Are there any flying F-111?
The F-111 pioneered several technologies for production aircraft, including variable-sweep wings, afterburning turbofan engines, and automated terrain-following radar for low-level, high-speed flight….General Dynamics F-111 Aardvark.
| F-111 Aardvark | |
|---|---|
| Retired | USAF: F-111F, 1996; EF-111A, 1998 RAAF: F-111C, 2010 |
| Status | Retired |
Does Australia still use the F-111?
The RAAF retired its remaining F-111Cs in December 2010. In Australian military and aviation circles, the F-111 Aardvark was affectionately known as the “Pig”, due to its long snout and terrain-following ability. The F-111Cs gave the RAAF a powerful strike capability but were never used in combat.
Why did Australia retire the F-111?
Despite this, by the 2000s the F-111Cs were becoming outdated and expensive to maintain, leading to a decision to retire them in 2010 rather than 2020 as originally planned.
Can the F-111 dogfight?
The Missileer would orbit high over the fleet, basically a flying missile battery. It featured a powerful radar and side-by-side seating for better crew coordination, but lacked any trace of dogfighting capability.
What replaced the F-111 in Australia?
The F-111s were replaced by 24 Boeing F/A-18F Super Hornets pending delivery of F-35 Lightning IIs in development.
What kind of aircraft is the F-111?
The F-111 fighter, also called Aardvark, is a medium-range, multi-purpose tactical strike aircraft that was developed by General Dynamics. Previously known as TFX (Tactical Fighter “X”), the aircraft was developed in response to a joint services requirement for a superior fighter from the US Air Force (USAF) and US Navy in 1960.
When did the FB-111 strategic bomber enter service?
FB-111 Strategic Bomber. In a nutshell, The F-111 was in service with the USAF from 1967 through 1998. It entered active service with the Royal Australian Air Force in 1973 and is currently scheduled to remain with the RAAF until 2010.
When did the Australian Air Force replace the F-111?
In 2007, the Australian Government decided to replace the F-111 aircraft of RAAF with 24 F/A-18F Super Hornets. The F-111 was developed as part of the Tactical Fighter Experimental (TFX) programme during early 1960s.
What kind of engine did the FB 111A have?
The FB-111A was a two-engine jet bomber with afterburner. The engines ware integral to the fuselage. The variable geometry wings were attached high on the fuselage and can be swept back from 16 to 72.5.