Last major exercise for F-111

[buglerbilly]

23 July 2010



As the F-111 era draws to a close, the long-range strike aircraft are still flexing their muscle as they take part in their final Exercise Pitch Black.

Four F-111s from No. 6 Squadron RAAF Amberley, in Queensland are taking part in the exercise.



After 37 years, the iconic F-111s are the longest current serving aircraft in the Royal Australian Air Force's fleet.

Wing Commader Micka Gray, Commanding Officer No. 6 Squadron, says the F-111 has been very successful for a very long time.
"The F-111 was an aircraft ahead of its time. It was one of the first twin-engine swing-wing aircraft and has enormous flexibility for range and endurance".

It is affectionately known as the 'Pig' for its ability to hunt at night with its nose in the weeds, thanks to its terrain-following radar.



"No. 6 Squadron has a long and proud history," Wing Commander Gray said. "I am sure the end of 2010 will be an emotional time for many people when we say goodbye to the Pig. But for now we have F-111s to prepare, fly and fight".

The F-111 arrived at Amberley in 1973 and No. 6 Squadron has now flown the strike jet for nearly four decades.

"The F-111 is just a magnificent aircraft. I first flew it 22 years ago as a young fella and I've flown a lot of hours in it. It touches you just to be part of the F-111 community whether you are flying it, maintaining it or supporting it".



The F-111 can strike day or night in any weather. Its Pave Tack targeting system can locate targets at night and in bad weather and provides laser designation for laser-guided weapons. The radar warning system detects incoming radar emissions and alerts the crew to potential surface or air attacks.



The F-111s will return to Darwin for Exercises Kakadu and Singaroo later next month.

The venerable aircraft will be duly farewelled from service at the end of the year.

[Exsandgroper]

It's been great but now it's time to say goodbye to the old bomber
Paul D. Johnstone From: The Australian October 23, 2010 12:00AM

SPECIAL REPORT

HAVING early on flown into controversy, the swift-winged F-111 strategic bomber entered service with the Royal Australian Air Force in 1973.
Its initial earlier entry was delayed as technical challenges from what was then a highly advanced platform posed a number of technical challenges.

This is often mentioned when comparisons are made with the 5th Generation Joint Strike Fighter known as the F-35A Lightening II, which will commence entry into Australian service in 2014.

Although never flown in war by Australia, the F-111 has provided a strategic deterrent and potent weapon in the nation's inventory that was unmatched in the region. The RF model or reconnaissance version was used operationally only once, in a mission over East Timor in 1999 to support the UN's Interfet. F-111s were also deployed to northern Australia to provide support if required during the early days of the East Timor intervention. While systematic upgrades to electronic warfare and new weapons capabilities have occurred throughout its life, the aircraft has begun to lag in terms of survivability and ability.

Initially 24 airframes were purchased for the RAAF, while attrition frames have been purchased over time to replace those lost in accidents and to assist with sustaining the life of the fleet.

What is the future of the RAAF's F-111 as they now make way for the 24 new F/A-18F Block II Super Hornets known as Rhinos? A small number of them will become gate guards or static displays across the nation, and the G models will be destroyed. Is this the desecration of Australia's military history? Probably not. Fourteen Boneyard Wranglers were retired ex-US Air Force airframes acquired from Arizona desert storage. As they have nuclear weapon-carrying capability they are required to be destroyed as part of the non-nuclear proliferation treaty. Under the conditions of purchase for the F-111 known as International Traffic in Arms Regulations the transfer or disposal of them requires prior approval.

Initially, four aircraft will be preserved and potentially selected airframes may be released for sale for static displays. One G Model will be preserved at the Air Force Museum at Point Cook Victoria and a C designation F-111 will be displayed at RAAF Base Edinburgh in South Australia. The other two will be at RAAF Base Amberley by early next year.

The F-111's variable geometry or swing wings, the escape capsule, terrain following radar and afterburning turbofans engines were new technologies for production aircraft of the era. Now, after 37 years of service to the nation, the aircraft took on a role in the form of maritime strike.

The only other operator, the USAF, never enacted this role. Australia's Strategic thinking in the 1980s via the Air-Sea Gap theory saw defence formulated around the ability to defend Australia via its air and sea approaches of which the F-111 played a key role armed with its stand-off Harpoon missile.

The F-111 still remains the fastest and longest-range combat aircraft in the Southeast Asian region which says something about the engineers who first design this aircraft.

The decision to retire the F-111 was made in 2007. The only other operator, USAF, had previously retired its airframes in 1998.

The rationale behind the Australian decision for the withdrawal date was that they were becoming increasingly costly to maintain and in 2001 laboratory tests revealed critical structural failures.

The last public opportunity to witness a dump and burn is scheduled for the December 3, when F-111s will take to the skies for the last time. There will be farewell flypasts over Ipswich, the Brisbane CBD, Southeast Queensland and NSW towns to acknowledge and thank local communities for their support over the last 37 years.

An official ceremony known as "Pig Tales" will be held at RAAF Base Amberley in early December.


Cheers