The Tornado was originally designed for Mach 2+ and used variable intakes. Legend had it that the Tornado AICS had a family relation with the system on Concorde, but since it was developped by a German firm (Nord Micro), that's unlikely.
And here lies a very true tale: When the Tornado airframe and systems 'carve up' was done in the early 1970's,the aerodynamic responsibility for the variable intake went to MBB in Germany. Now the last time that this particular company was involved with air inlets was in World War 2, so some ideas for problem solutions were required here. The only real place for MBB to go in Europe for help was good old BAC in Filton. The method of aerodynamic shockwave control and feedback used for the Concorde 'two stream' intake was totally unique, and BAC were only too happy to help out their German brethren (kinda dumb really as we shall soon see). After the Tornado intake was (finally) developed in the mid 1970's MBB realised that there was no existing patents on their (copycat) design, and so they applied for and obtained these necessary patents. The next part is pure comic opera; MBB then approach BAC for financial compensation with regard to this copyright infringement, (yep!! BAC design and develop the Concorde intake, give all the necessary knowledge and 'know how' to MBB for the Tornado and then are required to PAY THEM for the pleasure??). No money in fact ever changed hands, there was of course no justifiable case here, but there is a bit of poetic justice; the final Tornado intake was a very poor design, with excessive levels of fuselage boundary layer ingestion and shockwave control. The RB199 engine (a totally 'political' design, with a never to be repeated, for a supersonic engine that is, 3 shaft layout) was already down on thrust, but now had even worse Mach 2 performance due to a wholly inadequate intake design. (MBB had the design principles thanks to BAC, but were totally out of their depth when it came to applying these principles into a practical intake). The eventual 'locking out' of the Tornado intake ended up being no big deal.
(Not sure if this was done with the F3 though).
Fortunately for the western world, the Tornado was (and still is) a superb low level performer, but would have been a so much better Mach 2 aircraft if the powerplant (including the intake) was left to expertise and not politics.
Dude
