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F-111 Aardvark: Did the Air Force Retire This Warplane Too Soon?

F-111. Image Credit: Creative Commons.
F-111. Image Credit: Creative Commons.

Key Points and Summary: The F-111 Aardvark, a Vietnam-era fighter-bomber-reconnaissance aircraft, served in the Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) until 2010, decades after its U.S. retirement in the 1990s.

-Known for its multi-role versatility, the F-111 was ahead of its time, blending fighter-like agility with bomber capabilities.

-While the U.S. Air Force transitioned to newer platforms like the B-1B, Australia valued the F-111’s strategic capabilities and maintained it with extensive upgrades.

-Despite its lack of stealth, the Aardvark could have been modernized for roles such as surveillance or precision bombing, much like the B-52 or F-15, highlighting its enduring design potential.

Why Australia Kept the F-111 Aardvark Decades Longer Than the U.S.

The Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) decided to keep the classic F-111 Aardvark until 2010. Yet, the United States Air Force retired the aircraft in the 1990s, a nearly 20-year disparity that raises questions about the long-term value and viability of the Vietnam-era plane. 

Both the US Air Force and RAAF’s approach to the classic aircraft would seem to make sense for several reasons, as key factors support both perspectives.

One reason for the varying assessments of the aircraft is that it dates back to the 1960s, yet it brought an interesting multi-role mixture of performance possibilities.

F-111 Aardvark: Fighter-Bomber-Recon “Multi-Role” 

The Aardvark was arguably ahead of its time in some respects as its design was a hybrid-kind of single aircraft that functioned as a multi-role fighter, bomber, and reconnaissance platform.

The aircraft’s configuration seems to reinforce this concept, as its airframe looks a bit like a precursor to the B1-B bomber; it has a thin, angular front end shaped like a fighter jet and a bomber-like wing-body shape. 

The exact reasons for the US Air Force cancellation are not fully known, yet it appeared to involve a mix of variables such as budget, the pace of technological advancement, and the particular blend of aircraft needed by the service at that time.

For example, the first flight of the B1-B bomber took place in the mid-1970s, which may have influenced the Air Force’s decision to sunset the F-111. Also, in some cases the technological configuration of an aircraft may make it difficult to upgrade or at least introduce some modernization due to limitations.

Interestingly, one 2024 essay from The Aviation Geek Club argues that the F-111 retirement may have been due to the many challenges associated with maintaining the aircraft. 

However, when it comes to other legacy aircraft from decades ago, the Air Force indeed found ways to upgrade and modernize platforms for years beyond the intended service life. 

Service Life Extension 

Specifically, the US Air Force’s F-15, F-16, and B-52 have all lasted decades beyond what was initially anticipated, and all three aircraft have arguably become entirely different aircraft due to massive upgrades.

Air Force weapons developers have for years explained that the airframes remain viable years beyond what was planned, and the overall functionality or combat performance of an air platform pertains to several performance parameters such as communications, avionics, sensing, and fire control.

For example, the F-15 and F-16 have received new computing, Advanced Electronically Scanned Array radar, and a suite of new sensing technologies.

Some structural reinforcement has proven effective in some cases, such as the C-130 and B-52, and the airframes have remained highly functional.  

Indeed, one may argue that a multi-role fighter such as the Aardvark could arguably have made an impact. For instance, as a reconnaissance platform, the Aardvark might have been positioned to perform some J-STARS-type aerial surveillance missions. 

As a bomber, the F-111 might have been upgraded to perform B1-B-type missions. Sure enough, the Aardvark looks similar to a B1-B configuration in some respects.

The B1-B emerged in the mid-1980s and has been modernized with a new bomb-rack unit, electronics, and weapons bay capable of transporting hypersonics, so it stands to reason that perhaps the F-111 could have continued to add value to the service’s air-combat strategy. 

Of course, the F-111 lacks stealth, much like the B1-B, B-52, and 4th-gen fighter platforms such as the F-15 and F-16, yet it seems it might have proven quite helpful for decades beyond the 1990s in circumstances where the US Air Force had established air superiority. 

