Tornado F.3

This page is about the British jet fighter Tornado F.3. For other versions, see Tornado (Family).

Tornado F.3

Lightning F.6

Tornado F.3 Late

Tornado F.3

Lightning F.6

Tornado F.3 Late

Britain

VIII Rank

Battle rating:

AB	RB	SB
12.0	12.0	12.0

Class:

Fighter

Jet fighter

Research:400 000

Purchase:1 080 000

Description

The Tornado F.3 is a rank VIII British jet fighter with a battle rating of 12.0 (AB/RB/SB). It was introduced in Update "Sky Guardians".

General info

Flight performance

Max speed

at 11 582 m2 308 km/h

Turn time28 s

Max altitude13 000 m

EngineTurbo-Union RB199-34R Mk.104

Type

Cooling systemAir

Take-off weight0 t

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 _,___ m)		Max altitude (metres)	Turn time (seconds)		Rate of climb (metres/second)		Take-off run (metres)
	AB	RB		AB	RB	AB	RB
Stock	___	___	13000	__._	__._	__._	__._	___
Upgraded	___	___		__._	__._	__._	__._

Details

Features
Combat flaps	Take-off flaps	Landing flaps	Air brakes	Arrestor gear	Drogue chute
_	_	_	_	_	_

Limits
Wings (km/h)	Gear (km/h)	Flaps (km/h)			Max Static G
		Combat	Take-off	Landing	+	-
0	0	___	___	___	~__	~__

Optimal velocities (km/h)
Ailerons	Rudder	Elevators	Radiator
< ___	< ___	< ___	> ___

Engine performance

Engine			Aircraft mass
Engine name		Number	Basic mass		Wing loading (full fuel)
_____		_	_,___ kg		___ kg/m2
Engine characteristics			Mass with fuel (no weapons load)			Max Gross Weight
Weight (each)	Type		_m fuel	__m fuel	__m fuel
___ kg	___		_,___ kg	_,___ kg	_,___ kg	_,___ kg
Maximum engine thrust @ 0 m (RB/SB)			Thrust to weight ratio @ 0 m (___%/WEP)
Condition	100%	___%/WEP	_m fuel	__m fuel	__m fuel	MGW
Stationary	___ kgf	___ kgf	_.__	_.__	_.__	_.__
Optimal	___ kgf (_ km/h)	___ kgf (_ km/h)	_.__	_.__	_.__	_.__

Survivability and armour

Flares/Chaff

Aircraft countermeasures to distract IR and radar-guided missiles and also AA radar

Crew2 people

Speed of destruction

Structural0 km/h

Gear0 km/h

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

Repair costBasic → Reference

AB2 712 → 4 097

RB7 974 → 12 048

SB9 323 → 14 087

Total cost of modifications306 000

466 000

Talisman cost3 100

Crew training310 000

Experts1 080 000

Aces3 400

Research Aces1 280 000

Reward for battleAB / RB / SB

100 / 320 / 540 %

250 / 250 / 250 %

Modifications

Flight performance	Survivability	Weaponry
Compressor Research: 12 000 Cost: 18 000 320 New boosters Research: 17 000 Cost: 26 000 450 Engine Research: 25 000 Cost: 38 000 670	Fuselage repair Research: 12 000 Cost: 18 000 320 Airframe Research: 17 000 Cost: 26 000 450 Wings repair Research: 26 000 Cost: 40 000 690 Cover Research: 25 000 Cost: 38 000 670	Flares/Chaff Research: 12 000 Cost: 18 000 320 bk_27_belt_pack Research: 12 000 Cost: 18 000 320 Flares/Chaff BOL Research: 12 000 Cost: 18 000 320 G-suit Research: 17 000 Cost: 26 000 450 AIM-9L Research: 17 000 Cost: 26 000 450 bk_27_new_gun Research: 26 000 Cost: 40 000 690 Skyflash Research: 26 000 Cost: 40 000 690 EFS Research: 25 000 Cost: 38 000 670 Skyflash SuperTEMP Research: 25 000 Cost: 38 000 670

Armaments

Ballistic Computer
CCIP (Guns)	CCIP (Rockets)	CCIP (Bombs)	CCRP (Bombs)

Offensive armament

The Tornado F.3 is armed with:

• A choice between two presets:
  • 1 x 27 mm Mauser BK27 cannon, chin-mounted (180 rpg)
  • 1 x 27 mm Mauser BK27 cannon + 32 x large calibre countermeasures

Suspended armament

The Tornado F.3 can be outfitted with the following ordnance presets:

• 2 x 330 gal drop tanks
• 2 x AIM-9L Sidewinder missiles
• 4 x AIM-9L Sidewinder missiles + 320 x countermeasures
• 4 x Skyflash missiles
• 4 x Skyflash SuperTEMP missiles

Custom loadout options

	1	2	3	4	5
AIM-9L Sidewinder missiles	1, 2 *				1, 2 *
Skyflash missiles			4
Skyflash SuperTEMP missiles			4
Countermeasures	160 *				160 *
330 gal drop tanks		1		1
* Countermeasures can be carried with Sidewinder missiles on the same hardpoint

Usage in battles

Like other planes at this BR, the Tornado F.3 is outclassed by higher tier aircraft. This is especially problematic given the Tornado F.3 is heavily dependent on its weaponry and avionics to be competitive.

