Tornado F.Mk.3 in the SEAD – role !?

In the Hyperscale-forum I found this tread regarding the possible use/conversion of some Tornado F.Mk.3 fighters for the SEAD-role:

“Browsing Aircraft Illustrated I saw a grainy picture of a Tornado F.3 with 2 ALARM missiles mounted on the belly stations.This was also mentioned in this month’s Airforces Monthly.Looks like a new role for the ADV.

Stephen”

Does anyone have a picture of this plane or some more information ??

Thanks in advance, Deino 🙂

PS: Just minutes later I found this !! … but no picture !

form JANES (http://www.janes.com/defence/air_forces/news/jdu/jdu030210_1_n.shtml)

“RAF modifies Tornado F.3 for SEAD role

By Jack C Nicholas

The UK Royal Air Force (RAF) is understood to be modifying a number of its Panavia Tornado F.3 air-defence fighters to allow them to carry the MBDA ALARM (Air-Launched Anti-Radar Missile) and assume the Suppression of Enemy Air Defences (SEAD) or ‘Wild Weasel’ role.

One lesson from the air war over Kosovo in 1999 was that Europe lacked sufficient SEAD capability. Germany and Italy had a handful of Tornado ECR (Electronic Combat and Reconnaissance) aircraft equipped with AGM-88 HARMs (High-speed Anti-Radar Missiles), while the RAF had two Tornado GR.1 ‘Pathfinder’ squadrons armed with ALARM missiles but with no real autonomous ability to detect and locate enemy emitters. The ALARM missile proved extremely effective in combat in the Persian Gulf 1990-91 and in the Balkans, but the Tornado GR.1/4 was unable to exploit its full potential, especially as a direct-fire weapon.

The key to the SEAD role is an Emitter Locator System (ELS). With its well-distributed tail- and wing-glove-mounted Radar Homing And Warning System antennas, it was clear that the Tornado F.3 could be given an extremely accurate ELS capability relatively simply.

Development of such a system is understood to have reached an advanced stage under an Urgent Operational Requirement (UOR) issued in 1999 (see JDU Vol IV No.6 pp7-8), before the programme was cancelled as a cost-saving measure.

JDU has now learned that the Tornado F.3 SEAD programme has been resurrected, triggered by the continuing crisis in the Middle East. Under a new UOR, an unspecified number of Tornado F.3s are being upgraded as dual-role air-defence fighter/defence suppression aircraft, ready for deployment to the Persian Gulf if required.

The programme will transform the Tornado F.3 – long sidelined by its narrow usefulness in the shrinking air-defence role – into what may arguably be the RAF’s most important ‘fast jet’ combat aircraft.”