AI.24 Foxhunter


The AI.24 Foxhunter was an airborne radar carried by the Panavia Tornado ADV fighter aircraft and gave it an all-weather, day and night, beyond-visual-range engagement capability.

Production

The radar was manufactured by GEC-Marconi subsidiaries and other partners, with major parts from Ferranti.
Despite initial problems, successive upgrades constantly improved the RAF's Tornado F3 fleet.

Development

Much of the radar system and related operational software was developed at the Radar Research Laboratory of GEC-Marconi Elliott Avionic Systems Ltd., initially at the Elliott Automation plant in Borehamwood, Hertfordshire, United Kingdom, and latterly as Marconi Avionics at the facility on Monks Way, Linford Wood, Milton Keynes. This site has changed completely in the years since, but there is now a Foxhunter Drive starting where the high security gate was.

History

The radar was flight tested on a Hawker Siddeley Buccaneer and first flew in a Tornado F.2 in June 1981.

Contractual relationships

In 1987 GEC argued that the contractual relationships were partly to blame for the delay in the Foxhunter entering service - although GEC was responsible for most of the radar, Ferranti manufactured the Antenna Platform and transmitter and reported to the Ministry of Defence who acted as the prime contactor. A new contract was signed in March 1988 and described as "tight" by the Financial Times.

Production delays

Production Tornado F.2s had concrete ballast in place of the Foxhunter radar, due to the development delays. This ballast became known as the "Blue Circle radar", a play on words from a British brand of cement by the same name, and the Rainbow Codes previously used for British radars.
The UK's Tornado F3 fleet were ultimately equipped with "Stage 3 AI.24s".