By Jim Rotramel

 

Click on Picture to enlarge

Each of the four pivoting pylons could carry stores attached directly or suspended from bomb release units (BRU), which were more aerodynamic variants of the multiple ejector racks (MER) carried by other fighters. In theory, each BRU-3A/A could hold up to six 1,000-pound class bombs, allowing for carriage of 24 bombs from the four inboard wing stations. However, in practice they were almost always carried from the outboard pylons (stations 3 and 6) only, with the inboard pylons left empty.

Up to four pylon-mounted stores could be carried or BRU-mounted loads of eight high-drag 750-lb cluster bomb units (CBU) or 12 low-drag 500-lb bombs. Although larger loads could be (and on occasion were) carried, the above loadings offered the most reasonable tradeoff between combat range and firepower. If the bottom BRU stations were empty, the load was called a ‘flat four’; when the inboard BRU stations were empty, it was a ‘slant four’.

Beginning in the early 1980s, Paveway I variants of the GBU-10/-12 were used occasionally for training missions, but Paveway IIs and (beginning in the late 1980s) Paveway IIIs were more common for training and were the only LGBs used in combat.

Only two GBU-15s were carried operationally, always on the outboard pylons to prevent inadvertently breaking the bombs’ wings (and poking holes in the aircraft’s skin!) by sweeping the aircraft wings too far back. The same restriction applied to the rocket-boosted AGM-130 variant. Only F-111Fs fitted with the AXQ-14 data-link pod on the aft ECM pod station could guide these weapons. As noted previously, when this happened, the ECM pod was carried on the forward station.

Nuclear weapons were a vital part of F-111’s Cold War mission. B43 weapons were available until the mid-1980s and B57s until the late-1980s. B61s entered service in the late 1960s, and B83s in the late 1980s. All of these weapons were qualified for use with F-111s, with the B61 being of primary importance. In addition, the AGM-69 SRAM was qualified for use on the FB-111A. F-111C/G and EF-111As never carried nukes.

Sidewinders were considered optional equipment because they were primarily daylight weapons. Starting about 1983, AIM-9 launchers were loaded on stations 3A and 6A, mounted halfway up the outside of the outboard pylons. Although modifications to allow carriage of AIM-9L/Ms from these stations were studied, because of clearance problems with the aircraft wings, only short-winged AIM-9P-4s were carried there; AIM-9L/Ms had to be carried on launchers mounted on the bottom of the pylons. Except for GBU-12s, precision-guided munitions (PGM) precluded use of stations 3A and 6A for AIM-9 carriage. During Desert Storm, Sidewinders were only carried on the first night by a few aircraft.

Stateside F-111s carried the SUU-20 practice bomb dispensers. Usually, these were carried on the inboard pylons, with BRUs loaded outboard. European-based F-111s substituted SUU-21 dispensers, which helped prevent inadvertent releases by enclosing the bombs between releases.

EF-111As normally flew without pylons unless carrying MXU-648 baggage pods (old BLU-1 napalm tanks with a door fitted in the side) or the airborne instrumentation system (AIS) pods used during exercises like Red Flag. They carry no operational stores.

 

 

The F-111A Vietnam

 

Sta 2/7	Sta 3/6A	Sta 3/6	Sta 4/5	Wpn Bay	ECM Pod	Remarks
not used	not used	6 M117 LDGP	pylon	fwd ALQ-87	aft ALQ-87	Combat Lancer only
not used	not used	6 Mk 82	pylon	fwd ALQ-87	aft ALQ-87	SE or LDGP
not used	not used	6 Mk 82	6 Mk 82	fwd ALQ-87	aft ALQ-87	LDGP-Cambodia
not used	not used	PMk 84 LDG	Mk 84 LDGP	fwd ALQ-87	aft ALQ-87
not used	not used	4 SUU-30B	4 SUU-30 B	fwd ALQ-87	aft ALQ-87	slant 4 load

_{Gun installed in weapons bay.}

 

 

The FB-111A Cold War (postulated)

 

Sta 2/7	Sta 3/6A	Sta 3/6	Sta 4/5	Wpn Bay	ECM Pod	Remarks
fuel tank	not used	fuel tank	B61 or B43	B61 or B43	none	rt. fuel cell in bay
fuel tank	not used	fuel tank	AGM-69A	B61 or B43	none	rt. fuel cell in bay
fuel tank	not used	fuel tank	fuel tank	2 AGM-69A	none
fuel tank	not used	fuel tank	AGM-69A	2 AGM-69A	none

_{B83 probably not operational, based on FB-111A drawdown and Cold War’s end.}

 

Click on Picture to enlarge
An F-111F carrying two GBU-15(V)-1s, an AN/ALQ-131 ECM pod on the front station and an AN/AXQ-14 data link pod on the aft station.	An AN/AXQ-14 data link pod mounted on the aft station of an F-111F.

