183-512: The General Dynamics F-111 Aardvark is a retired supersonic, medium-range, multirole combat aircraft. Production models of the F-111 had roles that included attack (e.g. interdiction ), strategic bombing (including nuclear weapons capabilities), reconnaissance and electronic warfare . Aardvark comes from a South African animal that has a long nose and hugs the terrain. It is an Afrikaans word that translates literally as "earth pig"—hence
366-488: A forward looking infrared (FLIR) sensor, optical camera and laser rangefinder / designator . The Pave Tack pod allowed the F-111 to designate targets and drop laser-guided bombs on them. Australian RF-111Cs carried a pallet of sensors and cameras for aerial reconnaissance use. The FB-111 could carry two AGM-69 SRAM air-to-surface nuclear missiles in its weapons bay. General Dynamics trialed an arrangement with two AIM-9 Sidewinder air-to-air missiles carried on rails in
549-666: A tandem -seat aircraft for low-level penetration ground-attack, while the Navy wanted a shorter, high altitude interceptor with side-by-side seating to allow the pilot and radar operator to share the radar display. Also, the USAF wanted the aircraft designed for 7.33 g with Mach 2.5 speed at altitude and Mach 1.2 speed at low level with an approximate length of 70 ft (21.3 m). The Navy had less strenuous requirements of 6 g with Mach 2 speed at altitude and high subsonic speed (approx. Mach 0.9) at low level with
732-547: A FAD fighter, the Navy started with the subsonic , straight-winged aircraft, the Douglas F6D Missileer in the late 1950s. The Missileer was designed to carry six long-range missiles and loiter for five hours, but would be defenseless after firing its missiles. The program was formally canceled in 1961. The Navy had tried variable geometry wings with the XF10F Jaguar , but abandoned it in the early 1950s. It
915-663: A V bomber. This became Blue Steel . The Ministry of Supply placed a development contract with Avro in March 1956, and it entered service in December 1962. By this time, it was anticipated that even with Blue Steel, the air defences of the Soviet Union would soon improve to the extent that V bombers might find it difficult to attack their targets, and there were calls for the development of the Blue Steel Mark II with
1098-513: A ceiling price of $ 529 million along with provisions for deficiency correction amongst other operational clauses and performance criteria. General Dynamics' design team was led by Robert H. Widmer . Recognizing its lack of experience with carrier-based fighters, General Dynamics teamed with Grumman in November 1963 for the assembly and testing of the F-111B. In addition, Grumman would also build
1281-652: A desire to retain jobs in the aviation industry, and because the government wanted the Rolls-Royce Conway engine produced for the Vickers VC10 airliner. The British government was well aware of the devastation that a nuclear war would bring. A 1953 report estimated that an attack on the UK with 132 fission weapons would generate 2 million casualties. A follow-on study, which considered the possible effect of hydrogen bombs, estimated that as few as ten could reduce
1464-540: A detachment of six aircraft from the 474th Tactical Fighter Wing (474th TFW Roadrunners) were sent in March 1968 to Southeast Asia for Combat Lancer testing in real combat conditions in the Vietnam War . During the deployment, 55 night missions were flown against targets in North Vietnam, but two aircraft had been lost. 66–0022 was lost on 28 March, and 66-0017 on 30 March. Replacement aircraft left Nellis, but
1647-567: A deterrent during the Indonesia–Malaysia confrontation but were not used in missions. The Vulcan is well-remembered for its conventional Black Buck bombing raids during the 1982 Falklands War . To support such missions, tanker aircraft versions of all three designs were developed. Reconnaissance versions were produced, and other modifications were also made during their lifetime. The Valiants were removed from service in 1964 after problems with metal fatigue of their wings became apparent;
1830-464: A few. The first use of the term was by the multinational European project named Multi-Role Combat Aircraft , which was formed in 1968 to produce an aircraft capable of tactical strike , aerial reconnaissance , air defense , and maritime roles. The design was aimed to replace a multitude of different types in the cooperating air forces. The project produced the Panavia Tornado , which used
2013-592: A heart for transplant. The aircraft landed at Bradley International Airport to deliver the organ to a waiting ambulance. On 14 April 1986, 18 F-111s and approximately 25 Navy aircraft conducted air strikes against Libya under Operation El Dorado Canyon . The 18 F-111s of the 48th Tactical Fighter Wing and 4 EF-111As from the 20th Tactical Fighter Wing flew what turned out to be the longest fighter combat mission in history. The round-trip flight between RAF Lakenheath / RAF Upper Heyford , United Kingdom and Libya of 6,400 miles (10,300 km) spanned 13 hours. One F-111
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#17327725987002196-587: A hose drum unit (HDU) in the bomb bay. The final production model of the Valiant was the BK.1 version, which had a 4,500 pounds (2,000 kg) fuel tank in the front of the bomb bay and an HDU in the rear. Some 44 were built. No. 214 Squadron was selected to carry out tanker trials, while retaining its bombing role, in February 1958. The trials were successful. In August 1961, a second Valiant squadron, No. 90 Squadron,
2379-578: A joint war plan was negotiated between 1954 and 1958. The RAF's nuclear force was capable of destroying key targets before bomber aircraft from the United States had entered Soviet airspace, "taking into account Bomber Command’s ability to be on target in the first wave several hours in advance of the main SAC force operating from bases in the United States." Based on the assumption that RAF Bomber Command would have about 100 V bombers in operations by 1959,
2562-666: A length of 56 ft (17.1 m). The Navy also wanted the aircraft with a nose large enough for a 48 in (1.2 m) diameter radar dish. McNamara developed a basic set of requirements for TFX based largely on the USAF's requirements and, on 1 September 1961, ordered the USAF to develop it. Nevertheless, a request for proposals (RFP) for the TFX was provided to industry in October 1961. In December, proposals were received from Boeing , General Dynamics , Lockheed , McDonnell , North American and Republic . The evaluation group found all
2745-594: A lighter bomb load compared to contemporaries like the Rafale, which sacrifices air-to-air ability for a heavier payload. Some aircraft, like the Saab JAS 39 Gripen , are called swing-role , to emphasize the ability of a quick role change, either at short notice, or even within the same mission. According to the Military Dictionary: "the ability to employ a multi-role aircraft for multiple purposes during
2928-456: A maximum weight of 10,000 pounds (4,500 kg). The speed and altitude requirements were based on what was thought necessary to penetrate enemy air defences. The aircraft itself was to weigh no more than 200,000 pounds (91,000 kg). The Ministry of Supply baulked, and initially refused to accept OR230. Calculations showed that such an aircraft would require a runway 2,000 yards (1,800 m) long. Bomber Command's runways were built to handle
3111-403: A more conservative design that could be put into service more quickly, and could act as further insurance against the failure of both of the more advanced designs. This was expressed in another operational requirement (OR239), from which an Air Ministry specification, B.14/46, was generated, which was issued on 11 August 1947. This had lower cruising altitude and speed requirements than B.35/46, but
3294-518: A pair of Skybolt missiles. They were fitted with 20,000 lbf (89 kN) Bristol Olympus 301 engines, strengthened wings and two special attachment points. A British warhead was designed to fit in Skybolt's nose cone, and dummy test firings were carried out at RAF West Freugh commencing on 9 December 1961. It did not prove possible to modify the Victors. The project came to an abrupt halt when
3477-548: A per-unit basis, as it would be produced in small quantities. During the early part of the Second World War, Britain had a nuclear weapons project, codenamed Tube Alloys , which the 1943 Quebec Agreement merged with the American Manhattan Project . The British government trusted that the United States would continue to share nuclear technology, which it regarded as a joint discovery, after
3660-492: A planned low-level variant did not progress beyond the prototype. Usage of all V bombers as weapons platforms, nuclear or conventional, ended in 1982. The Royal Air Force (RAF) Bomber Command ended the Second World War with a policy of using heavy four- piston-engined bombers for massed raids, and remained committed to this policy in the immediate post-war period. The RAF adopted the Avro Lincoln , an updated version of
3843-535: A range of at least 600 nautical miles (1,100 km). Despite the name, this was a whole new missile, and not a development of the Mark I. The Minister of Aviation , Duncan Sandys , insisted that priority be accorded to getting the Mark I into service, and the Mark II was cancelled at the end of 1959. Considerable modification was required to enable the Victors to carry Blue Steel. These included structural changes to
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#17327725987004026-640: A reversion to the tactics used by Bomber Command in the Second World War. The Valiants were neither trained nor equipped for such a mission. Not all of the Valiants were equipped with the Navigation and Bombing System (NBS) and it was not serviceable in all of those that were. This forced a reversion to the older, visual bomb sight. The Valiants and Canberras were equipped with the Gee-H radio navigation system, but it could not be used as there were no beacons in
4209-474: A scrapyard in Newark-on-Trent , and they were retrieved from there. Locating sufficient bombs also proved difficult, and only 167 could be found, and some had cast bomb cases instead of the preferable machined ones. Training of crews in conventional bombing and in-flight refuelling was carried out from 14 to 17 April 1982. The raids, at almost 6,800 nautical miles (12,600 km ) and 15 hours for
