The F-111 “Aardvark” came at a time when the Cold War was hot – literally, and this American-origin machine was considered to be a game changer. After all, it was the first aircraft for which specific design features went into its making to make it multirole-capable. So, perhaps, this pioneering attack plane may have represented something akin to the “F-35 of its day” when it took to the skies for the first time.
Although the platform had been retired for nearly three decades, aviation enthusiasts and military veterans alike remembered the Aardvark as a legendary platform.
With tensions escalating in the Cold War, both the United States and the USSR were anxious to come up with and put into the field the most advanced military technologies across the board. The American-made U-2 “spy plane” was flown over Soviet airspace to gather intelligence.
In 1960, one of those reconnaissance aircraft was shot down over the USSR by a new surface-to-air missile designed by the Soviets, with a much higher altitude ceiling catching U.S. officials by surprise.
To rectify this glaring shortcoming, American engineers set to work developing a fighter-bomber capable of executing deep strike and interdiction missions.
This was an effort that would end in two variants created for both the Air Force and Navy. The Navy program was scrapped altogether, but the Air Force eventually developed the F-111 fighter.
Two fuel-efficient and mighty TF30 turbofan engines equipped with new afterburning technology powered the Aardvark. This new multi-role fighter truly came into its own in terms of ordnance.
A large fuselage enabled carrying bomb loads up to 31,000 pounds and enough fuel for missions that stretched from 2,500 miles, said Kris Osborn, subject matter expert.
F-111 carried an M61 Vulcan 20mm cannon in an internal weapons bay until the capability was eliminated in the early 1980s.
According to Air Force Technology, “The internal bay could carry Mk 117 type (340kg) bombs and up to Mk 118 (1,400kg) was cleared.
The F-111 could carry various free-fall nuclear weapons such as B43, B57, and B61 bombs. The F-111 could not carry any external weapons due to its fuselage design.
The F-111C can launch AGM-142 Popeye stand-off missile, AGM-84 Harpoon anti-ship missile, and AGM-88 HARM anti-radiation missile.”
Although short in operational history within the Vietnam War, because most wing stabilizers were cracking, it was quickly corrected; the airframe was redeployed to support U.S. troops who were engaged in the war.
The Aardvarks were also later employed against the North Vietnamese air defenses, showing to be quite a capable platform. In fact, of the 4,000 missions flown during this period, only six units were ever lost. The F-111s were later deployed during Operation El Dorado Canyon when they were used in the airstrikes in Syria.
The F-111 made history by being the fighter that flew the longest combat mission when it covered nearly 6,400 miles over thirteen hours from Royal Air Force Lakenheath and Royal Air Force Upper Heyford in the UK to Libya.