 

 

The F-111D/E/F  Cold War (postulated)

 

Sta 2/7	Sta 3/6A	Sta 3/6	Sta 4/5	Wpn Bay	ECM Pod	Remarks
not used	optional	6 Mk 82	pylon	optional	aft ECM	LDGP, SE or AIR
not used	optional	6 Mk 20	pylon	optional	aft ECM	LDGP or AIR
not used	optional	Mk 84	Mk 84	optional	aft ECM	LDGP or AIR
not used	optional	4 SUU-30H	pylon	optional	aft ECM	slant 4 load
not used	optional	6 BLU-107	pylon	optional	aft ECM	from mid-1980s
not used	optional	pylon	B57 on 4 or 5	optional	aft ECM	one bomb only
not used	optional	pylon	B61 or B57	optional	QRC 80-01	F-111D only
not used	optional	fuel tank	B61	optional	aft ECM
not used	optional	fuel tank	B61	B61 or B43	aft ECMQRC 80-01	rt. fuel cell in bay

_{Gun optional in weapons bay until early 1980s. Pave Tack pod normal on F-111Fs thereafter. ECM pods were ALQ-87 in early-1970s, medium-length ALQ-119 until early-1980s, then shallow ALQ-131.}

 

 

The F-111 A/C/D/E/F/G Training

 

Sta 2/7	Sta 3/6A	Sta 3/6	Sta 4/5	Wpn Bay	ECM Pod	Remarks
not used	optional	6 Mk 82	SUU-20/21	optional	optional	LDGP, SE, or AIR
not used	optional	Mk 84	SUU-20/21	optional	optional	LDGP or AIR
not used	optional	6 Mk 20	SUU-20/21	optional	optional
not used	optional	GBU-10	SUU-20/21	optional	optional	Paveway I or II
not used	optional	GBU-12	SUU-20/21	optional	optional	Paveway I or II
not used	optional	GBU-24	SUU-20/21	optional	optional

_{AIM-9E or P-CAP common on 3A or 6A; if at a ‘Flag’ exercise AIS pod on the other shoulder station. SUU-20 used in U. S. and by F-111C, while SUU-21 was used in Europe. While USAF F-111s almost always carried these practice dispensers inboard, on F-111Cs they were more often carried on the outboard pylons.  Pave Tack normal for F-111C or F-111F, while others use bay doors or gun, except for F-111G, which only used bay doors. ECM pods were as per war loads, none for F-111C or F-111G.}

 

 

The F-111 C

 

Sta 2/7	Sta 3/6A	Sta 3/6	Sta 4/5	Wpn Bay	ECM Pod	Remarks
not used	not used	AGM-84	AGM-84	optional	not used
not used	not used	fuel tank	AGM-88	optional	not used
not used	not used	AGM-88	AGM-88	optional	not used
not used	AIM-9B opt	6 Karinga	4 Karinga	optional	not used	Australian CBU
not used	AIM-9B opt	6 Mk 82	6 Mk 82	optional	not used	LDGP or SE
not used	AIM-9B opt	Mk 84 LDGP	Mk 84 LDGP	optional	not used
not used	not used	GBU-10E	GBU-10E		not used	Paveway II
not used	not used	GBU-12B	GBU-12B		not used	Paveway II
not used	not used	GBU-15	pylon	optional	not used	(V)-1

_{Pave Tack normal after mid-1980s.}

 

 

The F-111 F  In  El Dorado Canyon

 

Sta 2/7	Sta 3/6A	Sta 3/6	Sta 4/5	Wpn Bay	ECM Pod	Remarks
not used	not used	6 Mk 82 AIR	pylon	AVQ-26	aft ALQ-131	Tripoli Airfield
not used	not used	GBU-10E	GBU-10E	AVQ-26	aft ALQ-131	HQ & Terr. Camp

 

 

The Gulf War F-111 Bomb Loads

 

All of the GBU-15 standoff weapons expended used Mk 84 warheads. Both long- and short-chord wings used (slightly more of the latter), and 62 had IIR seekers against only eight with EO guidance. Only 493 TFS aircrew were qualified to employ GBU-15s, aircraft from all teams but Indy were used to deliver them. An aircraft carrying the AN/AXQ-14 pod controlled the bomb, which was usually launched from another aircraft.

The F-111Fs’ primary weapons were LGBs. It was very common, especially during the early part of the war, for aircraft to only carry two LGBs on the outboard pylons. The “Bridge Mix” was composed of GBU-10J/Bs (BLU-109 warheads) on the left wing and GBU-10E/Bs (Mk 84 warheads) on the right wing. This configuration was based on releasing two bombs per pass per pass, first one ‘hard’ GBU-10J/B for its penetration effect followed by a ‘soft’ GBU-10E/B for blast and fragmentation.

During periods of bad weather, a mixed load of either GBU-10s or GBU-24s, and Mk 84s was used. When the weather was good, the GBUs would be dropped on pinpoint targets, if bad, the Mk 84s would be employed for area bombing. Apparently using the same logic, some aircraft used mixed loads of inboard GBU-24s and outboard GBU-10s. GBU-12s were used to attack Iraqi tank and artillery concentrations prior to the start of the ground war.