The Skyflash Super TEMPs are very potent but not on par with the AIM-7F Sparrows. They accelerate faster and will outpace the AIM-7F within 4-6 km but refrain from trying to BVR Duel with the rank VIII Phantoms or the F-4J/S. The Skyflash will hang at around the same speed as the AIM-7F at BVR ranges. Due to how long the AIM-7F/M burns it will eventually outpace the Skyflash at longer ranges It goes without saying but The Skyflash is not an effective weapon against the R-27ER or the Matra Super 530D. Your prime targets are unsuspecting targets 4-9 km away heading generally towards you.

Try and avoid "fair" missile jousts considering the atrocious manoeuvrability of the Tornado F.3 makes it near impossible to kinetically dodge SARH missiles. Most of the high-end radar missiles can still guide into you due to CW missiles tracking residual radar returns or just gliding into you since the Tornado F.3 is not manoeuvrable enough to change course quickly to dodge the missile, even if the lock was broken. While most planes can outmanoeuvre a head on SARH missile by manoeuvring (rolling) out of the way, the Tornado cannot. It's even difficult to notch a radar-guided missile within 10 km given the closure speed and nearly orbital turning circle of the tornado. Of course, both are possible in certain circumstances but it isn't a reliable way to survive an competent opponent who has taken their time setting up a good SARH missile. Within 5 km, there isn't much you can do other than spam chaff and hope for the best.

Don't dogfight. You have no workable advantages against your opponent unless they are already badly crippled with large sections of their wings/tail missing. If you are chased, get a teammate to cover your back or run back to the airfield. Try and fly in a straight line given your speed bleed in any sort of turn manoeuvre.

Your stock Skyflash missiles take 1.8 seconds to begin tracking once launched. The Skyflash SuperTEMP only take 0.7 seconds to begin tracking.

The tornado F.3 likes to fly predictable, straight paths and makes very predictable manoeuvres. Any enemy with an ounce of situational awareness will easily be able to keep tabs on you with no effort whatsoever. You can't really make unpredictable manoeuvres and sneak up on people given your overall lack of mobility in any direction other than forward. This makes it hard to employ your Aim-9Ls or your guns, given it is very difficult to stick to an opponents tail for a good rear aspect shot. Although you will still find the Aim-9L a very consistent weapon and a good close range missile.

At this BR, you can outrange pretty much anyone at your own BR with BVR missiles. Your biggest challenge will be F-4J/S with their AIM-7Fs and PDV radars. You have a fair chance of spotting and locking them first given your superior radar. When BVR fighting with an equal BR opponent, it might be a good idea to deliberately waste a Sky flash with a max range launch just to give the enemy something to think about if they continue to take the head on. Once the missile is headed your way there isn't much you can do so the best defense is a good offence in this situation.

NEVER pull negative Gs in the Tornado F.3. As with many top tier planes the negative G performance of the tornado is poor. Unlike the British Phantoms your wings are not sturdy enough to sustain negative Gs even for a few seconds, often snapping as soon as you put your nose down. The Tornado is generally an unstable aircraft so don't expect to get back to base once you've lost a wing, prone to flat spinning as soon as the wing falls off. You can somewhat alleviate this by snapping BOTH wings off. You may Find the Tornado Slipping out of the sky more than normal, however the stability returns almost near normal once the tips of both wings are off (you may have flat spin issues if this happens at low speed). Rolling is also an easy way to snap your wings. When in a turn try and refrain from rolling in a 2G+ turn or else there is a good chance you may loose one or both wings. You may not have the controllability to recover (even with both wings off) and you may go into an uncontrollable spin depending on how violently you were roiling.

Pros and cons

Pros:

• Has a lot of countermeasures, including large-calibre ones
• Can carry 8 air-to-air missiles at once
• Skyflash SuperTEMP are some of the most effective WVR SARH missiles in game.
• Has radar gunsight
• Advanced radar for its BR
  • Includes TWS that indicates direction of enemy
  • PD has IFF
• All-aspect heat-seeking secondary missiles
• Can carry drop tanks to extend range

Cons:

• Poor turning performance
• Loses energy quickly in a turn
• Nearly useless in an up tier
  • Easily out BVR'd
• Lackluster acceleration
• Stock Skyflash missiles take an extra second to start tracking compared to Sky flash (DF)
• Skyflash Super TEMP is not a competitive BVR missile
• Cannot kinetically dodge SARH missiles
• Short ACM range
• The 27 mm cannon has a low rate of fire, low ammunition count, and mediocre damage

History

Describe the history of the creation and combat usage of the aircraft in more detail than in the introduction. If the historical reference turns out to be too long, take it to a separate article, taking a link to the article about the vehicle and adding a block "/History" (example: https://wiki.warthunder.com/(Vehicle-name)/History) and add a link to it here using the main template. Be sure to reference text and sources by using <ref></ref>, as well as adding them at the end of the article with <references />. This section may also include the vehicle's dev blog entry (if applicable) and the in-game encyclopedia description (under === In-game description ===, also if applicable).

Media

Excellent additions to the article would be video guides, screenshots from the game, and photos.

See also

Links to the articles on the War Thunder Wiki that you think will be useful for the reader, for example:

• reference to the series of the aircraft;
• links to approximate analogues of other nations and research trees.

External links

Paste links to sources and external resources, such as:

• topic on the official game forum;
• other literature.