F-111 Aardvark : A Photo History 

F-111. Image Credit: Creative Commons.

F-111. Image Credit: Creative Commons.

F-111. Image Credit: Creative Commons.

F-111. Image Credit: Creative Commons.

F-111. Image Credit: Creative Commons.

RAAF A8-134 General Dynamics RF-111C Aardvark c/n D1-10. Farewell F-111 Aerial Display – Australian International Airshow 10-15 March 2009. File: A8-134_YMAV_20090314_5871

F-111. Image Credit: Creative Commons.

An air-to-air left front view of an F-111 aircraft during a refueling mission over the North Sea.

F-111. Image Credit: Creative Commons.

F-111

F-111. Image Credit: Creative Commons.

F-111. Image Credit: Creative Commons.

F-111. Image Credit: Creative Commons.

F-111. Image Credit: Creative Commons.

F-111. Image Credit: Creative Commons.

F-111.

F-111 Aardvark. Image: Creative Commons.

F-111. Image: Creative Commons.

F-111 Aardvark. Image: Creative Commons.

F-111. Image Credit: Creative Commons.

About the Author: Kris Osborn 

Kris Osborn is the Military Technology Editor of 19FortyFive and President of Warrior Maven – Center for Military Modernization. Osborn previously served at the Pentagon as a Highly Qualified Expert with the Office of the Assistant Secretary of the Army—Acquisition, Logistics & Technology. Osborn has also worked as an anchor and on-air military specialist at national TV networks. He has appeared as a guest military expert on Fox News, MSNBC, The Military Channel, and The History Channel. He also has a Masters Degree in Comparative Literature from Columbia University.

Written By

Kris Osborn is the Military Affairs Editor of 19 FortyFive and President of Warrior Maven - Center for Military Modernization. Osborn previously served at the Pentagon as a Highly Qualified Expert with the Office of the Assistant Secretary of the Army—Acquisition, Logistics & Technology. Osborn has also worked as an anchor and on-air military specialist at national TV networks. He has appeared as a guest military expert on Fox News, MSNBC, The Military Channel, and The History Channel. He also has a Masters Degree in Comparative Literature from Columbia University.

6 Comments

6 Comments

  1. rohan wilson

    January 17, 2025 at 5:33 am

    With the wing box and seal/reseal of the fuel tank, it was retired TOO LATE.

  2. Paul Exell

    January 17, 2025 at 2:34 pm

    The RAAF had a lack of interest in continuing with the extensive maintenance. The Airframes were certainly approaching their use by date.

  3. Christopher Clausen

    January 17, 2025 at 2:51 pm

    Variable wings, which also killed the Navy’s F-14.

    As for multi-purpose, the F-15 was much better. The F-15 was roughly the same measurements, but could do much of what the F-111 did much, much better such as being a fighter, which the f-111 was never capable of doing. The F-15 also has a crew of 1. The F-111 required 2.

    The F-16 can carry almost as much ordinance as the F-15, is much smaller than the F-15, which is important in a dog-fight.

    The Aussies are great allies. But if you want an ally who can quickly judge the best in US aviation, watch Israel. What they can do with what we sell should show US manufacturers should be doing.

  4. H.R. Holm

    January 18, 2025 at 12:31 am

    There were around 50 of one F-111 variant that were assigned to the old Strategic Air Command thru the 1980s, as ‘backup’ strategic bombers, later retired. I have wondered for years why these weren’t then sold or even handed over to Israel, which could sorely have used such an asset against, say, Iran. Given what Israel has done with its own F-15s, F-16s, and F-35s as far as upgrades/specialized adaptations, the F-111s could probably have been reworked as quite effective Israeli strategic bombers. Of course, the Arab nations and Iran would have furiously opposed such a transfer. But one could imagine that the Israelis could even have bestowed some sort of stealth characteristic into the aircraft, even.

  5. Greg

    January 19, 2025 at 9:39 am

    Read the Title again as see if you notice(d) what is wrong with it.

  6. JAH

    January 20, 2025 at 1:45 pm

    The F111 was a submarine killer.

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