General Dynamics F-111

The General Dynamics F-111 Aardvark (the nickname was unofficial for most of its lifespan, but it was officially named "Aardvark" at its retirement ceremony for the United States Air Force) is a long-range strategic bomber, reconnaissance, and tactical strike aircraft. The F-111 project was long considered an expensive failure, but the end result was a capable, albeit costly, aircraft.

Armament

Although conceived as a multi-role fighter, the F-111 became a long-range attack aircraft primarily armed with air-to-surface ordnance.

Related Topics:
Attack aircraft - Air-to-surface

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Weapons Bay

The F-111 has a small internal weapons bay under the fuselage for various weapons.

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• Cannon: All tactical combat versions (i.e., not the EF-111A or FB-111A/F-111G) could carry a single M61 Vulcan 20mm cannon with a very large (2,084 round) ammunition tank, covered by an eyelid shutter when not in use. Although carried by some USAF aircraft, the cannon was never actually used in combat, and was removed by the early 1980s; provision for the cannon has also been deleted from Australian F-111Cs.
• Bombs: The bay can alternately hold two conventional bombs, usually the Mk 117 type of nominal 750 lb/340 kg weight, although weapons up to the Mk 118 (3,000 lb/1,362 kg) were cleared.
• Nuclear weapons: All F-111 models except the EF-111A and the Australian F-111C were equipped to carry various free-fall nuclear weapons: tactical models generally carried the B43, B57, or B61, the FB-111A those weapons or the B83. The FB-111A could also carry one or two AGM-69 SRAM nuclear missiles in its weapons bay.
• Sensor pod: The F-111C and F-111F were equipped to carry the AN/AVQ-26 Pave Tack targeting system on a rotating carriage that kept the pod protected within the weapons bay when not in use. Pave Tack is a FLIR and laser rangefinder/designator that allows the F-111 to designate and drop laser-guided bombs.
• Reconnaissance pallet: Australian RF-111Cs carry a package of reconnaissance sensors and cameras for tactical recce missions. It contains two video cameras, a Honeywell AN/AAD-5 infrared linescan (recorded on video or film), a Fairchild KA-56E low-altitude and KA-93A4 high-altitude panoramic cameras, and a pair of CAI KS-87C split vertical cameras. It can also record photographs of the attack radar's display.
• Missiles: The F-111B was intended to be capable of carrying two AIM-54 Phoenix air-to-air missiles in the bay. General Dynamics proposed an arrangement that would allow two AIM-9 Sidewinders to be carried on a trapeze mounting in the bay (at the expense of the M61 cannon), along with a single (usually nuclear) bomb. This was not adopted, with the USAF and RAAF opting for the cannon instead.
• Other equipment: Auxiliary fuel tanks and baggage pods were sometimes carried.

External Ordnance

The design of the F-111's fuselage prevents the carriage of external weapons under the fuselage (although there are two small stations, one on the weapon bay, the other on the rear fuselage between the engines, for ECM pods). All aircraft have provision for eight underwing pylons, four under each wing, with a capacity of 6,000 lb (2,722 kg) each. The inner pylons (3, 4, 5, and 6) pivot with the wing. The outer pylons (1, 2, 7, and 8) are fixed, and can be loaded only if the wings are spread at less than 26°. The outermost pylons (1 and 8) have never been used operationally, and the second pair of fixed pylons (2 and 7) are fitted only rarely for the carriage of fuel tanks. FB-111/F-111G models have provision to jettison their empty pylons in flight, reducing drag.

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The primary external armament of USAF tactical F-111s included:

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• Free-fall GP bombs:
• Mk 82 (500 lb/227 kg)
• Mk 83 (1,000 lb/454 kg)
• Mk 84 (2,000 lb/907 kg)
• Mk 117 (750 lb/340 kg)
• Cluster bombs
• BLU-109 (2,000 lb/907 kg) hardened penetration bomb
• Paveway laser-guided bombs, including:
• GBU-10 (2,000 lb/907 kg)
• GBU-12 (500 lb/227 kg)
• GBU-28, a very specialized 4,800 lb (2,177 kg) penetration bomb using spare naval gun barrels as casings, hastily developed for the Gulf War
• BLU-107 Durandal runway-cratering bomb
• GBU-15 electro-optical bomb (using a Mk 84 or BLU-109 penetration weapon with a TV or infrared TV seeker from an AGM-65 Maverick, with guidance via an AXQ14 or ZWS-1 datalink pod
• AGM-130 stand-off bomb (essentially a Mk 84 or BLU-109 with GBU-15 guidance and a rocket booster, making it a powered missile with a range of 40 miles (64 km)).

Although all F-111s can carry laser-guided munitions, only those with Pave Tack (i.e., F-111F and Australian F-111C) are capable of designating targets. Others can drop laser-guided weapons only with the aid of another ground or air designator.

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From the early 1980s onward, tactical F-111s were fitted with shoulder rails on the sides of the outboard swiveling pylon (designated stations 3A and 6A) for two AIM-9 Sidewinder air-to-air missiles for self-defense. The standard Sidewinder fit was the AIM-9P, rather than the more modern AIM-9L or AIM-9M, whose larger fins were not compatible with the shoulder rail. The RAAF has considered replacing the Sidewinder with ASRAAM.

Related Topics:
Air-to-air missile - ASRAAM

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FB-111As could carry the same conventional ordnance as their tactical brothers, but their wing pylons were more commonly used for either fuel tanks or strategic nuclear gravity bombs. Until the weapon was withdrawn in 1990, they could carry up to four AGM-69 SRAM nuclear missiles on the wing pylons, although two was the more normal fit.

Related Topics:
1990 - AGM-69 SRAM

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Australian F-111Cs are not nuclear-capable, but have been equipped to launch the AGM-84 Harpoon anti-ship missile, AGM-88 HARM anti-radiation missile, and the AGM-142 Popeye stand-off missile.

Related Topics:
AGM-84 Harpoon - Anti-ship missile - AGM-88 HARM - Anti-radiation missile - AGM-142 Popeye

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