Difference between revisions of "Tornado F.3 Late"
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=== Pros and cons === | === Pros and cons === | ||
| − | <!-- ''Summarise and briefly evaluate the vehicle in terms of its characteristics and combat effectiveness. Mark its pros and cons in the bulleted list. Try not to use more than 6 points for each of the characteristics. Avoid using categorical definitions such as "bad", "good" and the like - use substitutions with softer forms such as "inadequate" and "effective".'' -->'''Pros:''' | + | <!-- ''Summarise and briefly evaluate the vehicle in terms of its characteristics and combat effectiveness. Mark its pros and cons in the bulleted list. Try not to use more than 6 points for each of the characteristics. Avoid using categorical definitions such as "bad", "good" and the like - use substitutions with softer forms such as "inadequate" and "effective".'' --> |
| + | '''Pros:''' | ||
| − | * Chaff/ | + | * Chaff/flare pods allow the plane to carry 352 countermeasures, 32 of which are large calibre |
| − | * Access to | + | * Access to AIM-120B and AIM-9M missiles |
* Strong engines and light weight make for high acceleration | * Strong engines and light weight make for high acceleration | ||
* Features an advanced RWR with tracking and launch detection | * Features an advanced RWR with tracking and launch detection | ||
| − | * 4 | + | * 4 datalink channels allow the plane to guide all of its AMRAAMs at once |
| − | |||
| − | |||
'''Cons:''' | '''Cons:''' | ||
* Engines are very fuel thirsty | * Engines are very fuel thirsty | ||
| − | + | * Cannot equip any ground attack ordnance at all | |
| − | * Cannot equip any ground attack | + | * Very low turn rate: avoiding missiles at close range, even with countermeasures, is a challenge |
| − | * Very low turn rate | + | * BK27 cannon has a relatively low fire rate compared to other top tier cannons |
| − | * BK27 has a relatively low fire rate compared to other top tier cannons | ||
| − | |||
| − | |||
== History == | == History == | ||
| Line 231: | Line 227: | ||
* ''links to approximate analogues of other nations and research trees.'' --> | * ''links to approximate analogues of other nations and research trees.'' --> | ||
| − | * [[Tornado (Family) | + | ;Related development |
| − | + | * [[Tornado (Family)]] | |
== External links == | == External links == | ||
Latest revision as of 15:40, 7 October 2024
| This page is about the British jet fighter Tornado F.3 Late. For other versions, see Tornado (Family). |
Contents
Description
In 1996, it was more than apparent that the Tornado F.3 was severely outdated by contemporary fighter-interceptor standards, especially when compared to aircraft of the time like the F-22 and Su-27M (later redesignated as the Su-35). As a result, to fulfil the original plan for the Tornado F.3 to serve in the RAF until at least 2010, the Capability Sustainment Programme (CSP) was announced to upgrade the Tornado F.3 fleet with contemporary electronics, weapons, and various other improvements. These included radar and FCS upgrades to allow the Tornado F.3 to fire the new AIM-120 AMRAAM and AIM-9M missiles, to replace its aging Skyflash and AIM-9L selection. However, due to poor management of previous FCS and radar upgrades to the RAF fleet, a situation described as "fleets within the fleet" occurred where the lack of standardization in Foxhunter radar modifications and upgrades in the Tornado fleet directly resulted in the failure to properly integrate most of the CSP upgrades. As a result, the Foxhunter radar was not compatible with the AIM-120 AMRAAM's mid-course correction feature through datalinked inertial guidance. These problems would be finally ironed out after 2003 during the AMRAAM Optimisation Programme, or AOP, which standardised the Foxhunter upgrades to allow for AIM-120 datalink guidance for multiple targets.
The Tornado F.3 Late is a British jet fighter-interceptor introduced in Update "Seek & Destroy" to the top ranks of the tree. It builds on the basis of the previous Tornado F.3 in the tech tree by expanding the avionics suite and its missile selection. By having access to a more advanced radar, and the powerful AIM-120 active-radar homing missile, the Tornado F.3 Late is capable of dispatching enemies at a much safer distance than possible before with the Skyflash. And if you find yourself dangerously close to an enemy, then a radar-slaved AIM-9M will almost always make short work of them if they are manoeuvring around your frontal hemisphere. All in all, the F.3 Late serves as a direct upgrade in offensive capability over the previous Tornado F.3, giving British aircraft players access to new and advanced weaponry on an already familiar platform.
