The UK Royal Air Force (RAF) will retire its Panavia Tornado F3 air defence variants (ADVs) from service at the end of this month, the aircraft having served for 25 years with RAF Leuchars.

The multirole aircraft, equipped with supersonic interceptor for ground attack and air defence, ceased operations following the disbandment of 111 Squadron.

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The aircraft was operated solely from RAF Leuchars, Scotland since 1990 in support of UK and Nato operations in the Middle East and Bosnia.

The retirement of the F3 was planned and scheduled prior to the UK government’s Strategic Defence and Security Review (SDSR), published last year.

The Typhoon force of Number 6 Squadron will be the future of the RAF’s air defence capability as set out in the 2004 Defence White Paper.

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