Panavia Tornado

Aircraft Profile

The interceptor version of the basic Tornado is a compromise, but an efficient fighting machine nonetheless. The ADV is slightly longer than its IDS sister (Tornado GR-1), to accommodate the Skyflash missiles and the Foxhunter radar. Commonality with the IDS is approximately 80-90%. Differences include wing-root gloves with an acute sweep, and there are no Krüger flaps on the F-3. The aircraft has a complex avionics suite allowing advanced target identification and vision-augmentation prior to engagement with the Sky Flash missiles. There is also a radar warning system, which differs from the IDS version. Not a great dogfighter by any means, the F-3 is a very capable platform for performing CAP duties, which it did successfully during the Gulf war. It has yet to be tested in real combat. It has recently been decided to keep the F-3 alive until the arrival of the Eurofighter in the next century, and not to lease American F-16s' to fill the void.

Armament - IKWA Mauser 27mm gun, four Sky Flash air-to-air missiles, four AIM-9L Sidewinder AAM GP 1,000 lb bomb, Kormoran ASM (anti-ship missile), AIM-120 AMRAAMs.

Avionics - Marconi/Ferranti AI-24 Foxhunter radar, pulse Doppler FMICW I-band at 3cm TWS (track while scan) for 12-20 targets Autopilot, flight director, auto-throttle, track acquisition advanced IFF integrated with radar RHWR installation TED (threat evaluation display) for back seater Ferranti FIN1010 inertial navigation system.