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

Show in game

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

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	2,280	2,269	13000	28.4	28.6	167.3	163.4	800
Upgraded	2,340	2,308		27.6	28.0	216.7	191.0

Details

Features
Combat flaps	Take-off flaps	Landing flaps	Air brakes	Arrestor gear	Drogue chute
✓	✓	✓	✓	✓	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			___ 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	23,512 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	0.62
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	0.70

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 495 → 4 091

RB7 336 → 12 031

SB8 577 → 14 066

Total cost of modifications304 000

462 000

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: 18 000 340 New boosters Research: 17 000 Cost: 26 000 480 Engine Research: 25 000 Cost: 38 000 710	Fuselage repair Research: 12 000 Cost: 18 000 340 Airframe Research: 17 000 Cost: 26 000 480 Wings repair Research: 19 000 Cost: 29 000 540 Cover Research: 25 000 Cost: 38 000 710	Flares/Chaff Research: 12 000 Cost: 18 000 340 bk_27_belt_pack Research: 12 000 Cost: 18 000 340 Flares/Chaff BOL Research: 12 000 Cost: 18 000 340 G-suit Research: 17 000 Cost: 26 000 480 AIM-9L Research: 17 000 Cost: 26 000 480 NVD Research: 19 000 Cost: 29 000 540 bk_27_new_gun Research: 19 000 Cost: 29 000 540 Skyflash Research: 19 000 Cost: 29 000 540 EFS Research: 25 000 Cost: 38 000 710 Skyflash SuperTEMP Research: 25 000 Cost: 38 000 710

Armaments

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

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.

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 opponent's tail for a good rear aspect shot. Although you will still find the AIM-9L to be 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 Skyflash with a launch from maximum range just to give the enemy something to think about if they continue to commit to a 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 and prone to flat spinning as soon as the wing falls off, so don't expect to get back to base once you've lost a wing. Rolling can easily make the Tornado snap its wings. When in a turn, 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 and you may go into an uncontrollable spin depending on how violently you were rolling.

Pros and cons

Pros:

• Has a lot of countermeasures, including large-calibre ones
• Can carry 8 air-to-air missiles at once
  • Skyflash SuperTEMPs are effective SARH missiles in a BVR role
  • Potent all-aspect heat-seeking AIM-9L missiles
• Has radar gunsight
• Advanced radar for its BR
  • Includes TWS that indicates direction of enemy
  • PD has IFF
• Can carry drop tanks to extend range

Cons:

• Poor turning performance
• Loses energy quickly in a turn
• Lacklustre acceleration
• Other BVR missiles have a longer range in an uptier
• Very difficult to kinetically dodge SARH missiles due to aforementioned poor turn rate
• Short ACM range
• The 27 mm cannon has a low rate of fire, low ammunition count, and mediocre damage
• Absence of drogue chute requires a long distance to land

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

Skins

• Skins and camouflages for the Tornado F.3 from live.warthunder.com.

Videos

The Shooting Range #350 - Metal Beasts section at 00:25 discusses the Tornado F.3.

Tornado F.3: A Basic Review - Tims Variety

See also

Related development

• Tornado (Family)

External links

Paste links to sources and external resources, such as:

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