Despite initial problems, (the radar was several years late and 60 per cent over budget) successive upgrades constantly improved the RAF's Tornado F3 fleet.

[citation needed] 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 (from 1981 to 2004) as Marconi Avionics at the (formerly the Xerox site of a matrix of interconnected grey portacabins and a few factory units) facility on Monks Way, Linford Wood, Milton Keynes.

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

[1] 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 (the scanner less the antenna) and transmitter and reported to the Ministry of Defence who acted as the prime contactor.

[citation needed] Production Tornado F.2s had concrete ballast in place of the Foxhunter radar, due to the development delays.