4392-550: A secondary role like air-to-surface attack . However, those designed with an emphasis on aerial combat are usually regarded as air superiority fighters and usually deployed solely in that role, even though they are theoretically capable of ground attack. The Eurofighter Typhoon and Dassault Rafale are classified as multirole fighters; however the Typhoon is frequently considered an air superiority fighter due to its higher dogfighting prowess while its built-in strike capability has
4575-528: A slightly larger wingspan and new electrical and electronic systems were ordered on 25 February 1956. The last 17 aircraft outstanding from the September 1954 order and 8 from the March 1955 order were switched to the B.2, making a total of 49 on order. Another 40 were ordered on 22 January 1958. A pre-production model, XH533, first flew on 19 August 1958, and in a trial on 4 March 1959 it reached 61,500 feet (18,700 m). The wings and new engines also increased
4758-508: A speed advantage at low altitudes. The USAF's Tactical Air Command (TAC) was largely concerned with the fighter-bomber and deep strike/ interdiction roles. TAC was in the process of receiving its latest design, the Republic F-105 Thunderchief , which was designed to deliver nuclear weapons fast and far, but required long runways. A simpler variable geometry wing configuration with the pivot points farther out from
4941-504: A test aircraft, having been re-sparred. Valiants served in a photo-reconnaissance role with No. 543 Squadron, commencing in the second half of 1955. At least seven Valiants were configured to the ECM role, serving with No. 199 Squadron from 30 September 1957. These aircraft were ultimately fitted with APT-16A and ALT-7 jamming transmitters, Airborne Cigar and Carpet jammers , APR-4 and APR-9 "sniffing" receivers, and chaff dispensers. After
5124-418: A training exercise over Wales. The whole Valiant fleet was checked, and many were found to have significant cracks in the wing spars. Those that were considered to have little or no damage were cleared to fly, but with a temporary restriction to a maximum speed of 250 knots (460 km/h), maximum load of 0.5 g 0 (4.9 m/s ), and a maximum bank angle of 30 degrees. When Vickers commenced repairs, it
5307-512: A trapeze arrangement from the bay, but this was not adopted. Early F-111 models had radars equipped to guide the AIM-7 Sparrow medium-range air-to-air missile, but it was never fitted. Each wing was equipped with four underwing pylons. The inner two pylons on each wing rotated to align with the fuselage, while the outer two were fixed. Each pylon had a capacity of 5,000 pounds (2,300 kilograms). Various bombs and missiles could be carried on
5490-589: A troubled development and Navy requirements changed to a maneuverable aircraft for dogfighting. The swing-wing configuration, TF-30 engines, AIM-54 Phoenix air-to-air missiles and AWG-9 radar developed for the F-111B were used on its replacement, the Grumman F-14 Tomcat. The Tomcat was large enough to carry the AWG-9 and Phoenix missiles while exceeding both the F-111's and the F-4's maneuverability. The F-111C
5673-479: Is a combat aircraft intended to perform different roles in combat. These roles can include air to air combat , air support , aerial bombing , reconnaissance , electronic warfare , and suppression of air defenses . The term "multirole" was originally reserved for aircraft designed with the aim of using a common airframe for multiple tasks where the same basic airframe is adapted to a number of differing roles. The main motivation for developing multirole aircraft
General Dynamics F-111 Aardvark - Misplaced Pages Continue
5856-406: Is cost reduction in using a common airframe. More roles can be added, such as aerial reconnaissance , forward air control , and electronic-warfare aircraft . Attack missions include the subtypes air interdiction , suppression of enemy air defense (SEAD), and close air support (CAS). Multirole has also been applied to one aircraft with both major roles, a primary air-to-air combat role, and
6039-587: Is the export version for Australia, combining the F-111A with longer F-111B wings and strengthened FB-111A landing gear. Australia ordered 24 F-111s and, following delays, the Royal Australian Air Force accepted the aircraft in 1973. Four were converted to the RF-111C reconnaissance variant in 1979–80. Australia also purchased four ex-USAF F-111As and converted them into F-111Cs. In the 1990s,
6222-527: The 1957 New Year Honours . On 15 May 1957, Valiant B.1 XD818 flown by Wing Commander Kenneth Hubbard dropped the first British hydrogen bomb over the Pacific, the "Short Granite", as part of Operation Grapple . No. 49 Squadron was selected to perform the live weapon drop and was equipped with specially modified Valiants to conform with the scientific requirements of the tests and other precautionary measures to protect against heat and radiation. The test
6405-765: The Avro Vulcan , which first flew in 1952 and entered service in 1956; and the Handley Page Victor , which first flew in 1952 and entered service in 1957. The V Bomber force reached its peak in June 1964 with 50 Valiants, 70 Vulcans and 39 Victors in service. When it became clear that the Soviet Union 's surface-to-air missiles like the S-75 Dvina could bring down high-flying aircraft, the V bomber force changed to low-level attack methods. Additionally
6588-709: The Blue Steel missile profile was changed to one of low level penetration and release. This reduced its range significantly. It was then planned to move to the much longer-ranged Skybolt air-launched ballistic missile . When the US cancelled Skybolt, the survivability of the V force was highly questionable. This led to the Royal Navy taking over the nuclear deterrent role from 1968, using UGM-27 Polaris submarine launched ballistic missiles launched from nuclear submarines . The tactical role passed to smaller aircraft like
6771-699: The Boeing F/A-18E/F Super Hornet as an interim measure until the Lockheed Martin F-35 Lightning II became available. The May 1960 U-2 incident , in which an American CIA U-2 reconnaissance plane was shot down over the USSR, stunned the United States government. Besides greatly damaging US–Soviet relations, the incident showed that the Soviet Union had developed a surface-to-air missile that could reach aircraft above 60,000 feet (18,000 meters). Consequently,
6954-714: The Cuban Missile Crisis , each V force squadron kept one fully armed aircraft and crew at 15 minutes' readiness. By 1963, the RAF was convinced that, to have any chance of survival, the V bombers would have to attack at low level. At altitudes below 3,000 feet (910 m), radar was less effective due to ground-generated clutter. The three Vulcan B.1A squadrons at RAF Waddington and the four Victor B.1A squadrons at RAF Honington and RAF Cottesmore were ordered to switch to low-level operations in March 1963. The Vulcan B.2 and Victor B.2 squadrons followed on 1 May 1964. A sign of
7137-765: The F-22 Raptor . Below is a list of some current examples. V bomber The " V bombers " were the Royal Air Force (RAF) aircraft during the 1950s and 1960s that comprised the United Kingdom's strategic nuclear strike force known officially as the V force or Bomber Command Main Force . The three models of strategic bomber , known collectively as the V class , were the Vickers Valiant , which first flew in 1951 and entered service in 1955;
7320-593: The Falkland Islands . The operation was codenamed Black Buck . The objectives of the missions were to attack Port Stanley Airport and its associated defences. While the Vulcans were capable of carrying conventional munitions, this had not been done for a long time. To carry twenty-one 1,000-pound (450 kg) bombs, the Vulcan required three sets of bomb carriers, each of which held seven bombs. Their release
7503-995: The General Electric AN/APQ-113 attack radar mated to a separate Texas Instruments AN/APQ-110 terrain-following radar lower in the nose and a Litton AJQ-20 inertial navigation and nav/attack system. The terrain-following radar (TFR) was integrated into the automatic flight control system, allowing for "hands-off" flight at high speeds and low levels (down to 200 ft or 61 m). A total of 159 F-111As were produced, including 30 pre-production aircraft that were rebuilt to production standards. 42 F-111As were converted to EF-111A Ravens for an electronic warfare tactical electronic jamming role. In 1982, four surviving F-111As were provided to Australia as attrition replacements and modified to F-111C standard, including its longer-span wings and reinforced landing gear. Three pre-production F-111A were used by NASA for various tests. The 13th F-111A received new wing designs for
General Dynamics F-111 Aardvark - Misplaced Pages Continue
7686-585: The Handley-Page Victor . Henceforth, the three would be known as the V bombers. While more expensive than the approach of building one bomber design per category, the RAF insisted on having choice. Air Chief Marshal Sir John Slessor believed that had the air force been forced to choose among the three British bombers under development in the late 1930s—the Avro Manchester , Short Stirling , and Handley Page Halifax —it would have chosen
7869-881: The Malayan Emergency was ongoing at this time, none of the Exercise Profiteer aircraft participated in combat operations. When the Valiants were assigned to SACEUR for operations in Europe, the conventional mission in the Middle East was assigned to the Vulcans at RAF Waddington, while that in the Far East was given to the Victors based at RAF Cottesmore and RAF Honington. When the Indonesian Confrontation heated up in December 1963, eight Victors from Nos 10 and 15 Squadrons were sent to
8052-793: The Operation Linebacker II aerial offensive against the North Vietnamese, who called the aircraft "Whispering Death". They also supported regional aerial operations against other communist forces such as Operation Phou Phiang III during the Laotian Civil War in Laos . Crews described their flying in Vietnam as "speed is life", "one pass, haul ass", and "you do more than one pass in a target area you die". The F-111's ability with terrain-following radar ("the best in
8235-533: The Rolls-Royce Conway RCo.11 engines providing 17,250 lbf (76.7 kN). The new Conway engines required redesigned enlarged intakes to provide the greater airflow required, and the wingspan was extended from 110 to 120 feet (34 to 37 m). As in the Vulcan, the DC electrical system was replaced with an AC one. The prototype Victor B.2, XH668, first flew on 20 February 1959, but was lost over
