fourth semi-recessed missile station and greater internal fuel. The definitive F.3 entered RAF service in 1987 and became Britain's primary QRA interceptor until withdrawal in 2011.
Variants
The F.2 was the developmental variant with an early Foxhunter radar; all were rebuilt to F.3 standard with uprated RB199 Mk 104 engines and the improved Foxhunter AI.24. Saudi Arabia operated the F.3-equivalent Tornado ADV under the Al Yamamah contract as the F.3(S).
Where you'll see it
RAF Tornado F.3s flew from Leuchars, Leeming and Coningsby on QRA, intercepting Soviet and later Russian aircraft over the North Sea and North Atlantic. The type was retired in March 2011, replaced by the Typhoon. Preserved F.3s are displayed at RAF Coningsby's Battle of Britain Memorial Flight hangar area, RAF Cosford and Duxford.
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