General info
Flight performance
Describe how the aircraft behaves in the air. Speed, manoeuvrability, acceleration and allowable loads - these are the most important characteristics of the vehicle.
| Characteristics | Max speed (km/h at 11,582 m) |
Max altitude (metres) |
Turn time (seconds) |
Rate of climb (metres/second) |
Take-off run (metres) | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| AB | RB | AB | RB | AB | RB | |||
| Stock | 2,281 | 2,257 | 13000 | 28.7 | 29.5 | 167.3 | 163.3 | 800 |
| Upgraded | ___ | ___ | __._ | __._ | __._ | __._ | ||
Details
| Features | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Combat flaps | Take-off flaps | Landing flaps | Air brakes | Arrestor gear | Drogue chute | Thrust reversal |
| ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | X | ✓ |
| Limits | Wings (km/h) | Gear (km/h) | Flaps (km/h) | Max Static G | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Combat | Take-off | Landing | + | - | |||
| Min sweep | 972 | 0 | 1,166 | 552 | 440 | ~8 | ~3 |
| Max sweep | 1,555 | - | - | - | ~9 | ~3 | |
| Optimal velocities (km/h) | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Ailerons | Rudder | Elevators | Radiator |
| < 670 | < 650 | < 700 | - |
Engine performance
| Engine | Aircraft mass | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Engine name | Number | Basic mass | Wing loading (full internal fuel) | |||||
| Turbo-Union RB199-34R Mk.104 | 2 | 14,659 kg | 742 kg/m2 | |||||
| Engine characteristics | Mass with internal fuel (no weapons load) | Max Gross Weight | ||||||
| Weight (each) | Type | 16m fuel | 20m fuel | 30m fuel | 45m fuel | 56m fuel | ||
| 968 kg | Afterburning low-bypass turbofan | 16,186 kg | 16,463 kg | 17,365 kg | 18,718 kg | 19,749 kg | 21,366 kg | |
| Maximum engine thrust @ 0 m (RB/SB) | Thrust to weight ratio @ 0 m (WEP) | |||||||
| Condition | 100% | WEP | 16m fuel | 20m fuel | 30m fuel | 45m fuel | 56m fuel | MGW |
| Stationary | 3,756 kgf | 7,309 kgf | 0.90 | 0.89 | 0.84 | 0.78 | 0.74 | 0.68 |
| Optimal | 4,169 kgf (1,400 km/h) |
8,173 kgf (1,400 km/h) |
1.01 | 0.99 | 0.94 | 0.87 | 0.83 | 0.77 |
Survivability and armour
Examine the survivability of the aircraft. Note how vulnerable the structure is and how secure the pilot is, whether the fuel tanks are armoured, etc. Describe the armour, if there is any, and also mention the vulnerability of other critical aircraft systems.
Modifications and economy
| Flight performance | Survivability | Weaponry | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
|
|
Armaments
| Ballistic Computer | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| CCIP (Guns) | CCIP (Rockets) | CCIP (Bombs) | CCRP (Bombs) | EEGS |
 |
 |
|
|
|
Offensive armament
The Tornado F.3 Late is armed with:
- 1 x 27 mm Mauser BK27 cannon, nose-mounted (180 rpg)
- 32 x large calibre countermeasures
Suspended armament
The Tornado F.3 Late can be outfitted with the following ordnance:
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 |  | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| AIM-9L Sidewinder missiles | 1, 2 * | 1, 2 * | ||||
| AIM-9M Sidewinder missiles | 1, 2 * | 1, 2 * | ||||
| AIM-120B missiles | 4 | |||||
| Skyflash SuperTEMP missiles | 4 | |||||
| Countermeasures | 160 * | 160 * | ||||
| 330 gal drop tanks | 1 | 1 | ||||
| 495 gal drop tanks | 1 | 1 | ||||
| * Countermeasures can be carried with Sidewinder missiles on the same hardpoint | ||||||
| Default weapon presets | |
|---|---|
| |
Usage in battles
Describe the tactics of playing in the aircraft, the features of using aircraft in a team and advice on tactics. Refrain from creating a "guide" - do not impose a single point of view, but instead, give the reader food for thought. Examine the most dangerous enemies and give recommendations on fighting them. If necessary, note the specifics of the game in different modes (AB, RB, SB).