8418-590: The SEPECAT Jaguar and Panavia Tornado . The V bombers were also capable of dropping conventional weapons, supported by a complex analogue computer system known as the Navigation and Bombing System that allowed accurate bombing even over very long ranges. The Valiants were used during the Suez Crisis as conventional bombers. Victors and Vulcans were deployed to the Malay Archipelago as
8601-617: The United States Air Force Strategic Air Command (SAC) and the RAF Bomber Command 's plans to send subsonic, high-altitude Boeing B-47 Stratojet and V bomber formations into the USSR were realized to be much less viable. By 1960, SAC had begun moving to low-level penetration , which greatly reduced radar detection distances. At the time, SAMs were ineffective against low-flying aircraft while interceptor aircraft had less of
8784-531: The WE.177 was developed. Deliveries of the 450-kilotonne-of-TNT (1,900 TJ) WE.177B commenced in September 1966. Through Project E and the introduction of the smaller, lighter Red Beard bomb, which entered service in 1960, by the mid-1960s Canberras and the Royal Navy 's Fleet Air Arm were able to deliver nuclear weapons, but their power was insignificant compared with that of the 109 Victor and Vulcan bombers. The V bombers were formally relieved of their role as
8967-543: The crescent wing concept as insurance against the favoured delta wing design being a failure. The Handley Page and Armstrong Whitworth designs were both considered. The Ministry of Supply gave financial cover in the form of an Intention to Proceed (ITP) order to Avro in November 1947. An advisory committee selected the Handley Page design on 23 December 1947, and it too was given an ITP. The 17 December 1946 meeting that came up with OR230 also decided to solicit bids for
9150-538: The 1990s; the last F-111Fs were withdrawn in 1996 while the remaining EF-111s also departed in 1998. The F-111 was replaced in USAF service by the F-15E Strike Eagle for medium-range precision strike missions, while the supersonic bomber role has been assumed by the B-1B Lancer . The RAAF continued to operate the type up until December 2010, when the last F-111C was retired; its role was transitioned to
9333-594: The AN/APQ-113 attack radar and the AN/APQ-110 terrain-following radar and air-to-ground armament. During September 1963, the F-111A mockup was inspected. On 15 October 1964, the first test F-111A was rolled out of Plant 4 of General Dynamics' facility in Fort Worth, Texas; it was powered by YTF30-P-1 turbofans and used a set of ejector seats as the escape capsule was not yet available. On 21 December 1964,
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#17327725987009516-400: The Australians have a bomber that can put a bomb through that window on to the table here in front of us?" Australian F-111s were ready to attack Indonesian forces during the establishment of East Timor 's independence and the deployment of the Australian-led International Force for East Timor . In 2006, an RAAF F-111 scuttled the North Korean ship Pong Su on 23 March 2006. Because of
9699-627: The EF-111 electronic warfare variant in 1998. The Australian government ordered 24 F-111C aircraft to replace the RAAF's English Electric Canberras in the bombing and tactical strike role. While the first aircraft was officially handed over in September 1968, structural issues delayed the entry into service. The first F-111C was accepted at Nellis Air Force Base on 15 March 1973. The RAAF's first six F-111Cs arrived at RAAF Base Amberley on 1 July 1973, and three subsequent flights of six F-111s arrived on 27 July, 28 September and 4 December. F-111Cs were allocated to No. 1 Squadron and No. 6 Squadron , under
9882-409: The EF-111 electronic warfare versions were later developed for the USAF. Production of the F-111 ended in 1976, following the completion of 563 aircraft. The F-111 was an all-weather attack aircraft, capable of low-level penetration of enemy defenses to deliver ordnance on the target. The F-111 featured variable-geometry wings, an internal weapons bay and a cockpit with side-by-side seating. The cockpit
10065-427: The F-111 and began operating the F-111C in 1973. As early as March 1968, the USAF were deploying F-111s into active combat situations; the type saw heavy use during the latter half of the Vietnam War to conduct low-level ground-attack missions, flying in excess of 4,000 combat missions while incurring only six combat losses in the theatre. The F-111s also participated in the Gulf War (Operation Desert Storm) in 1991;
10248-457: The F-111 were troubled by compressor surges and stalls across certain portions of the flight regime. General Dynamics had elected to use an uncommon spike-shaped variable intake for the engine for the performance. Studies performed by NASA, the USAF, and General Dynamics led to the engine inlet being redesigned; modifications were implemented between 1965 and 1966, culminating with the "Triple Plow I" and "Triple Plow II" designs. During February 1965,
10431-484: The F-111. Early A-models used the TF30-P-1 engine. Most A-models used the TF30-P-3 engine with 12,000 lbf (53 kN) dry and 18,500 lbf (82 kN) afterburning thrust and "Triple Plow I" variable intakes, providing a maximum speed of Mach 2.3 (1,450 mph, 2,300 km/h) at altitude. The variant had a maximum takeoff weight of 92,500 lb (42,000 kg) and an empty weight of 45,200 lb (20,500 kg). The F-111A's Mark I avionics suite included
10614-409: The F-111A achieved a speed of Mach 1.3 while flying with an interim intake design. On 18 May 1965, the F-111B made its first flight; it was also equipped with ejector seats initially. Separately, cracks in the F-111's wing attach points were first discovered in 1968 during ground fatigue testing; during the following year, the crash of an F-111 was attributed to a cracked wingbox. On 22 December 1969,
10797-425: The F-111A made its first flight from Carswell Air Force Base , Texas. Lasting for 22 minutes, less than planned due to a flap malfunction, this initial flight was considered to be satisfactory overall; category I testing commenced immediately thereafter. Early flights of the F-111, which included supersonic flights, demonstrated favorably simplistic maintenance requirements, amongst other qualities. Various changes to
10980-520: The F-111C underwent a comprehensive digital avionics upgrade program (AUP) which introduced new nav/attack systems (PAVE TACK Laser/infrared targeting system) and digital flight control computers. Later, the C model was upgraded with a unique version of the TF-30 engine known as the P-108. This local version mated the P-109 engine to a P-107 afterburner, delivering 20,840 lb of thrust and significantly increased reliability. The RAAF retired its last F-111Cs in December 2010 after 37 years of service. The F-111D
11163-423: The F-111Fs completed 3.2 successful strike missions for every unsuccessful one, better than any other U.S. strike aircraft used in the operation. RAAF F-111s never saw offensive action, but were deployed periodically as a deterrent, such as for the Australian-led International Force East Timor . Being relatively expensive to maintain amid post- Cold War budget cuts, the USAF elected to retire its F-111 fleet during
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#173277259870011346-418: The F-15E Strike Eagle interdictor/strike derivative which retained the air-to-air combat lethality of earlier F-15s. The newest fighter jet that fits the definition of 'multi-role' is the Lockheed Martin F-35 Lightning II / Joint Strike Fighter , designed to perform stealth-based ground/naval strike, fighter, reconnaissance and electronic warfare roles. Like a modern-day F-4, 3 variants of this aircraft fulfill
11529-523: The Far East, where they were based at RAF Tengah and RAAF Butterworth . The crews normally served 3 1 ⁄ 2 -month tours. No. 10 Squadron was disbanded in March 1964, and No. 15 Squadron in October. No. 12(B) Squadron replaced them at RAAF Butterworth from October. The Vulcans were recalled to UK in December 1964 whilst the responsibility for the Far East fell on temporary detachments of Vulcans of Nos 9, 12 and 35 Squadrons with up to 16 aircraft for short periods. Tensions decreased after March 1965, and
11712-430: The Irish Sea on 20 August. The first production B.2, XL188, was delivered on 2 November 1961, and No. 139 Squadron became the first Victor B.2 squadron on 1 February 1962. V force assets at the end of 1962 were: The V Bomber force reached its peak in June 1964, when 50 Valiants, 70 Vulcans and 39 Victors were in service. In retrospect, the decision to proceed with three V bombers was questionable. As it turned out, all
11895-449: The Lancaster, and extending them would be an expensive undertaking, involving not only additional construction, but land acquisition and demolition works. OR230 would never be fulfilled, and was ultimately cancelled on 17 September 1952. The Operational Requirements Committee met to discuss OR230 on 17 December 1946. This committee was chaired by the Vice-Chief of the Air Staff , Air Marshal Sir William Dickson , with Stuart Scott-Hall,
12078-422: The Mark 5, in the form of Mark 15 and Mark 39 nuclear bombs . The Treasury immediately inquired as to whether this meant that the British megaton bomb programme could be terminated. The answer was no; the operational restrictions imposed by Project E "effectively handed the US government a veto over the use of half of Britain's nuclear deterrent". With sufficient British bombs on hand, operational issues, and
12261-427: The Middle East. However, the Valiants were also equipped with Green Satin radar , which could still be used. The first mission was flown on 31 October, in co-operation with Canberra bombers from Malta and Cyprus. The target was five Egyptian airbases in the Cairo area, including Cairo West Air Base . At the last minute, it was discovered that fifteen US transport aircraft were at Cairo West evacuating civilians, and
12444-424: The Navy found both submissions unacceptable for its operations. Two more rounds of updates to the proposals were conducted, with Boeing being picked by the selection board. In November 1962, McNamara selected General Dynamics' proposal due to its greater commonality between USAF and Navy versions. The Boeing aircraft shared less than half of the major structural components. On 21 December 1962, General Dynamics signed
