Path: utzoo!news-server.csri.toronto.edu!rutgers!att!cbnews!cbnews!military
From: dvlssd@zeus.cs.umu.se (Stefan Skoglund)
Newsgroups: sci.military
Subject: F111
Message-ID: <1991Mar12.230042.27317@cbnews.att.com>
Date: 12 Mar 91 23:00:42 GMT
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Organization: Dep. of Info.Proc, Umea Univ., Sweden
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From: dvlssd@zeus.cs.umu.se (Stefan Skoglund)
About F111.

First :
The USAF has a small number of designations of aircrafts :
F : true fighters, attack-fighters and attack-airplane.
B :  Bombers.
C : Transport and Cargo.
T : Training
U : Utility. Unusual. A catch-all or thing about U2-A
R : Reconnaisance.

Prefix to the above mentioned type designatorsm
E : It means that this a/c is a electronic warfare version
    of a common mainstream a/c.
S : Strategic.Usuall in this meaning : Strategic Reconnaisance.
    SR-71 and and also SB52C I think.
    SB52 was a B52 with a reconnaisance pod with a crew of 2 ( ca )
    in the bomb bay.
T : Tactical. Usuall before a R => Tactical Reconnaisance.

PUH This is a FAQ.

F111A Prototypes to the F111 family and also the first production
      run of the new aircraft. In other word : no XF-111 has ever
      existed.
      42 converted to the USAF version of the Navys EA6.
      The rest are still flying except for crashes, slaughtered
      bodies and so one. To repair some crashed FB-111A the AF took
      the rear of some prototypes for example.

F111B Was supposed to become the succesor to the F4 Phantom
      in the navy. Equipped with Phoenix missiles, AWG-9 and
      MK-82 iron bombs for the ground attack role.
      One prototype built. Got to heavy.

F111C Australian version of the F111. 24 built and ordered.
      4 ca in that batch was in reconnaisance version while stile
      retainning all the ground attack capabilities
      ie a lot of cameras in the bomb bay.

F111D Cosmic Aardvark. F111 with a advances CRT presentation system
      in the cockpit. Advanced functions for navigating and putting
      the bombs at target. The system was to much before its time
      ie a lot of problem with reliability. The AF  has gotten it in
      order now. Stationed at Cannon Air Base in New Mexico ( right ? ).
      The only F111 using the M61 Vulcan today. Everbody else has 
      some better use for the bomb bay.

F111E Heavy  simplified version of the F111D. No CRT.

F111F F111E with much stronger engines.  Stationed at Upper Heyford.
      Equipped with Pave-Tack FLIR and laser designation system.

FB111A Strategic version of F111A. Equipped with precision nav-system.
       This F111 together with the B70 Valkyrie was intended to
       take SAC into the 90's.
       95 ca built. Astro-navigation system. Converted to F111G now and
       allocated to TAC.

F111K British version. After the MoD saw how the TFX went they cancelled
      the contract and built the Tornado instead.

EF111A Electronic warfare version of the F111A.
       The AF took 42 low-time F111A, refreshed the whole airframe,
       throw out all the stuff inside. Instruments radars and so on.
       Strengthed the tail, Insatlled more power.
       Put on a big scanner ( the big hump on the tail ) 
       and six big and strong jammers in the bomb bay.
       Built for selective jamming. Ie if you are going to jam radars
       then you will only jam that radar. A  small little mishap :
       Under the testing it  happened a small little mishap :
       Due to wrong programming one a/c jammed the TV- and
       telephone-network in Californien. Cal went silent.
       The newspappers went mad and called that a major shortcomming
       of the project. When you plan your mission you look at SigInt
       for the mission area and decids that and who will not be allowed
       to get any useful done with their radars.
       With info about the frequency of the threats you program
       the scanner with its search-pattern.
       And then you go of at business doing what you were supposed to
       do. Obviously they had programmed in the wrong search-patterns.
     
       EF111A are stationed at Upper Heyford and at Mountain Home.

       All the versions of the F111 will be flying for a long time to go.
       About Sidewinders on F111 : Well they are all using them now.

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Ume, Sweden                        I