RAF retires Tornado F3s

AIR_Tornado_F3_w_ASRAAMs_lg — The RAF has retired the Tornado F3.

The Royal Air Force has phased out the last of its Panavia Tornado F3 air defence variants (ADVs), after a 25 years service career.

Operations officially came to an end with the March 22 disbandment of 111 Squadron, which had operated the F3 from RAF Leuchars, Scotland, since 1990. Since July 2009 111 Sqn had been the sole RAF unit to operate the F3.

Eurofighter Typhoons from 6 Sqn based at RAF Leuchars have now taken over 111 Sqn’s role in providing air defence and quick reaction alert over the United Kingdom’s north.

The UK’s retirement of the F3 ADV leaves only Saudia Arabia as the only remaining operator of the Tornado ADV.