12627-424: The Port Stanley area. Shrikes hit two of the less valuable and rapidly replaced secondary fire control radars, causing minor damage. In July 1964, a Valiant of No. 543 Squadron (WZ394) on a deployment to Rhodesia was found to have cracks in the rear wing spar and was ferried back to the UK for repairs. The following month, a Valiant from No. 232 Operational Conversion Unit (WP217) suffered a wing spar failure during
12810-423: The Principal Director of Technical Development (Air) representing the Ministry of Supply. The result was a new Operational Requirement (OR229) on 7 January 1947. This was much the same as OR230, but the range was cut to 1,500 nautical miles (2,800 km), and the weight reduced to 100,000 pounds (45,000 kg). OR229 formed the basis of an Air Ministry specification , B.35/46. A request for designs went to most of
12993-483: The RAF to use as part of the UK's independent national nuclear deterrent; only British-owned weapons could be used for that purpose. The Vulcan and Victor were armed with British-built bombs Blue Danube , Red Beard , Violet Club , and Yellow Sun of both the Mk 1 and Mk 2 versions. Project E modifications to Valiants commenced at RAE Farnborough in February 1956. Crew training was carried out with American instructors at RAF Boscombe Down . The planned V bomber force
13176-526: The Royal Air Force has not yet handled atomic weapons, therefore, we must get some bombs to the RAF at the earliest possible moment, so that the handling and servicing can be practised and fully worked out." The Canberra and Valiant were accorded "super priority" status on 13 March 1952, and in December the Vulcan and Victor also received it. The Valiant went into production as the first V bomber in 1955. The Valiant entered service in February 1955,
13359-843: The SAC/RAF agreement assigned 106 targets to the UK: 69 cities, 17 long-range aviation bases, and 20 air-defence sites. Attacks on the air-defence installations would clear the way for waves of SAC bombers to follow. The plan was updated annually; as Soviet capabilities improved, more emphasis was placed on attacking airfields and missile bases. Special Valiant unit No. 1321 Flight was formed at RAF Wittering on 3 August 1954 which conducted ballistic test trials with Blue Danube practice bombs. It became C Flight of No. 138 Squadron in March 1956, and No. 49 Squadron on 1 May 1956. Valiants WZ366 and WZ367 were then flown to Maralinga , South Australia for Operation Buffalo . Valiant B.1 WZ366 of No. 49 Squadron became
13542-616: The Sapphire 9 was cancelled by the Ministry of Supply in February 1956, and a minor improvement to the Sapphire 7 in March 1956 increased its thrust to 11,000 lbf (49 kN), so it was decided to ship 25 of the next production batch of 33 Victors ordered in May 1955 with the Sapphire 7. The remaining eight, along with 18 more Victors ordered in January 1956, were built as Victor B.2s, with
13725-491: The Soviet Union from bases in the United States. But the United States strategy was that attacks on population centres would have little value once a war had actually begun, and prioritised military targets, particularly those from which nuclear weapons could be launched or deployed. Coordination of war plans between RAF Bomber Command and the USAF Strategic Air Command (SAC) was clearly desirable, and
13908-527: The Soviet Union on 1 May 1960. In 1957, the supersonic Avro 730 bomber was cancelled. This freed up funds for the Blue Streak missile programme, but it too was cancelled, on 24 February 1960. To extend the effectiveness and operational life of the V bombers, an Operational Requirement (OR1132), was issued on 3 September 1954 for an air-launched, rocket-propelled standoff missile with a range of 100 nautical miles (190 km) that could be launched from
14091-724: The Soviet air defences dimmed with the appearance of the Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-21 , which Nigel Birch , the Secretary of State for Air and senior RAF officers saw at Tushino Airfield on 24 June 1956. There was no immediate concern as Soviet designs often took several years to deploy; but its ceiling of 65,610 feet (20,000 m) posed a clear threat to the V bombers. So too did the new SA-2 surface-to-air missiles , which appeared in 1957. One of them shot down an American Lockheed U-2 piloted by Francis Gary Powers over
14274-419: The TFX contract. A congressional investigation into the procurement processed was conducted, but did not change the selection. On 1 May 1964, the definitized contract was issued for the program, including flight testing, spares, ground equipment, training devices, static and fatigue test data, and the production of an initial 23 F-111 aircraft; it was structured as a fixed price incentive fee (FPIF) contract with
14457-571: The Transonic Aircraft Technology and Advanced Fighter Technology Integration programs in the 1970s and 1980s. It retired to the United States Air Force Museum at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base in 1989. Unconverted F-111As were mothballed at Aerospace Maintenance and Regeneration Center at Davis-Monthan Air Force Base in June 1991. The F-111B was to be a fleet air defense (FAD) fighter for
14640-465: The Treasury was reluctant to spend that much money pending a review of Britain's overseas defence commitments, which would establish whether a third squadron was required. There were also doubts about the financial viability of Handley Page. Approval was given for the conversion of twelve aircraft on 12 June, three more on 9 July, and another nine on 15 September. The second production Victor B.1 (XA918)
14823-696: The U.S. Rockwell B-1 Lancer bomber (1974); and the European Panavia Tornado (1974). The Sukhoi Su-24 was very similar to the F-111. The U.S. Navy's role intended for the F-111B was instead filled by another variable-geometry design, the Grumman F-14 Tomcat . The first of six initial production F-111s was delivered on 17 July 1967 to fighter squadrons at Nellis Air Force Base . These aircraft were used for crew training. 428th Tactical Fighter Squadron achieved initial operational capability on 28 April 1968. After early testing,
15006-431: The U.S. Navy, fulfilling a requirement for a carrier-based fighter aircraft armed with heavy, long-range missiles to defend aircraft carriers and their battle groups from Soviet bombers and fighter-bombers equipped with anti-ship missiles. General Dynamics, lacking experience with carrier-based aircraft, partnered with Grumman for this version. Seven F-111Bs were completed for testing but it never entered fleet service. It had
15189-547: The US Navy was to carry two AIM-54 Phoenix long-range air-to-air missiles in the bay. The cannon had a large 2,084-round ammunition tank, and its muzzle was covered by a fairing; however, it was rarely fitted on F-111s. 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 featured
15372-791: The US government cancelled Skybolt on 31 December 1962, but the vestigial attachment points were used for AN/ALQ-101 electronic countermeasure pods during the Falklands War . To replace Skybolt, the Prime Minister , Harold Macmillan , negotiated the Nassau Agreement with the President of the United States John F. Kennedy on 3 January 1963, under which the US agreed to supply the UK with Polaris submarine-launched ballistic missiles instead. This spelt
15555-445: The USAF opted to ground the fleet due to this issue, save for those involved in flight testing. The resolution involved the redesigning of the attach structure and necessitated testing to ensure adequate design and workmanship. On 31 July 1970, the grounding was lifted. Category I flight testing of the F-111A, which had started in 1964, continued through to 31 March 1972. Category II tests started in January 1966, while Category III testing
15738-553: The United Kingdom's major aircraft manufacturers: Handley Page , Armstrong Whitworth , Avro , Bristol , Short Brothers and English Electric . On 30 April 1947, Armstrong Whitworth, Avro, English Electric and Handley Page were invited to submit formal design tenders. A tender design conference was held on 28 July 1947, and decided to order the design submitted by Avro, along with a small flying model to test its delta wing design. The conference also decided to investigate
15921-522: The V bombers fast enough to avoid them was problematic, improved engines offered the possibility of allowing them to fly higher. Since the Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-19 fighters coming into service in the Soviet Union had a ceiling of 58,725 feet (17,899 m), a V bomber could avoid them by flying at over 60,000 feet (18,000 m). Two dozen of a new model of the Vulcan, the B.2, with 17,000 lbf (76 kN) Bristol Olympus 201 engines,
16104-418: The V bombers should be capable of both aerial refuelling and acting as tankers, and an Operational Requirement (OR3580) was issued in 1956 for an electronic positioning system to facilitate aerial refuelling. Initially, there were no aircraft to perform the role, but two new types of Valiant were ordered. Fourteen B(PR)K.1 versions were produced. These were a tanker variant of the photo-reconnaissance model, with
16287-504: The Valiants were grounded, the timetable for the development of a photo-reconnaissance version of the Victor, known as the SR.2, was accelerated. A prototype (XL165) was flown for the first time on 23 February 1965, and the first aircraft (XL230) was delivered to No. 543 Squadron on 18 May 1965. The Victor SR.2s carried out extensive photographic survey work, which assumed increased importance after
16470-846: The Vulcan in May 1956 and the Victor in November 1957. No. 232 Operational Conversion Unit was formed at RAF Gaydon in June 1955 and aircrew training commenced. The first Valiant squadron, No. 138 Squadron , formed at RAF Gaydon in January 1955, followed by No. 543 Squadron , which was formed at RAF Gaydon on 1 June 1955 before moving to RAF Wyton . Two more Valiant bases were established at RAF Marham and RAF Honington in 1956, and six more squadrons were formed in quick succession: No. 214 Squadron at RAF Marham in March, No. 207 Squadron at RAF Marham and No. 49 Squadron at RAF Wittering in May, No. 148 Squadron at RAF Marham in July, No. 7 Squadron at RAF Honington in November and finally No. 90 Squadron at RAF Honington in January 1957. Vulcan XA895
