Panavia Tornado ADV
Data for Tornado F.2 and F.3
Photo from The Warplane Picture Archive
The Panavia Tornado ADV or Air Defence Variant is truly one of the great fighters of the twentieth century. The Tornado program is without doubt a complete success. The original plan was for the Tornado IDS or Interdictor Strike to enter service with the Luftwaffe, the RAF, and the Italian air force (AMI). The IDS has become the most import strike aircraft in Europe. It can be compared to the American F-111 or F-15E and to the Russian SU-24 "Fencer" or SU-34. The ADV was an all-British development of the Tornado. It replaces squadrons of F-4s and Lightinings in the RAF. The Tornado's combination of the incredible RB199 Turbofan and variable geometry technology gives it unequaled range, speed, and low level performance for its size. By mid-1984 F.2s completed testing and began coming online. The F.3 began to come online in 1986. The Tornado can loiter for 2hr20min on station 602 km/357 miles from its base with a full load of AAMs, this can be further augmented by air-to-air refueling. The ADV retains 80% commonality with its IDS counterpart; only the nose section is significantly different. The same irony in the F-15 story is seen here as an aircraft dedicated to one mission can be converted to do another equally well. So far the ADV seems destined to become more successful than the original IDS. With an order for 24 from Saudi Arabia in 1985 and the AMRAAM due to replace the Sky Flash AAM the ADV is becoming more attractive to customers all the time.
Specifications
(Data for F.2 & F.3)
Origin: Panavia Aircraft GmbH (An international corporation formed from BAe in England, MBB in Germany, and Aeritalia in Italy)
Type: Long Range All Weather Interceptor
Crew: 2
Powerplant: Two Turbo-Union RB199 Mk 104 (Mk 103 on F.2) afterburning turbofans each delivering 8 212 kg (18 100 lbs) of thrust
Dimensions
Span: At 25 degree sweep 13.9 m (45' 7.25"); At 67 degree sweep 8.6 m (28' 2.5")
Height: 5.7 m (18' 8.5")
Length: 18.08 m (59' 4")
Maximum Loaded Weight: 27 986 kg (61 700 lbs)
Performance
Maximum Speed: Mach 2.27 (2 414 kph) (1 500 mph)
Cruising Speed:
Climb Rate:
Range: 1 835 km (1 151 miles)
Service Ceiling:
Armament
One 27 mm Mauser Cannon & four Sky Flash or AMRAAM AMMs recessed under fuselage & two AIM-9L Sidewinder AMMs
First Flight: October 27, 1979
User(s): UK, Suadi Arabia, Oman
Production: 15 F.2, 144 F.3, 24 for Suadi Arabia, Total: 197
Unit Cost:
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