RAAF Retire F-111 Aardvarks on 02/12/10

Steyr

http://www.flightglobal.com/articles/2010/11/29/350223/pictures-australias-f-111-retirement-to-close-chapter-of-aviation.html

Defence

Australia's F-111 retirement to close chapter of aviation history
By Stephen Trimble




Australia will retire its last General Dynamics F-111Cs in a ceremony at Royal Australian Air Force base Amberley in Queensland on 2 December. As the last operator of the swing-wing, long-range strike aircraft, the event will close a chapter in aviation history that began with the first flight of the F-111A prototype almost 46 years ago at the then-General Dynamics' factory in Fort Worth, Texas.

Over the years the F-111 performed several roles for the US Air Force, including long-range strike, and with the EF-111 Raven variant, electronic warfare. In USAF service F-111s participated in the Vietnam War, the US attack on Libya in 1986, and Operation Desert Storm in 1991 against Iraq's invasion of Kuwait.

By 1997, the USAF had parked all of its "Aardvark" fleet. But the RAAF's Amberley-based 82 Wing continued to keep the "Pig" flying for another 14 years. Australia started operations with the F-111C in 1973, and retired its last ex-USAF F-111Gs in 2007.

Taking the bomber's place will be a fleet of 24 Boeing F/A-18F Super Hornets. The first 11 are already in Australia. Another three are to be delivered this year, with the new type to be declared operational later in December.

Another 10 two-seat F/A-18Fs will be delivered by October 2011 to fully replace the F-111 - but for only about 10 years. The RAAF originally announced plans in 2003 to replace the F-111 this year with the Lockheed Martin F-35 Joint Strike Fighter. But after Lockheed announced the first major delay to the programme in 2004, Canberra moved to order 24 Super Hornets in 2006 as a stopgap.

Also based at Amberley, the Super Hornets are slower and have less range than the land-based F-111, and are optimised for carrier landings. The Boeing type also lacks the very low observable level of stealth advertised for the F-35, 100 of which are expected to be acquired for the RAAF.

But the service is receiving a fighter with Raytheon's state-of-the-art APG-79 active electronically scanned array radar, which has already received high praise from 82 Wing Commander Gp Capt Steve Roberton for its ability to track air and ground targets simultaneously. The F-111 features the Pave Tack targeting system to guide precision munitions, but the F/A-18F sports Raytheon's advanced targeting forward looking infrared pod, with third-generation thermal imaging.

Australia earlier this decade completed the integration of Rafael's AGM-142 Raptor air-to-surface missile with its F-111, but recent tests with the Super Hornet's Raytheon AGM-154C Joint Standoff Weapon have demonstrated an advanced strike capability.

The retiring type is also powered by costly to maintain Pratt & Whitney TF30s that have been used in the F-111's signature air show display: the "dump and burn".



The 1960s-era F-111 also lacks a communications suite on a par with the modern standard for transmitting data seamlessly between airborne platforms. Perhaps more than any other deficiency, it is this shortcoming which has pushed the RAAF to retire the type even before its original replacement is ready to be fielded.

Australia's air force inventory also includes 55 F/A-18A fighters and 16 F/A-18B trainers, as listed in Flightglobal's MiliCAS database.

F111 specifications

Speed M2.5
Range 5,500km
Maximum takeoff weight 51,846kg
Powerplant 2 X Pratt & Whitney TF-30 (9,500kg thrust)
Wingspan 21.3m extended, 10.3m swept
Length 23m
Height 5.3m
Crew 2

Source: RAAF

Mahatma coat

I'll be out on the back Deck on Saturday night waiting for the Last ever F111A Dump and burn.

They are a ferocious loud machine.

goldie fish

Kenny the Kangaroo will be missed.

Steyr

Boeing Marks Retirement of Royal Australian Air Force F-111

http://boeing.mediaroom.com/index.php?s=43&item=1538

AMBERLEY, Queensland, Dec. 2, 2010

The Boeing Company [NYSE: BA] will bid a fond farewell to the Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) F-111 strike fighters that the company has supported for more than 14 years when the fleet is retired on Dec. 3.