16653-491: The addition of an in-flight refuelling probe, new electronic countermeasures (ECM) equipment, tail-warning radar , drooped leading edges and a strengthened pressure cabin. This modified version was known as the Victor B.1A. An improved version of the Victor was also programmed with the Armstrong Siddeley Sapphire 9 engine, an improved version of the Sapphire 7 in the Victor B.1. However, development of
16836-413: The aft fuselage and the landing gear of the F-111A. The General Dynamics and Grumman team faced ambitious requirements for range, weapons load, and aircraft weight. Thus, the F-111 was designed to incorporate numerous features that were new to production military aircraft, such as variable-geometry wings and afterburning turbofan engines. This use of unfamiliar features has been attributed as a major cause of
17019-496: The aircraft's "Pig" nickname during its Australian service. Developed in the 1960s by General Dynamics under Robert McNamara 's TFX Program , the F-111 pioneered variable-sweep wings , afterburning turbofan engines, and automated terrain-following radar for low-level , high-speed flight. Its design influenced later variable-sweep wing aircraft, and some of its advanced features have become commonplace. The F-111 suffered problems during initial development, largely related to
17202-404: The aircraft's centerline was reported by NASA in 1958, which made swing-wings viable. This led USAF leaders to encourage its use. In June 1960, the USAF issued specification SOR 183 for a long-range interdiction/strike aircraft able to penetrate Soviet air defenses at very low altitudes and high speeds. Specifically, it was to be capable of at least 800 miles of low-level flight, 400 of which
17385-604: The aircraft's protracted development and weight increases. The F-111A and F-111B shared the same airframe structural components and Pratt & Whitney TF30-P-1 turbofan engines. They featured side-by-side crew seating in an escape capsule as required by the Navy. The F-111B 's nose was 8.5 feet (2.59 m) shorter as the aircraft could fit on existing carrier elevator decks, and had 3.5-foot-longer (1.07 m) wingtips to improve on-station endurance time; it also carried an AN/AWG-9 Pulse-Doppler radar to guide its AIM-54 Phoenix missiles. The USAF's F-111A would be equipped with
17568-575: The beginning of the end of the V bombers' nuclear deterrent, but six more years passed before the submarines were built and the Royal Navy was able to take over responsibility. Although originally part of the V force, three squadrons of Valiants were assigned to SACEUR as part of the TBF (Tactical Bomber Force), while remaining part of Bomber Command for training and administration. As the new Victors and Vulcans became available, Valiants became surplus to
17751-522: The best option was to base the design on the USAF requirement, and use a modified version for the Navy. In June 1961, Secretary McNamara ordered the go ahead of Tactical Fighter Experimental (TFX), despite USAF and Navy efforts to keep their programs separate. According to aviation author Peter E. Davis, military officials were disconcerted by McNamara's focus on compromised requirements for financial reasons. The two services could agree only on swing-wing, two-seat, twin-engine design features. The USAF wanted
17934-471: The bomb bay. New 20,600 lbf (92 kN) Conway RCo.17 engines were installed, along with a combustor ignition system to allow all four engines to be started simultaneously and reduce scramble time to 1 + 1 ⁄ 2 minutes per aircraft. A total of 23 Victor B.2 aircraft were upgraded to the new standard, known as B.2R (for retrofit), and two more were built as such. The British government then turned to Skybolt , an American missile that combined
18117-526: The bombers switched to low-level operations. No. 543 Squadron was disbanded on 31 May 1974, but a flight of four remained until 30 March 1975 to participate in French nuclear weapons testing in the Pacific. Responsibility for the reconnaissance role passed to No. 27 Squadron, which had been re-formed in November 1973, and operated the Vulcan SR.2. No. 27 Squadron was disbanded in March 1982. In addition to
18300-431: The bombs added an extra ten minutes to the bombers' reaction time, and the requirement that US personnel had guardianship of the weapons at all times meant that neither they nor the bombers could be relocated to dispersal airfields as the RAF desired. Initially, 72 Mark 5 nuclear bombs were supplied for the V bombers. They had a yield of up to 100 kilotonnes of TNT (420 TJ). The successful British development of
18483-511: The bombs were at the same bases as the bombers, they were stored in Secure Storage Areas (SSAs) that British staff were not permitted to enter. It was therefore impossible to store British and American bombs together in the same SSA. Bomber Command designated RAF Marham, RAF Waddington and RAF Honington as bases with US SSAs. Another three sites had British SSAs. US custody created operational problems. The procedure for handing over
18666-457: The concept of an independent nuclear deterrent came to the fore. The Air Council decided on 7 July 1960 that Project E weapons would be phased out by December 1962, by which time it was anticipated that there would be sufficient British megaton weapons to equip the entire strategic bomber force. Project E weapons were replaced by British Yellow Sun bombs at RAF Honington on 1 July 1961 and Waddington on 30 March 1962. Problems encountered in
18849-635: The control of No. 82 Wing . In Australia, the F-111 was affectionately known as the "Pig". The purchase proved to be highly successful for the RAAF. Although it never saw combat, the F-111C was the fastest, longest range combat aircraft in Southeast Asia, providing Australia with independent strike capability. Benny Murdani told Kim Beazley that when others became upset with Australia during Indonesian cabinet meetings , Murdani told them "Do you realise
19032-666: The deliverer of the UK strategic nuclear deterrent, which officially passed to the Polaris ballistic missile submarines of the Royal Navy on 1 July 1969. The last Blue Steel mission was flown on 21 December 1970. Five Vulcan squadrons continued to serve with the WE.177B weapon in a tactical role in Europe with SACEUR. Nos 9 and 35 Squadrons moved to RAF Akrotiri in Cyprus, where they replaced Canberra bombers in support of CENTO and operations on NATO's southern flank. They were withdrawn in 1975 in
19215-449: The devastating effects of atomic weapons and envisaged high-flying jet bombers cruising at 500 mph (800 km/h) at 40,000 ft (12,000 m). It was thought that potential aggressors might be deterred by the knowledge that Britain would retaliate with atomic weapons if attacked. Even at the time, there were those who could see that guided missiles would eventually make such aircraft vulnerable, but development of such missiles
19398-548: The development of the Red Beard bomb meant that the replacement of kiloton weapons took longer. The UK-based Valiants at Honington and Wittering were withdrawn in April and October 1962, and the last Valiants were retired from the V bomber force in July 1965. The final practice loading at RAF Marham—with the Mark 43s—was in January 1965, and the last US personnel left the base in July. The prospect of bombers being able to avoid
19581-514: The eighty-seventh was delivered in June 1952. Like the Lincoln, it was a piston-engine aircraft, and while it did have the range to reach the Soviet Union from British bases, it was not nuclear-capable. The RAF planned to use them against Soviet bomber bases. The Washingtons suffered from maintenance problems due to a lack of spare parts, and most were returned to the US between July 1953 and July 1954; four remained in service until 1958. Their role
19764-777: The engines. A fighter variant intended for the United States Navy , the F-111B , was canceled before production; it was intended for aircraft carrier-based roles, including long-range interception . Several specialized models, such as the FB-111A strategic bomber and the EF-111A electronic warfare aircraft, were also developed. The F-111 entered service in 1967 with the United States Air Force (USAF). The Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) also ordered
19947-525: The engines. The F-111's maximum practical weapons load was limited, since the fixed pylons could not be used with the wings fully swept. Tactical F-111s were fitted with shoulder rails on the four inner swiveling pylons to mount AIM-9 Sidewinder air-to-air missiles for self-defense. Australian F-111Cs were equipped to launch the Harpoon anti-ship missile, and the Popeye stand-off missile. FB-111As could carry
20130-531: The entire UK to a radioactive ruin. Given that defence was impractical, the UK turned to a policy of deterrence , by targeting the population and administrative centres of the Soviet Union. In 1957, the Air Ministry drew up a list of 131 Soviet cities with populations of 100,000 or more. Of these, 98 were within 2,100 nautical miles (3,900 km) of the UK. Of these, 44 were selected. It was estimated that their destruction would kill about thirty per cent of
20313-606: The estimated performance of the Sperrin caused officials at the Air Ministry to take another look. A new specification, B.9/48, was drawn up, based on the Vickers-Armstrong design, which was issued on 19 July 1948. An ITP was given to Vickers-Armstrong in April 1948, followed by a contract for two prototypes in February 1949, whereas Shorts was only awarded a contract for two prototypes in February 1949. The first prototype Vickers 660 flew on 18 May 1951, three months before
20496-421: The fighter world", according to F-111 pilot Richard Crandall) to fly as low as 200 feet (61 m) above ground level at 480 knots (890 km/h) or faster in most weather conditions made it very effective; missions did not require tankers or ECM support, and they could operate in weather that grounded most other aircraft. One F-111 could carry the bomb load of four McDonnell Douglas F-4 Phantom IIs. The worth of
20679-518: The first RAF aircraft to drop an operational atomic bomb when it performed a test drop of a down-rated 3-kt Blue Danube at Maralinga on 11 October 1956. The bomb landed about 100 yards (91 m) left and 60 yards (55 m) short of the target. The pilot was Squadron Leader Edwin Flavell , and the bomb aimer was Flight Lieutenant Eric Stacey, and both were awarded the Air Force Cross in
