Time Period: Post-WW2
Country of Origin: United States
Type: Fighter Aircraft (Multi-Role, Electronic Warfare), Bomber Aircraft, Reconnaissance and Surveillance
Manufacturer: General Dynamics
General Dynamics F-111 Aardvark Aircraft Overview
The General Dynamics F-111 Aardvark was a strategic bomber and tactical fighter aircraft developed in the 1960s by General Dynamics, which later became part of Lockheed Martin. The F-111 was designed to meet the requirements of the United States Air Force for a versatile aircraft capable of performing a variety of missions.
The F-111 was the first production aircraft to feature variable-sweep wings, which could be extended for maximum lift during takeoff and landing, and swept back for high-speed flight. The aircraft was also equipped with a terrain-following radar system that allowed it to fly at low altitudes and high speeds, even in bad weather.
The F-111 was initially intended to be a strategic bomber, but its role was later expanded to include tactical fighter missions as well. The aircraft was armed with a variety of weapons, including bombs, missiles, and guns, and was used in a number of conflicts, including the Vietnam War, the Gulf War, and the 1991 bombing of Iraq.
Despite its versatility and advanced technology, the F-111 was plagued by a number of technical and operational issues throughout its service life. The aircraft was retired from active service in the United States Air Force in 1998, but remained in service with the Royal Australian Air Force until 2010.
General Dynamics F-111F Specifications
- Crew: 2
- Length: 73 ft 6 in (22.40 m)
- Wingspan: 63 ft (19 m)
- Swept wingspan: 32 ft (9.8 m) swept
- Height: 17 ft 1.5 in (5.220 m)
- Wing area: 657.4 sq ft (61.07 m2) spread, 525 sq ft (48.8 m2) swept
- Aspect ratio: 7.56 spread. 1.95 swept
- Airfoil: root: NACA 64-210.68; tip: NACA 64-209.80
- Empty weight: 47,200 lb (21,410 kg)
- Gross weight: 82,800 lb (37,557 kg)
- Max takeoff weight: 100,000 lb (45,359 kg)
- Zero-lift drag coefficient: 0.0186
- Zero-lift drag coefficient area: 9.36 sq ft (0.87 m2)
- Aspect ratio: spread:
- Powerplant: 2 × Pratt & Whitney TF30-P-100 afterburning turbofan engines, 17,900 lbf (80 kN) thrust each dry, 25,100 lbf (112 kN) with afterburner
General Dynamics F-111F Performance
- Maximum speed: 1,434 kn (1,650 mph, 2,656 km/h) at altitude. 795 kn (915 mph; 1,472 km/h) / Mach 1.2 at sea level
- Maximum speed: Mach 2.5
- Range: 3,210 nmi (3,690 mi, 5,940 km)
- Ferry range: 3,210 nmi (3,690 mi, 5,940 km) with external drop tanks
- Service ceiling: 66,000 ft (20,000 m)
- g limits: +7.33
- Rate of climb: 25,890 ft/min (131.5 m/s)
- Wing loading: 126 lb/sq ft (620 kg/m2) spread. 158 lb/sq ft (771 kg/m2) wings swept
- Thrust/weight: 0.61
General Dynamics F-111F Armament
- Guns: 1× 20 mm (0.787 in) M61A1 Vulcan 6-barreled Gatling cannon in weapons bay (seldom fitted)
- Hardpoints: 9 in total (8× under-wing, 1× under-fuselage between engines) plus 2 attach points in weapons bay with a capacity of 31,500 lb (14,300 kg), with provisions to carry combinations of:
- Missiles:
- AGM-69 SRAM thermonuclear air-to-surface missile (FB-111A only)
- AGM-130 stand-off bomb
- Bombs:
- Free-fall general-purpose bombs including Mk 82 (500 lb/227 kg), Mk 83 (1,000 lb/454 kg), Mk 84 (2,000 lb/907 kg), and Mk 117 (750 lb/340 kg)
- Cluster bombs
- BLU-109 (2,000 lb/907 kg) hardened penetration bomb
- Paveway laser-guided bombs, including 2,000 lb (907 kg) GBU-10, 500 lb (227 kg) GBU-12, and 4,800 lb (2,200 kg) GBU-28 penetration bomb
- BLU-107 Durandal runway-cratering bomb
- GBU-15 electro-optical bomb
- B61 or B43 nuclear bombs
- Missiles:
