Phantom instead of a navalized Tornado

Would Jaguar or Phantom be a better fleet-defense choice than trying to navalize Tornado?

Phantom is the more plausible answer because it was already a carrier aircraft and could simply remain in service longer until a later replacement arrived.

The answer treats an existing carrier pedigree as a major reduction in risk. Phantom already had the structure, landing gear, and operating history needed for deck service, whereas Tornado would require a far deeper redesign. In the alternate timeline discussed on stream, Phantom could remain through the Falklands era and hand over to a later Hornet-type fighter. The choice is therefore less about which aircraft is newest than which one already fits the carrier mission.