20862-407: The first prototype Sperrin, which first flew on 10 August 1951. No longer required, the Sperrin was cancelled; only the two prototypes were built. Vickers-Armstrong named its aircraft the Vickers Valiant . Hitherto, bombers had been named after British or Commonwealth cities, but in October 1952 the Air Ministry decided to adopt alliterate names, with the other designs becoming the Avro Vulcan and
21045-452: The high maintenance time required for every flight hour, the F-111's retirement began with the F-111G models operated by No. 6 Squadron in late 2007. Twenty-four Boeing F/A-18E/F Super Hornets were procured as an interim replacement as the Lockheed Martin F-35 Lightning II program was delayed. The last F-111s were retired on 3 December 2010. The F-111A was the initial production version of
21228-574: The hydrogen bomb , and a favourable international relations climate caused by the Sputnik crisis , led to the United States Atomic Energy Act being amended again in 1958, resulting in the long-sought resumption of the nuclear Special Relationship between Britain and the United States in the form of the 1958 US–UK Mutual Defence Agreement . The United States now agreed to supply the V bombers with megaton weapons in place of
21411-418: The loss of a third F-111A (66-0024) on 22 April halted F-111A combat operations. The squadron returned to the United States in November. The cause of the first two losses is unknown as the wreckages were never recovered. It turned out that the third loss was traced to a failure of a hydraulic control-valve rod for the horizontal stabilizer which caused the aircraft to pitch up uncontrollably. Further inspection of
21594-407: The maintenance budget"—the F-111 was in service with the USAF from 1967 through 1998. The FB-111s were operated by Strategic Air Command from 1969 before conversion to F-111G and transferred to Air Combat Command (ACC) until their retirement in 1993. At a ceremony marking the F-111's USAF retirement, on 27 July 1996, it was officially named Aardvark, its long-standing unofficial name. The USAF retired
21777-578: The new nuclear weaponry and advances in aviation technology to introduce more potent and effective means of conducting warfare. In November 1944, the UK Chiefs of Staff had requested a report from Sir Henry Tizard on potential future means of warfare. Reporting without knowledge of the progress of Allied efforts to produce an atomic bomb, in July 1945 the Tizard Committee urged the encouragement of large-scale atomic energy research. It foresaw
21960-484: The new Triple Plow II intakes, which were located four inches (100 mm) further away from the airframe to prevent engine ingestion of the sluggish boundary layer air that was known to cause stalls in the TF30 turbofans. It had more powerful TF30-P-9 engines with 12,000 lbf (53 kN) dry and 18,500 lbf (82 kN) afterburning thrust. Multirole combat aircraft A multirole combat aircraft ( MRCA )
22143-559: The new aircraft was beginning to show; F-111s flew more than 4,000 combat missions in Vietnam with only six combat losses. From 30 July 1973, F-111As of the 347th Tactical Fighter Wing (347th TFW) were stationed at Takhli Air Base. The 347th TFW conducted bombing missions in Cambodia in support of Khmer Republic forces until 15 August 1973 when US combat support ceased in accordance with the Case–Church Amendment . The 347th TFW
22326-518: The new doctrine was the replacement of their white paintwork with green camouflage on their upper surfaces, starting with Vulcan XH505 on 24 March 1964. They were also outfitted with new ECMs, ground positioning equipment and terrain-following radar. Tests performed in the UK and at Woomera demonstrated that Blue Steel could be launched from low level. The Yellow Sun Mark 2 free-fall bomb was a different story, and V bombers equipped with it would have had to climb to medium altitude to release it. A new bomb,
22509-402: The nose of the aardvark . The origin of the name has been attributed to F-111A Instructor Pilot Al Mateczun in 1969, as the aircraft had not received an official USAF name. During September 1972, the F-111 returned to Southeast Asia, stationed at Takhli Air Base , Thailand. F-111As from Nellis AFB participated in the final month of Operation Linebacker and later flew 154 low-level missions in
22692-543: The numbers, and were replaced by Vulcans. Due to the increased costs, none of the SR.2s were modified, and only 21 Victor K.2 tankers were converted. Handley Page went into liquidation in August 1969, and the subsequent work was undertaken by Hawker Siddeley . The first Victor K.2 tanker made its maiden flight on 1 March 1972. No. 55 Squadron began re-equipping with the Victor K.2 on 1 July 1975, followed by No. 57 Squadron on 7 June 1976. No. 214 Squadron retained its K.1As until it
22875-419: The only Valiant bomber squadrons as all the others were disbanded or converted to tanker or strategic reconnaissance roles. They adopted SACEUR's Quick Reaction Alert , under which arrangements were made so that three armed aircraft were always ready to scramble within 15 minutes. They were also the first V bombers to adopt a low-level strike role, with their white paintwork replaced by green camouflage. During
23058-400: The penetrating bunker-buster GBU-28 . Eighteen F-111Es were also deployed during the operation. The US Air Force credited F-111s with destroying more than 1,500 Iraqi tanks and armored vehicles. Their use in the anti-armor role was dubbed " tank plinking ". Expensive to operate—Crandall said that the aircraft "was nine percent of Tactical Air Command's fleet but ate up a whopping 25 percent of
23241-735: The planned V force of 144 aircraft. It was proposed that 24 Valiants could replace 64 Canberra bombers. This represented a numerical reduction in the force available to SACEUR, but an improvement in capability due to the Valiants' all-weather strike capacity. The decision was taken by the Air Council on 15 May 1958. The first squadron to be assigned was No. 207 Squadron, on 1 January 1960. It was followed by No. 49 Squadron on 1 July, and No. 148 on 13 July. No. 49 Squadron moved to RAF Marham so that all three squadrons were concentrated there. They were each equipped with two Mark 28 nuclear bombs provided by Project E. The three TBF squadrons eventually became
23424-453: The program were enacted throughout 1965; this was chiefly in response to a steep climb in unit costs from $ 4.5 million to $ 6 million. The cause of the cost rises has been attributed, at least partially, to a directive issued to General Dynamics to incorporate improved avionics as well as to work on strategic bomber and aerial reconnaissance variants of the aircraft, the latter of which was eventually cancelled. During April 1965, General Dynamics
23607-475: The proposals lacking, but Boeing and General Dynamics were selected to submit enhanced designs. Boeing's proposal was recommended by the selection board in January 1962, with the exception of the engine, which was not considered acceptable. Switching to a crew escape capsule, instead of ejection seats and alterations to radar and missile storage were also needed. Both companies provided updated proposals in April 1962. USAF reviewers favored Boeing's offering, while
23790-399: The pylons. Auxiliary fuel drop tanks with 600 US gallons (2,300 litres) capacity each could be fitted. The design of the F-111's fuselage prevented the carriage of external weapons under the fuselage, but two stations were available on the underside for electronic countermeasures (ECM) pods and/or datalink pods; one station was on the weapons bay, and the other on the rear fuselage between
23973-427: The range by 250 to 300 miles (400 to 480 km). The second production B.2, XH558 , was delivered to No. 230 Operational Conversion Unit on 1 July 1960. As Vulcan B.2s were received, the B.1s were withdrawn from service and upgraded to B.1A standard through the installation of more electronics. Most of this work was carried out by Armstrong Whitworth. Modifications were made to the Victor B.1 in 1959. These included
24156-485: The range of Blue Streak with the mobile basing of the Blue Steel, and was small enough that two could be carried on the Vulcan bomber. Armed with a British Red Snow warhead, this would improve the capability of the UK's V bomber force, and extend its useful life into the late 1960s and early 1970s. Cabinet Defence Committee approved the acquisition of Skybolt in February 1960. The Vulcan B.2s were modified to carry
24339-421: The remaining fleet of F-111As revealed 42 aircraft with the same potential failures. It is speculated that this failure could also have contributed to the two earlier losses had the failure caused a pitch down while at low altitude. It was not until 1971 that 474 TFW was fully operational. The word "aardvark" is Afrikaans for "earthpig" and reflects the look of the long nose of the aircraft that might remind one of
24522-489: The return journey, were the longest-ranged bombing raids in history at the time. The Black Buck raids were staged from RAF Ascension Island , close to the equator. The Vulcans lacked the range to fly to the Falklands without refuelling several times, as did the converted Victor tankers, so they too had to be refuelled in flight. Eleven tankers were required for two Vulcans, a huge logistical effort as all aircraft had to use
24705-475: The roles could have been performed by the Valiant, and its B.2 model was specifically designed for the low-level operations that the V bombers would employ in their later years. Moreover, the rationale for producing both the Vulcan and the Victor disappeared early on. That for producing the Victor B.2 instead of concentrating on the Vulcan B.2 was especially dubious, and Air Chief Marshal Sir Harry Broadhurst attributed it to lobbying by Sir Frederick Handley Page ,
24888-469: The roles for which they were designed, all three V bombers served as aerial refuelling tankers at one time or another. The Valiant was the RAF's first large-scale tanker. The probe and drogue system for aerial refuelling was developed by Sir Alan Cobham , but the Air Ministry doubted its value so long as Britain maintained bases around the world. However, on 8 January 1954, the Air Staff decided that
25071-690: The same basic design to undertake a variety of roles, the Tornado IDS (Interdictor/Strike) variant and later the Panavia Tornado ADV (Air Defence Variant). By contrast, the F-15 Eagle which was another fighter aircraft of that era was designed for air superiority and interception, with the mantra "not a pound for air to ground", although the F-15C did have a rarely used secondary ground attack capability. That program eventually evolved into
