Panavia Tornado ADV (F2/F3)
The stretched, long-range interceptor Tornado built to guard British airspace · First flight 1979 · In service 1985
The Tornado ADV (Air Defence Variant) was a British-led interceptor version, built to defend UK airspace against long-range Soviet bombers far out over the North Sea. The fuselage was stretched to 18.68 m for extra fuel and to let four medium-range missiles sit semi-recessed under the belly; it kept only one cannon and swapped the IDS radar for the AI.24 Foxhunter. The first prototype flew on 27 October 1979.
Eighteen interim Tornado F2s were built, the first flying on 5 March 1984, but they suffered delays with the Foxhunter radar. The definitive F3, which first flew on 20 November 1985, added the more powerful RB199 Mk 104 engines and was declared operational in 1989. In all 194 ADVs were built.
Saudi Arabia took 24 ADVs under the Al Yamamah deal, receiving the first on 9 February 1989 and retiring them in 2006. Italy leased 24 RAF F3s for about ten years, from 1995 to 2004. In RAF service the F3 was replaced by the Typhoon, and No. 111 Squadron's disbandment on 22 March 2011 marked the type's retirement.
