I had the luck to be on the F3OEU throughout the period that we developed the ALARM, ELS,TIALD capabilities, put ARAAM AND ASRAAM into service and developed the HMS. So much potential and yet so little realised.
The RAF has historically had a problem in that the air-to-air and air-to-ground comunities have been divided. The GR4 force has it's origines in Bomber Command. Even during the Falklands War there were lessons to be learnt but were ignored. The F4 gave use the oportunity to meld the two disciplins together and the moment was missed.
Had we not been involved in a turf war at Group level over the past 20 years we could have developed a number of capailities. Our aim on the F3OEU was to develop and demonstrate new capabilities.
The Tornado F3 as a platform was a superior ac to the GR. Not only due to fuel and engines. The ac was designed from the outset to have JTIDS. The RHWR fit was suited to ELS. The nav fit was twin LINS GPS. The radio fit was 2 x Havequick, HF, Secure Com and JTIDS voice. The NVG fit was superior to GR4. TTD was fitted and operational. Once a Data Bus was wired to the weapons stations anything was possible.
Many lessons to be learnt, do you think we (the RAF) will?