25254-651: The same conventional ordnance as the tactical variants, but their wing pylons were more commonly used for either fuel tanks or strategic nuclear gravity bombs. They could carry up to four AGM-69 SRAM nuclear missiles on the pylons. The F-111 was the first production variable-geometry wing aircraft. Several other types have followed with similar swing-wing configuration, including the Soviet Sukhoi Su-17 "Fitter" (1965), Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-23 "Flogger" (1967), Tupolev Tu-22M "Backfire" (1969), Sukhoi Su-24 "Fencer" (1970) and Tupolev Tu-160 "Blackjack" (1981);
25437-424: The same mission." According to BAE Systems, "an aircraft that can accomplish both air-to-air and air-to-surface roles on the same mission and swing between these roles instantly offers true flexibility. This reduces cost, increases effectiveness and enhances interoperability with allied air forces". "[Swing-role] capability also offers considerable cost-of-ownership benefits to operational commanders." Although
25620-400: The same runway. The aircraft carried either twenty-one 1,000-pound (450 kg) bombs internally or two or four Shrike anti-radar missiles externally. Of the five Black Buck raids flown to completion, three were against Stanley Airfield's runway and operational facilities, and the other two were anti-radar missions using Shrike missiles against a Westinghouse AN/TPS-43 long-range 3D radar in
25803-608: The size of the detachment was cut to four aircraft. As the Waddington Wing converted to the Mk2 Vulcan the responsibility was transferred to Nos 44, 50 and 101 Squadrons. Annual deployments in support of SEATO continued for some years. During the 1982 Falklands War, Vulcan bombers from Nos 44, 50 and 101 Squadrons, supported by Victor tankers from Nos 55 and 57 Squadrons, carried out a series of seven extremely long-range ground attack missions against Argentine positions in
25986-491: The specification. In the 1950s, the United States Navy sought a long-range, high-endurance interceptor aircraft to protect its carrier battle groups against long-range anti-ship missiles launched from Soviet jet bombers and submarines. The Navy needed a fleet air defense (FAD) fighter with a more powerful radar, and longer range missiles than the F-4 Phantom II to intercept both enemy bombers and missiles. Seeking
26169-567: The target had to be altered while the bombers were already in the air. The Valiants dropped target markers, and then Canberras dropped flares to illuminate the target area. This allowed other Canberras to drop bombs on the runways. This pattern was repeated in attacks on four airfields in the Nile Delta and eight in the Suez Canal area over the next two nights. The Valiant's final mission was flown on 3 November against El Agami Island, which
26352-593: The term "multirole aircraft" may be relatively novel, certain airframes in history have proven versatile to multiple roles. In particular, the Junkers Ju 88 was renowned in Germany for being a "jack-of-all-trades", capable of performing as a bomber, dive bomber, night fighter, and so on, much as the British de Havilland Mosquito did as a fast bomber/strike aircraft, reconnaissance, and night fighter. The Hawker Hart
26535-401: The underwing refuelling pods, and retained their bombing capability. As Victor tankers became available, a second tanker squadron, No. 57 Squadron, was formed at RAF Marham on 14 February 1966, and a third was added on 1 July 1966 when No. 214 Squadron was re-formed. The last Victor bomber squadrons, Nos 100 and 139 Squadrons, were disbanded on 1 October and 31 December 1968 respectively. It
26718-478: The urban population of the Soviet Union, about 38 million people. It was almost inconceivable that a war with the Soviet Union would not involve the United States, and as early as 1946, American defence planning envisaged using the UK as a base for nuclear strikes on the Soviet Union, as the United States Air Force (USAF) had not yet developed long-range bombers that could attack key targets in
26901-694: The various strike and air defense roles among its joint service requirements: the standard variant is intended to eventually replace the F-16 and A-10 in the USAF and other Western air forces, a STOVL version intended to replace the Harrier in US Marine Corps, British Royal Air Force and Royal Navy service, and a carrier variant intended to eventually replace the older F/A-18C/D for the US Navy and other F/A-18 operators. The F-35's design goal can be compared to its larger and more air superiority-focused cousin,
27084-668: The wake of the Turkish invasion of Cyprus . Six squadrons of Vulcans were still assigned this role with the WE.177 weapon in 1981. The last four remaining squadrons were about to disband in 1982 when called upon to assist in the Falklands War. The first V bomber to see combat use with conventional bombs was the Valiant in Operation Musketeer , the Anglo-French military response in the Suez Crisis in 1956. It
27267-634: The war, but the United States Atomic Energy Act of 1946 (McMahon Act) ended technical co-operation. The British government saw this as a resurgence of United States isolationism , as had occurred after the First World War, and dreaded the possibility that Britain might have to fight an aggressor alone. It also feared that Britain might lose its great power status and its influence in world affairs. It therefore restarted its own nuclear weapons development effort, which
27450-400: The wartime Avro Lancaster , as its standard bomber for this purpose. Production of the Lincoln continued after the war, and eventually 450 were built. Although touted as a mighty bomber in 1945, it lacked the range to reach targets in the Soviet Union , and would be vulnerable to the new jet fighters that were then under development. Elements within the RAF and the government sought to adopt
27633-494: The wrong one. As a stop gap, the British announced on 27 January 1950 that it had agreed to acquire Boeing B-29 Superfortress bombers from the United States free under the recently passed American Mutual Defense Assistance Act . This allowed the Air Ministry to drop the development of the Sperrin. The B-29 served in the RAF under the name of the Washington B1. The RAF received its first Washington on 22 March 1950, and
27816-414: Was NASA's simplification which made the variable geometry wings practical. By 1960, increases in aircraft weights required improved high-lift devices , such as variable geometry wings. Variable geometry offered high speeds, and maneuverability with heavier payloads , long range, and the ability to take off and land in shorter distances. The USAF and Navy were both seeking new aircraft when Robert McNamara
27999-400: Was allocated to No. 230 Operational Conversion Unit at RAF Waddington in January 1957, and Vulcan aircrew training commenced. The first Vulcan squadron, No. 83 Squadron , was formed at RAF Waddington in May 1957. It initially used aircraft borrowed from No. 230 Operational Conversion Unit until it received its first Vulcan, XA905, on 11 July 1957. It was followed by No. 101 Squadron , which
28182-714: Was already under way to replace the Valiants with Victors. A proposal to convert Victor B.1s and B.1As was first considered by the Air Staff on 25 May 1961 and was endorsed by the Chief Scientific Adviser to the Ministry of Defence , Sir Solly Zuckerman , and the Chiefs of Staff in 1963. The Defence Research Policy Committee (DRPC) estimated that converting 27 aircraft would cost £7 million. This would provide sufficient aircraft for three tanker squadrons. The price tag soon increased to £8 million for 24 aircraft, and
28365-584: Was also quite 'multirole' in its numerous variants, being designed as a light bomber but serving as an army cooperation aircraft, a two-seat fighter, a fleet spotter, a fighter-bomber (in fact it was probably the first) and a trainer. The US joint forces F-4 Phantom II built by McDonnell-Douglas also fits the definition of a multi-role aircraft in its various configurations of the basic airframe design. The various F-4 Phantom II configurations were used in air-to-air, fighter bomber, reconnaissance, and suppression of enemy air defenses ( SEAD ) mission roles to name
28548-399: Was an all-moving stabilator . The F-111 used a three-point landing gear arrangement, with a two-wheel nose gear and two single-wheel main landing gear units. The landing gear door for the main gear, which was positioned in the center of the fuselage, also served as a speed brake in flight. Most F-111 variants included a terrain-following radar system connected to the autopilot. The aircraft
28731-400: Was an upgraded F-111A equipped with newer Mark II avionics, more powerful engines, improved intake geometry, and an early glass cockpit . It was first ordered in 1967 and delivered from 1970–73 after delays due to avionics issues. The F-111D reached initial operational capability in 1972; the sole operator was the 27th TFW stationed at Cannon AFB , New Mexico. 96 were built. The F-111D used
28914-430: Was appointed secretary of defense in January 1961. The aircraft sought by the two armed services shared the need to carry heavy armament and fuel loads, feature high supersonic speed, twin engines and two seats, and probably use variable geometry wings. On 14 February 1961, McNamara formally directed the services to study the development of a single aircraft that would satisfy both requirements. Early studies indicated that
29097-505: Was assumed by the new jet-propelled English Electric Canberra bomber. When the first Blue Danube atomic bombs were delivered to the Bomber Command Armaments School at RAF Wittering on 7 and 11 November 1953, the RAF had no bombers capable of carrying them. Sir William Penney noted that "the RAF has handled aircraft for a long time and can fly Valiants as soon as they come off the production line. But
29280-516: Was authorized to produce 431 F-111s, less than half the number of aircraft which had originally been forecast. On 10 May 1967, a new multi-year FPIP contract replaced the prior procurement process, increasing the total aircraft on order to 493 F-111s of multiple models, including 23 F-111Bs intended for the US Navy, 24 F-111Cs for the Royal Australian Air Force , and 50 F-111Ks intended for the Royal Air Force . Early flights of
