Interesting Insight on RAF F-14

[Weaver]

Didn't BAe put a couple of EJ200s into a Tonka at one stage?

I thought they had one like that stuffed into our test rig when I was calibrating it at one time. But it was a LONG time ago now.

Don't think it was ever done it it was part of the "Tornado 2000" upgrade proposal that was binned, partially out of fear it would harm the Typhoon program.  The thread in the link I originally posted gets pretty in depth with some great insight comparing the Tomcat and Tornado for the task at hand. At the time it seems the F.3 really was the best option for the mission required.  It seems the F-14 was the only US platform even semi-seriously considered as an alternative.  RAF we're set on two engines and two crew for the unpleasant environment and dense EW environment in the UK's Air Defence Area.

IIRC, there was a 'halfway-house' proposal to upgrade the Rb.199 with some EJ200 parts in order to improve it's high-altitude performance on the cheap. Maybe that was what Kit saw?

The "at the time" qualifier is an important one, and one which people don't give enough weight to when looking back at this decision with 20/20 hindsight. We know NOW that all the alternative aircraft turned into successful and long-lived types, but "at the time":

1. The Tornado IDS was set to gobble up all the available procurement money until the mid-1980s, so whatever interceptor was chosen in the early 1970s had to be available ten years later.

2. Dealing with point 1 by putting off a decision wasn't possible because, if the Tornado ADV option was chosen, development would need to start in the mid 1970s to meet the in-service date.

3. The F-14 was having severe engine problems and cost issues and as a result was under serious threat of being cancelled by Congress in the late 1970s.

4. The F-15 was having serious engine and serviceability problems, only had a single seat and had a radar whose ECCM capability didn't impress the RAF. Developing it into a patrol interceptor that met the spec would therefore require a significant development effort at UK expense on an already expensive aircraft. Given that the F-15 was also under threat of cancellation in the late 1970s due to the pro-F-16 lobbying of the 'Fighter Mafia', the UK Treasury would probably have baulked at committing to such a programme.

5. F-4M production had already ended and all F-4 production was scheduled to end in 1979. That meant that if the UK chose any kind of F-4, it would either have to pay McDD to keep the line open or buy the line and move it to the UK. Either would have incurred a significant extra cost, spread over a small aircraft order, for zero operational benefit.

6. The F-16 & YF-17(F-18) didn't even slightly meet the crew, radar or loiter time requirements.

7. The Dassault ACF didn't meet the rquirements and was an entirely 'paper aeroplane' that might never materialize (it didn't).

8. The Mirage 4000, which, with a second seat, might have been a decent European alternative, didn't exist at all at the time the decision was being made.


(Note: crossed posts with Pellson)

[AeroplaneDriver]

Apparently in the time frame in question the F-15's radar was pretty abysmal in the overwater role compared to the F-14 and the planned Foxhunter. Some say it was barely better than the Blue Circle radar the Tornado F.2 flew with.

[PR19_Kit]

........ Some say it was barely better than the Blue Circle radar the Tornado F.2 flew with.