F-111 early retirement .

Originally posted by Browno
I didnt hear that anywhere but hearing the USAF/RAAF Permanently retiring it makes it sound rubbish when it is not, Its even better than the
F-15E with all the capabilities you just mentioned, It probably has capabilities the F-22 Raptor doesnt have!

Agreed! B.T.W. The Rubbish I was referring to was that the F-111 is rubbish and that the F-15E can replace it with no loss of capibility! We all know that's BS. I though that went without saying! The Notion that the F-111 is obsolete and no longer needed is a load of #! Even some in the US Militray have said that the US Air Force LOST capibility when the F-111 was retired that even the JSF hasn't brough back! Hearing that the RAAF plans to retire the F-111 is a bitter disappointment. Apperently the US Air Force's screw-up taught them nothing!

Tim

Here you go Browno,
Two Pratt & Whitney TF30-P-7 turbofans, 12,500 lb.s.t. dry and 20,350 lb.s.t. with afterburner. Maximum speed (clean configuration): 1453 mph at 50,000 feet, 1320 mph at 36,000 feet and 838 mph at sea level. Initial climb rate: 23,418 feet/minute. Service ceiling: 50,263 feet. Range: 2500 miles with four SRAMs and internal fuel. Maximum ferry range: 4786 miles with six 600-US gall. auxiliary fuel tanks on pylons. Weights: 47,980 pounds empty and 119,250 pounds gross. Dimensions: Wingspan 70 feet (minimum sweep), 33 feet 11 inches (maximum sweep), length 73 feet 6 inches, height 17 feet. Internal fuel capacity of 5010 US gallons. Would carry 9223 US gallons with six 600 US gallons underwing drop tanks. Armed with up to six Boeing AGM-69A SRAM and could carry a conventional ordnance load up to 37,500 pounds.


www.fb-111a.net...

Stats for the aircraft and squadrons

The JSF cant replace the F111. The F111 is a long ranged strike aircraft which can carry heavy loads. There will forever be a need for aircraft capable of that role. The JSf cant carry the sameload and is much shorter ranged.

They are old and will need to be replaced, but nothing on the market or drawing board offers the same payload and range.

Maybe we ask someone to build us some new ones!

Someone commented earlier that the Pigs haven't been deployed lately. They flew recon for East Timor and were also tasked for many more (but not needed) missions.

Ever wonder why the Indonesian Air Force and Navy were not part of the TNI land forces/militia silliness in East Timor? Apart from an implication that they are better trained and more professional, it has been suggested that before the whole show kicked off a private phone call or two were made by senior ADF officers to Indonesian officers that they had worked (staff college, training etc) with that were along the lines of "the available Collins Class subs are all out and the F-111s are tasked and loaded". The implication being that if the Indonesian naval or air forces decided to be as silly as the army (regarded as too political and corrupt) then they would regret it. The people in the know understood this. The F-111 is a big stick to match the quiet voice.

If Australia replaces the F-111, What will happen to them?

I deffo dont think they should be scrapped but passed on to another NATO country.

Originally posted by Browno
If Australia replaces the F-111, What will happen to them?

I deffo dont think they should be scrapped but passed on to another NATO country.

Australia are not a Nato country , and theyb are being replaced for reasons of fatigue and cost of maintenace , who would want that burden ?

They'll probably fly them back to the US and put them back in the boneyard in AZ. That way if they are needed for some reason they're still in mostly flyable condition.

My understanding of it all is that it is more a political decision than anything else. As stated else ware, F35's or F22's will never replace the pigs capability and the Aussies need a medium range medium bomber. At one stage they had Mirage lll's as front line fighters and they were absolutely useless and could not even ferry one third of the distance across the country without needing refueling not to mention their woeful maneuverability. Australia would be better served by keeping any front line as far off their shores as possible, there is nothing to be gained by waiting for the front to come to them.

The fatigue issues are far worse with the FA18 fleet and they are being refitted with center barrels presently and other fatigue critical components as a stop gap measure. I have heard that the F111 airframes were capable of meeting the initial retirement date and that there had been no pressing need to bring it forward to 2008/9.

The biggest problem as I see it is that politicians should be forced to pass a law preventing them from making uninformed decisions and stupid laws, that should effectively silence them and keep them from destroying efective measures already in place.