29463-459: Was believed to be a submarine repair depot. By the time operations ended, 450 long tons (460 t) of bombs had been dropped, half of which had fallen within 650 yards (590 m) of their targets. The results were unimpressive. Three of the seven main Egyptian airbases remained fully operational, one had its runway shortened, and one had three craters that needed filling. The only airbase that
29646-488: Was completely out of commission was Cairo West, and then only because of Egyptian demolitions. On 29 October 1957, three Valiants from No. 214 Squadron flew to RAF Changi in Singapore for a fortnight to gain experience operating in the Far East. This was known as Exercise Profiteer. Subsequently, small detachments of Valiants and Vulcans deployed to the Far East for a fortnight every three months until June 1960. Although
29829-536: Was controlled by a panel at the navigator's station known as a 90-way that monitored the electrical connections to each bomb, and was said to provide 90 different sequences for releasing the bombs. None of the Vulcans at RAF Waddington were fitted with the bomb racks or the 90-way. A search of the supply dumps at Waddington and RAF Scampton located the 90-way panels, which were fitted and tested, but finding enough septuple bomb carriers proved harder, and at least nine were required. Someone remembered that some had been sold to
30012-536: Was converted into a prototype tanker. This involved the installation of Flight Refuelling Mark 20B pods on each wing to refuel fighter aircraft, two fuel tanks in the bomb bay, and a Flight Refuelling Mark 17 HDU in the bomb bay for bombers and transport aircraft. The grounding of the Valiant tankers injected some urgency into the situation, as the RAF lost its refuelling capability. Six Victor K.1A tankers were delivered to No. 55 Squadron at RAF Marham in May and June 1965, but these were not full conversions, as they had only
30195-438: Was decided to convert their Victor B.2s into tankers. However, while the Vulcans' rigid delta wing coped well with low-altitude flight, it subjected the Victors' slender wings to considerable flexing, and they suffered badly from fatigue cracks. Repairing them became a major cost of the tanker conversion programme, and some Victors were determined to be beyond economical repair. The Victor SR.2s were withdrawn from service to make up
30378-440: Was finally terminated in November 1958 when the British government decided to cease atmospheric testing. As V bomber production picked up, the number of bombers exceeded the number of available British nuclear weapons. Britain had only ten nuclear bombs in 1955, and just 14 in 1956. To make up the difference, American nuclear weapons were obtained through Project E . Since they were in American custody, they were not available for
30561-425: Was formed at RAF Finningley on 15 October 1957. A third Vulcan squadron, No. 617 Squadron , was formed on 1 May 1958 at RAF Scampton , the same base from which it carried out the Dambuster Raids in May 1943. No. 232 Operational Conversion Unit took delivery of its first Victor on 29 November 1957. The first operational Victor squadron was No. 10 Squadron RAF , which received its first Victor on 9 April 1958 and
30744-493: Was formed on 15 April. This was followed by No. 15 Squadron, which was formed on 1 September 1958, and No. 57 Squadron , which was formed on 1 January 1959. The UK nuclear strike force became known officially as the V force or Main Force. V force assets at the end of 1958 were: The development of effective jet fighters and anti-aircraft missile defences promised to make the nuclear deterrent delivered from bombers flying at high altitudes increasingly ineffective. While making
30927-478: Was found that the damage was more severe than first thought, and the entire fleet was grounded on 9 December 1964, and withdrawn from service. At first it was thought that the switch to low-level flying was the cause, but cracks were also found in Valiants that were in service as tanker and strategic reconnaissance aircraft, and had not been flown at low level. Suspicion then fell on the aluminium alloy that had been used, DTD683. One Valiant (XD816) remained in service as
31110-436: Was largely a failure, as the measured yield was less than a third of the maximum expected and the device failed to achieve a thermonuclear explosion as intended. The first British hydrogen bomb that detonated as planned was Grapple X Round A, dropped on 8 November 1957. The Grapple series of tests continued into 1958, and the Grapple Y bomb exploded in April 1958 with ten times the yield of the original "Short Granite". Testing
31293-403: Was lost over Libya and crashed into the Mediterranean Sea, probably shot down. F-111s participated in the Gulf War (Operation Desert Storm) in 1991. During Desert Storm, F-111Fs completed 3.2 successful strike missions for every unsuccessful one, better than any other U.S. strike aircraft used in the operation. The group of 66 F-111Fs dropped almost 80% of the war's laser-guided bombs, including
31476-622: Was now codenamed High Explosive Research . The first British atomic bomb was tested in Operation Hurricane on 3 October 1952. In November 1946, the Air Ministry issued an operational requirement (OR230) for an advanced jet bomber capable of carrying a 10,000-pound (4,500 kg) bomb to a target 2,000 nautical miles (3,700 kilometres) from a base anywhere in the world with a cruising speed of 500 knots (930 km/h) and at an altitude of between 35,000 and 50,000 feet (11,000 and 15,000 m). The bomb weight arose from an earlier operational requirement for an atomic bomb (OR1001), which specified
31659-429: Was ordered to begin training in the aerial refuelling role. Nos 90 and 214 Squadrons became full-time tanker squadrons on 1 April 1962. In a demonstration on 20/21 June 1962, a Vulcan B.1A from No. 617 Squadron flew non-stop from RAF Scampton to Sydney in 20 hours and 5 minutes, refuelled four times by tankers from No. 214 Squadron. They served in the role until the Valiants were abruptly withdrawn from service. Work
31842-417: Was otherwise identical. A design was put forward by Shorts, which was given an ITP in November 1947. The result was an extremely conservative design with straight wings, the Short Sperrin , which was in practice little more than a jet-powered Lincoln. Meanwhile, Vickers-Armstrong had produced a swept wing design, the Vickers 660. This had been rejected because it did not meet the B.35/46 specification; but
32025-468: Was part of an escape crew capsule . The wing sweep varied between 16 degrees and 72.5 degrees (full forward to full sweep). The wing included leading edge slats and double slotted flaps over its full length. The airframe was made up mostly of aluminum alloys with steel, titanium and other materials used in places. The fuselage was made of a semi- monocoque structure with stiffened panels and honeycomb structure panels for skin. The horizontal stabilizer
32208-495: Was powered by two Pratt & Whitney TF30 afterburning turbofan engines. The F-111's variable-geometry wings, escape capsule, terrain following radar and afterburning turbofans were new technologies for production aircraft. The F-111 featured an internal weapons bay that could carry bombs, a removable 20 mm M61 cannon or auxiliary fuel tanks. For bombs, the bay could hold two 750 lb (340 kg) M117 conventional bombs, one nuclear bomb or practice bombs. The F-111B for
32391-421: Was proving difficult, and fast and high-flying jet bombers were likely to serve for years before there was a need for something better. Massed bombers were unnecessary if a single bomber could destroy an entire city or military installation with a nuclear weapon. It would have to be a large bomber, since the first generation of nuclear weapons were big and heavy. Such a large and advanced bomber would be expensive on
32574-415: Was reduced to 144 aircraft, and it was planned to equip half of them with Project E weapons. The first 28 Valiants were modified by October 1957; the remaining 20 Valiants, along with 24 Vulcans, were ready by January 1959. Under the Project E Memorandum of Understanding, US personnel had custody of the weapons. That meant they performed all the tasks related to their storage, maintenance and readiness. While
32757-400: Was repeatedly postponed before being cancelled, having been deemed to be unnecessary. During 1968, the F-111B was canceled by the Navy on account of weight and performance issues together with revised tactical requirements. Australia would procure its own model, the F-111C. Subsequently, the improved F-111E, F-111D, and F-111F models were developed for the USAF. The strategic bomber FB-111A and
32940-399: Was stationed at Korat Royal Thai Air Force Base from 12 July 1974 until 30 June 1975. In May 1975, 347th TFW F-111s provided air support during the Mayaguez incident . One of the most unusual missions occurred on 14 February 1986, when two FB-111s of the 509th Bombardment Wing were dispatched from then Pease Air Force Base , New Hampshire to Tinker Air Force Base , Oklahoma to pick up
33123-424: Was the first and only time the Valiants dropped bombs in combat operations. RAF units began deploying to Malta in September 1956, and when Israel attacked Egypt on 29 October 1956, four Valiant squadrons—Nos 138, 148, 207 and 214 Squadrons—were based at RAF Luqa . No. 138 Squadron was the only one with a full complement of eight Valiants; Nos 148 and 207 each had six, and No. 214 had only four. The initial objective
33306-419: Was to be at a speed of no less than Mach 1.2. Furthermore, the specification also called for the aircraft to possess short takeoff and landing (STOL) capabilities to permit operations from short, unprepared airstrips that had a length of no more than 3,000 feet. An internal payload of 1,000lb was to be carried in the primary mission role. A variant suitable for aerial reconnaissance flights was also included in
33489-410: Was to neutralise the Egyptian Air Force , which was believed to have about 100 Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-15 jet fighters and 30 Ilyushin Il-28 twin-engine jet bombers. The Egyptian early-warning radar system was known to be non-operational due to lack of maintenance and spare parts, so the bombers were ordered to operate at night when the visually-controlled defences would be least effective. This meant
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