In the annals of military aviation, no other airplane has ever captured the imagination and proven to be as remarkably versatile as the General Dynamics F-111 Aardvark. Conceived in the early ’60s for the United States Department of Defense vis-a-vis its mandate for a multi-service airplane, the F-111 became an instrument of sorts, distilling the best that American engineering and strategic thinking were able to offer.
The F-111 had its origins from an ambitious Department of Defense directive for a tactical aircraft that was capable of satisfying the diverse requirements of all U.S. military branches. Although it was born from hell, the F-111 Aardvark grew out to become a menacing multi-role operational plane that was exceptionally good for attack missions on the ground, strategic bombings, reconnaissance, and electronic warfare.
For a world first, the very capability of producing an aircraft with variable-geometry wings and terrain-following radar would have been in itself a marvel. The aircraft had been designed to be navigated treacherously at low altitudes, delivering devastating payloads deep within enemy lines. The aircraft’s innovative after-burning turbofan engines allowed it to fly on November 9, 1966, performing the longest low-level supersonic flight on record, covering 172 miles at altitudes below 1,000 feet.
The design of the F-111 was revolutionary. Its wings could be swept from 16 to 72.5 degrees, giving it variance in speed and agility. This is because it could work both as a bomber and a fighter. While it is on the ground, the wings lie straight and would give it a take-off and landing functionality, once in the air, it would then sweep the wings and fly to break the sound barrier to a speed over Mach 2.
The F-111 went into the service of the US Air Force in 1967, mostly as a bomber. The peculiar design of the plane allowed it to fly just a couple of hundred feet above the ground at over 1,100 km/h, only to pop suddenly to high altitude after releasing the armaments, and then return to the base at supersonic speed.
Another addition to the advanced design of the fighter jet was found in the configuration of its cockpit which featured side-by-side seating to enhance the pilot use interface. Advanced avionics within the aircraft allowed for all-weather, night-time, low-level, over-land missions with the ability to retain an altitude of 200 feet above the ground level over undulating terrains with a hands-free feature for the pilot.