Gloster Javelin - Variants

Variants

A total of 435 airframes were built by Gloster and Armstrong-Whitworth; both companies at that time were part of the Hawker Siddeley group. Several were converted to different marks (sometimes repeatedly).

FAW 1

Initial version with Armstrong Siddeley Sapphire Sa.6 engines with 8,000 lbf (35.6 kN thrust) each, British AI.17 radar, four 30 mm ADEN cannon in wings; 40 produced, and the seven prototypes were later fitted to this standard.

FAW 2

Replaced the AI.17 radar with U.S.-made Westinghouse AN/APQ-43 radar (known as the AI-22); 30 produced.

T 3

Dual-control trainer version with no radar, bulged canopy for improved instructor visibility. All-moving tailplane, lengthened fuselage to compensate for altered centre of gravity, adding additional internal fuel. Retained four cannon; 22 production aircraft and one prototype.

FAW 4

Similar to FAW 1, with the addition of vortex generators on wings for improved stall characteristics, as well as an all-moving tailplane. Fitted with the original AI.17 radar of the FAW.1. 50 produced.

FAW 5

Based on FAW 4, with revised wing structure incorporating additional fuel tanks, provision for missile pylons (never actually fitted); 64 produced.

FAW 6

Combined FAW 2's American radar with the revised wing of the FAW.5. 33 produced.

FAW.7

Introduced new Sa.7 engines with 11,000 lbf (48.9 kN) thrust each, powered rudder, extended rear fuselage. Armed with two 30 mm ADEN plus four Firestreak air-to-air missiles. FAW.7s equipping two squadrons were armed with four ADEN cannon only.; 142 produced.

FAW 8

Upgraded Sa.7R engines with reheat, raising thrust to 12,300 lbf (54.7 kN) thrust above 20,000 ft (6,100 m); at lower altitudes, the limitation of the fuel pump caused a loss of cold thrust. New "drooped" wing leading edge and auto-stabilizer for better handling.

FAW 9

A total of 118 FAW 7s refitted with the revised wing and engines of the Mk 8., 44 of these were fitted with refuelling probes as FAW 9F/R.

FAW 9R

R standing for "Range". A total of 40 of the 44 FAW 9F/R were refitted to carry underwing fuel tanks.

Several variants were proposed and investigated but not produced, including reconnaissance versions, a fighter bomber version with underwing panniers for bombs, and a supersonic variant with area-ruled fuselage, thinner wings, and a new tail. The "thin wing Javelin" would have been capable of about Mach 1.6 and with a higher ceiling than contemporary US designs. Initial work started with fitting a thinner section wing to a Javelin fuselage but as the project developed the changes became so great that it would effectively have been a different aircraft albeit having an outward resemblance to the Javelin. The final incarnation of the thin wing Javelin just before cancellation was a large aircraft carrying two Red Dean all aspect missiles as a possible contender for Operational Requirement F.155.