THE F-111 AARDVARK ALL WEATHER TACTICAL STRIKE AIRCRAFT

there is one aircraft today that flies when others cannot it accomplishes missions and bad weather at night at long-range and with larger payloads than most other aircraft as it goes about at routine tasks at the frontline of the free worlds defense in Europe it is beyond challenge one of the finest aircraft ever built and that is doing a job that no other in the NATO alliance can do now or in the foreseeable future it was designated the f-111 by the United States Air Force in the early 1960s designed as a night all-weather automatic terrain-following fighter bomber the f-111 carries out its assignment under any circumstances any time any place any weather in the next century when today's military aircraft are evaluated by future historians this one may be rated as the best for its task every design [Music] [Applause] [Music] [Applause] [Music] the f-111 was activated by the US Air Force in the late 60s the first 50 years of aviation history had seen military aircraft evolving in a predictable sequence as technology improved one airplane design rapidly followed another each pushing its predecessor into obsolescence but the f-111 was one of the aircraft that helped bring that process to a near standstill feel could have foreseen at the time of its development that aviation history was being rewritten military planners in the early 60s hoped that among its other assignments the f-111 would fill a temporary gap between strategic bombers not even the most farsighted could have imagined at the f-111 far from filling an interim role would be asked to serve in the front line of the free world's aggressor deterrent force for the next half century the f-111 is a two-seat all-weather attack aircraft with derivatives ranging from the RF 111 C reconnaissance aircraft to the FV 111 strategic bomber [Music] the General Dynamics f-111 was never given an official nickname by the US Air Force because of its anteater shaped nose it has been called the aardvark by those who fly and maintain it but that whimsical name in no way diminishes their respect for a truly remarkable machine when the first test flight was made in 1964 the f-111 represented an entire series of firsts in military aircraft the first variable-sweep wing the first afterburning supersonic turbofan engine the first automatic terrain-following radar system the first escape module providing safe ejection for both crew members throughout the operational flight envelope and eventually the first tactical aircraft when fully armed to weigh as much as 50 tons [Music] today the f-111 is deployed in the US and to strategic and to Tactical Air Command bases and in Australia by the Royal Australian Air Force the f-111 is flown by the US Air Force in England and its importance as a frontline deterrent is acknowledged by military experts around the world from RAF Lakenheath and upper Hayford the f-111 represents the most powerful defensive unit of any kind in the European NATO nations Hardin shelters grounded securely into the green countryside protect a total of eight squadrons of f-111s each fully capable of reaching objectives far beyond the range of most aircraft in addition the f-111 can make its bombing run at 200 feet above the terrain any time of day or night in any kind of weather and is proof of its respect for the aircraft the Soviet Union has always insisted that the f-111 be included in strategic arms limitation talks a typical mission for the European base 2011 may begin with a scrambler and a quick response of the ground and flight crews with a precision practiced year-round both crews will have the aircraft ready and taxing to the runway in minutes [Music] [Applause] you [Music] [Applause] environmental conditions are an incidental planting factor once the aircraft has been committed to its mission the weather cannot deter the f-111 from its target [Music] the f-111 launches with full afterburners its engines generating over 50,000 pounds of thrust [Applause] [Music] [Applause] depending on mission requirements the aircraft has the capability of flying at speeds approaching Mach 2.5 and delivering its payload to targets well over a thousand miles away target coordinates and navigational information are programmed into onboard computers while the aircraft is still out of hostel radar range the pilot can select automatic terrain-following and bring the aircraft down to 200 feet or safer penetration to the target [Music] [Applause] [Music] with an accuracy that has been proven repeatedly in strategic air command bombing and navigation competition the f-111 fulfills its mission with impressive efficiency in my estimation the airplane is unique there isn't another jet in the world either free or Warsaw Pact that can do what it can do it's a very potent weapon system and it has the ability to strike the entire spectrum of targets that the theater commander would want to strike if we ever had to go to war the f-111 was designed to be a multi-mission aircraft carrying out a wide range of assignments theater nuclear missions interdiction conventional strike maritime control defense suppression and close air support are some of the tasks it can handle but it still performs its night all-weather interdiction role better than any other aircraft in the world and it remains the only u.s. Air Force aircraft in service with day/night low-level all-weather accurate weapons delivery capability this is the main deterrent to the Soviets basically I would say that our job is in time of war for deep penetration to do the utmost damage to the enemy as we possibly can low level high speed maximum proficiency accurate bombing as far as I'm concerned there's no better jet in United States Air Force opposed this job with a reputation for mission effectiveness and survivability the f-111 has the added advantage of being one of the most cost-effective aircraft in the inventory experience has shown that other types of interdiction strike forces may have to include tanker support command and control aircraft electronic support aircraft at air traffic or forward air control fighter cover as well as a heavy commitment of fixed and rotary wing rescue aircraft in contrast in its most basic and effective mission the f-111 works totally alone it can deliver nuclear or conventional weapons to the most difficult targets with awesome speed and pinpoint accuracy for these reasons the f-111 remains one of the most respected weapon systems in the world with its unique capabilities in innovative design the f-111 has secured its place in military aviation history but there's more to this aircraft than performance in engineering excellence behind any defense system developed in America is the conviction that Liberty is too important to take for granted the freedom we cherish must be defended by the best we have as a nation this aircraft and those who fly and maintain it symbolize that best with every flight the f-111 reaffirms to all the world the commitment of the United States Air Force and the American people to the defense of our freedom [Applause] the f-111 not only an effective peacekeeper for today but built to keep the peace far into tomorrow [Music]