As prime contractor for F-111 through-life support activities since 1996, Boeing Defence Australia has designed, developed and delivered technologies and modifications to improve the operational effectiveness of the F-111 fleet from its facilities at RAAF Base Amberley. These upgrades included aircraft overhauls conducted under the F-111 Weapons System Business Unit (WSBU) contract.

Awarded to Boeing in 2001, the WSBU contract was the largest contract awarded by the Commonwealth of Australia at the time and covered all major upgrades to the fleet's airframe, avionics and weapons systems, including:

Providing airframe maintenance from R1 (basic level) through R5 (deeper level)

Providing system analysis, design, modification and testing

Designing and integrating software and hardware to support the AGM-142 missile, the longest range air-to-ground missile available within the Australian Defence Force

Modifying radar warnings.

Additional programs and facilities that Boeing has operated in support of the fleet include a fuel tank repair program, a coldproof load test facility, an F-111 ground test team, and a wing recovery program.

"Over the years, hundreds of Boeing employees have played a vital role in maintaining the operational effectiveness of the F-111 fleet and some, like me, have an even longer history with the platform after working on them during our time in the RAAF," said Ian Gabriel, F-111 program manager, Boeing Defence Australia. "On behalf of all Boeing personnel who supported the aircraft, it has been a privilege to have played a part in the rich military history of the F-111."

"Throughout Boeing's long association with the F-111, we've forged strong relationships with the RAAF, our supplier partners and the local Ipswich community," said John Duddy, vice president and managing director, Boeing Defence Australia. "This could not have been achieved without the consistency and commitment of the Boeing personnel who have worked on the platform, and I thank them all. As the F-111 retires and we enter a new generation of Australian air defense through the F/A-18E/F Super Hornets, Boeing looks forward to continuing to work with the RAAF to help protect Australia and its people."

Steyr

After nearly 40 years of service, six F-111 fighter bombers have taken their final flight from Queensland's Amberley Air Force base.

The F-111 is known for its ability to get down low and fast for bombing runs, earning it the nickname 'the pig'.

Wing Commander Michael Gray says it is an honour to fly the aircraft for the last time.

"It's a sad day but our squadron's been around for more than 90 years, so it's important we remember that we change aircraft," he said.

"It's just that we've had this one for a very long time and we've all grown to know and love it."

The jets were bought during the Cold War and are being replaced with the FA18 Super Hornets.

The F-111s are best known for their impressive dump and burn and today was the last chance to see them in action.

"The pig is your typical Australian self-deprecating humour - it's actually a great aircraft to fly," Wing Commander Gray said.

"It certainly doesn't handle like a pig.

"We also spend a lot of time down low, with our nose in the weeds, and I think that's fairly fitting."

Four F-111s will end up on display at military museums and the 17 others will be scrapped.

Pics: http://images.airforce.gov.au/fotoweb/Grid.fwx?search=%28IPTC025%20contains%20%28F-111%29%29

punchdrunk

great plane,but it's time has passed

and the superhornet looks about ten times nicer!!

Kingdom_of _oriel

punchdrunk wrote: »

great plane,but it's time has passed

and the superhornet looks about ten times nicer!!

It's replacement is also in the pipeline with the YF-22.

Donny5

Kingdom_of _oriel wrote: »

It's replacement is also in the pipeline with the YF-22.

The YF-22 was the prototype for the F22, which is already in service. The F22 isn't really the replacement for the F/A18 series, either; that's really the F35C. They're both carrier-based, multirole fighters.

Steyr

And F22 production is pretty much as good as dead thanks to Pres Obama and she is not allowed to be sold Overseas.

punchdrunk

Steyr wrote: »

And F22 production is pretty much as good as dead thanks to Pres Obama and she is not allowed to be sold Overseas.

the Israelis will have to "find" the plans to build their own now :pac:

Steyr

punchdrunk wrote: »

the Israelis will have to "find" the plans to build their own now :pac:

Im sure somebody will leave a briefcase on a train or something :pac: