Jump to content

F-111F Armament Options


Recommended Posts

I like the Pig... I used to work the E models, and someday would like to model the other variants...

While I'm sure that the F model could carry the same things as the E model (except for the bay loaded bombs after getting the AN/AVQ-26 Pave Tack Pod), I have no idea of what it could handle after getting the pod.

Anybody know what would be an accurate load for it?

Thanks

Link to post
Share on other sites

With Pave Tack, precision guided munitions became the order of the day. According to Osprey's F-111 and EF-111 units in combat book, the F-111Fs carried the following ordnance in Libya and Iraq (Desert Storm):

El Dorado Canyon

GBU-10E/B x 4 (2,000 lbs bombs, used for the El Dorado Canyon strikes)

GBU-12D/B (500 lbs bombs)

Mk 82 bombs fitted with BSU-49/B AIR retarding tail units x 12 (what struck the IL-76s at the Tripoli airport)

Desert Storm

GBU-12 (used for killing tanks)

GBU-15, GBU-15(V)-2/B (used on the "duck mission" to stop the Kuwaiti oil heads from dumping into the Persian Gulf)

GBU-24, GBU-24/B

GBU-10, GBU-10J/B and GBU-10E/B

GBU-27

CBU-71/B

CBU-89 Gator

Mk 84s with BSU-50 AIR (for area bombing)

GBU-28 (the purpose designed Bunker Buster bomb dropped on Saddam's bunker at the end of the war, a standard Mk 84 bomb was carried on the opposite wing to balance out the load)

Link to post
Share on other sites

There were very few weapons in the USAF inventory that were not in the protected memory of the F-111F.

AN/AXQ-14 data link pod was usually though not always fitted to a jet carrying a GBU-15 (any GBU-15 can be carried. which means any seeker head and any fin group), It was possible for them to be carried on any pylon in up to groups of 4 though 2 on the outer pylons was most common and usually by 493TFS jets, who became known as "The bomb in the ring squadron" because of it.

The AN/AXQ could be fitted to either rear pylon or to the weapons bay hard point, when carried on the rear pylon *an AN/ALQ-131 covered the bay, when fitted to the weapons bay pylon an AN/ALQ-131 shallow was almost always on the rear pylon.

I dont know if all the jets had the ability to carry a data link, they always seemed to be on the same jets, dont know if it was because they trained with them so they were given them or because other jets didnt have the wiring to link into it.

The wing group used on the GBU-15 seemed to change, some of the large wings were still used late on, I suspect it had more to do with the desired delivery profile being used.

The AN/ALQ-119 was used for the early years, it soon gave way to the AN/ALQ-131 shallow on the rear pylon... as a general rule white tail codes and you might find its a -119.

AN/AVQ-26 was a gradual roll-out to the F and took a couple of years to complete, as a general rule if shes wearing a North Africa Campaign ribbon she'll be carrying a PaveTack pod, it was as early 80s mod, and Libya was mid 80s... I still remember watching them thunder down the runway that night.

M-117 with any fin group possible... dont know if they had any and LN though.

Mk-82 with any fin group, AIR > SE > LDGP would be my guess as common loads in that order.

Mk-84 any fin group depending on target and delivery profile.

All cluster bombs, Mk20 Rockeye, SUU-30H could be mounted 6 to a BRU, 24 to a jet, though it was common to see the inner pylon slant loaded, but not unusual to see those stations loaded too.

CBU-87/89 were parent mounted, the total weight could be over 1000lbs, the hardpoint was stressed to slightly over 6000lbs, and the lug spacing precluded the fitting of them to a BRU anyway. Heaviest load she could carry was 6x MK83s if the front fins would allow rear stations to be used, I never saw it and I dont think they had any at LN.

Any Paveway II/III... GBU-12, GBU-10, GBU-24, GBU-28 etc (never GBU-27 as it was just a BLU-109 warhead mated to a Paveway III CCG and Paveway II rear fin so as to be able to fit the F-117 weapons bay, the F used the GBU-24 instead)

600gal tanks could be fitted to any of the four movable pylons, in the later months after ODS Lakenheath started to experiment with many different configurations, including mounting 3 GBU-12s to a BRU after lessons learnt during ODS as to just how effective an F-111F could be when killing tanks... infact I seem to remember reading that the Fs were the single most effective "weapons system" sent to The Gulf, and they were far more destructive than most imagined them to be... less thirsty too as there were cases of tankers calling in having not seen the F-111Fs because they didnt need to top off)

AIM-9P on the shoulder pylon was an optional extra... Sometimes they were there sometimes they were not. I dont think there was ever any intention of using it either way.

I would go with the list provided by MrVark, its accurate with regards to what was actually used, or seen to be used. Other loads are target/delivery profile dependent.

Edited by ElectroSoldier
Link to post
Share on other sites

Found a couple of interesting ones

Carrying GBU-15 on the inboard pylons and GBU-10s on the outer with the other jet carrying tanks and sidewinders on the outer pylons.

09d85d499df78ec4a284d8103a1734bc_zps8mu3ogkp.jpg

Miss Liberty herself carrying live GBU-15s and GBU-24s... I believe the sidewinders are live too, though they do not have the fins and wings fitted (the GBU-24 means the wings cant fit, this was taken as they were deploying for ODS, they took a selection of weapons with them to be ready when they arrived.)

b3229f2fc36cc7dd53da96a72993d9e9_zpsdbdzapg6.jpg[

Link to post
Share on other sites

I always wondered what the white missile style body was, which is attached on the left outboard shoulder rail. It can be seen on various pics of 111's deploying to the gulf. To me it does not look like an AIM-9 body, rather like a modern flight profile recorder.

Scout

Link to post
Share on other sites

I always wondered what the white missile style body was, which is attached on the left outboard shoulder rail. It can be seen on various pics of 111's deploying to the gulf. To me it does not look like an AIM-9 body, rather like a modern flight profile recorder.

Scout

The only things we carried on 3A & 6A during the 1980s were CATM/AIM-9P Sidewinders or ACMI pods. The former typically had white (live) seeker sections and 35109 blue bodies or white with blue bands. The latter were light gray with black noses and unpainted 'pitot' tubes. The ACMI pods were only used at Nellis AFB during Red Flags. The Sidewinders were carried infrequently but were also commonly seen at Red Flag with a CATM-9P on the opposite wing.

Link to post
Share on other sites

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Paste as plain text instead

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

×
×
  • Create New...