Pros and cons
Pros:
- Chaff/flare pods allow the plane to carry 352 countermeasures, 32 of which are large calibre
- Access to AIM-120B and AIM-9M missiles
- Strong engines and light weight make for high acceleration
- Features an advanced RWR with tracking and launch detection
- 4 datalink channels allow the plane to guide all of its AMRAAMs at once
Cons:
- Engines are very fuel thirsty
- Cannot equip any ground attack ordnance at all
- Very low turn rate: avoiding missiles at close range, even with countermeasures, is a challenge
- BK27 cannon has a relatively low fire rate compared to other top tier cannons
History
The Tornado F3, a crucial part of the RAF's air defense, underwent significant changes throughout its service, facing structural challenges and essential upgrades. Following the Gulf War, the Tornado F3 experienced accelerated fatigue due to intense combat conditions, which exceeded its initial design expectations. As a result, the airframes began wearing out faster than anticipated. Initially, BAe Systems was contracted to upgrade 15 airframes, but the subsequent batch was awarded to Airwork Services, which performed the upgrades at St Athan.
Soon after, the first four upgraded Tornado F3s (ZE292, ZE295, ZE343, and ZE728) exhibited structural problems. Pilots reported abnormal behavior, leading to the discovery of significant damage. Further inspections revealed 12 additional damaged airframes. Though scrapping these aircraft was initially considered, an innovative solution emerged: using the center sections of F2 airframes in storage at St Athan. This successful modification, starting with ZE154 and F2 ZD901, allowed the damaged F3s to return to service.
On March 24, 1993, a significant milestone was reached when the RAF accepted ZH559, the last Tornado built for the RAF, which remained in service until 2008. The next major upgrade involved fitting the F3 with AMRAAM and ASRAAM missiles under the Capability Sustainment Programme (CSP) awarded to BAe in 1997. This £125 million program upgraded the missile management system and main computer, providing the F3 with fire-and-forget capability and enhancing its combat effectiveness. Additional upgrades included towed radar decoys and trials with ALARM missiles on 11 Squadron aircraft.
Media
Excellent additions to the article would be video guides, screenshots from the game, and photos.
See also
- Related development
External links
Paste links to sources and external resources, such as:
- topic on the official game forum;
- other literature.
| Panavia Aircraft GmbH | |
|---|---|
| Strike Aircraft | Tornado (Family) |
| Germany | ◄Tornado IDS WTD61 · ◄Tornado IDS ASSTA1 · ◄Tornado IDS MFG |
| UK | Tornado GR.1 · Tornado GR.4 · Tornado F.3 · Tornado F.3 Late |
| Italy | Tornado ADV · ▄Tornado IDS · ▄Tornado IDS (1995) |
| Britain jet aircraft | |
|---|---|
| Blackburn | Buccaneer S.1 · Buccaneer S.2 · Buccaneer S.2B |
| British Aerospace | Harrier GR.7 · Sea Harrier FRS.1 (e) · Sea Harrier FRS.1 · Sea Harrier FA 2 |
| British Aircraft Corporation | Strikemaster Mk.88 |
| English Electric | Canberra B Mk 2 · Canberra B (I) Mk 6 · Lightning F.6 · Lightning F.53 |
| Gloster | Meteor F Mk 3 · Sea Meteor F Mk 3 · Meteor F Mk 4 G.41F · Meteor F Mk 4 G.41G · Meteor F Mk 8 G.41K · Meteor F Mk.8 Reaper |
| Javelin F.(A.W.) Mk.9 | |
| de Havilland | Vampire F.B.5 · Venom FB.4 · Sea Venom FAW 20 · Sea Vixen F.A.W. Mk.2 |
| Hawker | Sea Hawk FGA.6 · Hunter F.1 · Hunter F.6 · Hunter FGA.9 · Harrier GR.1 · Harrier GR.3 |
| Panavia | Tornado GR.1 · Tornado GR.4 · Tornado F.3 · Tornado F.3 Late |
| SEPECAT | Jaguar GR.1 · Jaguar GR.1A · Jaguar IS |
| Supermarine | Attacker FB 1 · Attacker FB.2 · Scimitar F Mk.1 · Swift F.1 · Swift F.7 |
| Foreign | Phantom FG.1 (USA) · Phantom FGR.2 (USA) · F-4J(UK) Phantom II (USA) |
| Australia | F-111C |
| India | ▄MiG-21 Bison |
| South Africa | ▄JAS39C |