On 27 February, the final night of the war, two F-111Fs each delivered a single GBU-28/B ‘Deep Throat’ bomb against a deep command bunker at Al Taji AB, from the left outboard pylon. The GBU-28 70-2391 hit where it was aimed but missed the bunker. However, the bomb dropped from 70-2387 scored a direct hit. The Mk 84 ‘ballast’ bombs on the right outboard stations were expended on Al Taqaddum AB, west of Baghdad.

Specific Gulf War bomb loads are listed in the following tables. In general, F-111Es dropped unguided bombs and F-111Fs dropped predominantly guided bombs. There were discrepancies between the official records and those maintained by the units, but the following table (based on unit records) will provide a good yardstick as to which loads were most commonly used. The sortie percentages are notional and based on the typical quantity carried on a mission. Unless specifically noted otherwise, only one kind of ordnance was carried on a given sortie.

 

 

The F-111 E In Proven Force

 

Sta 2/7	Sta 3/6A	Sta 3/6	Sta 4/5	Wpn Bay	ECM Pod	Remarks
not used	AIM-9P opt	6 Mk 82	1 Mk 82	not used	aft ALQ-131	AIR or LDGP fins
not used	AIM-9P opt	6 Mk 82	pylon	not used	aft ALQ-131	AIR or LDGP fins
not used	AIM-9P opt	1 Mk 84	1 Mk 84	not used	aft ALQ-131	AIR or LDGP fins
not used	AIM-9P opt	4 SUU-30H/B	pylon	not used	aft ALQ-131	CBU-58/-71
not used	AIM-9P opt	4 Mk 20	pylon	not used	aft ALQ-131	Rockeye
not used	AIM-9P opt	1 CBU-87	1 CBU-87	not used	aft ALQ-131	CEM
not used	AIM-9P opt	1 CBU-89	1 CBU-89	not used	aft ALQ-131	Gator

 

 

The Gulf War And F-111 Bombs

 

Bomb	F-111E		F-111F
	Qty	Sorties	Qty	Sorties
Mk 82	2,587	46%	12	0%
Mk 84	509	31%	146	2%
Mk 20 Rockeye	32	1%
CBU-58	256	8%
CBU-71	123	4%
CBU-87 CEM	100	6%	530	9%
CBU-89 Gator	68	4%	212	4%
GBU-10E (Mk 84)			469	8%
GBU-10J (BLU-109)			389	7%
GBU-12			2,542	44%
GBU-15 (Mk 84)			70	5%
GBU-24 (Mk 84)			270	5%
GBU-24A (BLU-109)			924	16%
GBU-28 (BLU-113)			2	0%

 

 

The F-111 F In Desert Storm

 

Sta 2/7	Sta 3/6A	Sta 3/6	Sta 4/5	Wpn Bay	ECM Pod	Remarks
not used	AIM-9P opt	6 Mk 82 AIR	pylon	AVQ-26	aft ALQ-131	493 acft-1st night
not used	AIM-9P opt	CBU-87	CBU-87	AVQ-26	aft ALQ-131	CEM
not used	AIM-9P opt	CBU-89	CBU-89	AVQ-26	aft ALQ-131	Gator-1st week
not used	not used	GBU-15	pylon	fwd ALQ-131	aft ALQ-131	(V)-1/2/21/22
not used	not used	GBU-10E	GBU-10E	AVQ-26	aft ALQ-131	sta 4/5 opt(V)-1/2/21/22
not used	not used	GBU-10J	GBU-10J	AVQ-26	aft ALQ-131	sta 4/5 opt
not used	not used	GBU-10J/E	GBU-10J/E	AVQ-26	aft ALQ-131	‘Bridge Mix’
not used	not used	GBU-24	GBU-24	AVQ-26	aft ALQ-131	sta 4/5 opt
not used	not used	GBU-24A	GBU-24A	AVQ-26	aft ALQ-131	sta 4/5 opt
not used	not used	GBU-24A	Mk 84	AVQ-26	aft ALQ-131	26 Jan 91
not used	not used	GBU-24	GBU-10	AVQ-26	aft ALQ-131	bad weather
not used	not used	GBU-24	AIM-9P opt	AVQ-26	aft ALQ-131	/B or A/B
not used	not used	GBU-10E	AIM-9P opt	AVQ-26	aft ALQ-131	E/B or J/B
not used	not used	GBU-12D	GBU-12D	AVQ-26	aft ALQ-131	sta 4/5 opt
not used	not used	GBU-28 left	pylon	AVQ-26	aft ALQ-131	Mk 84 LDGP right

 

 

The F-111F In Post Desert Storm (additional)

 

Sta 2/7	Sta 3/6A	Sta 3/6	Sta 4/5	Wpn Bay	ECM Pod	Remarks
not used	not used	AGM-130	pylon	fwd ALQ-131	aft AXQ-14

_{524th FS only.}