F-111 Weapons Loads

By Jim Rotramel

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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.

The Minicraft F-111E kit included a pair of BRU-3A/As, but they’re a bit on the dainty side. Scaledown has produced a much more convincing set. They come with an option of several kinds of bombs.

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.

F-111A Vietnam

_{Gun installed in weapons bay.}

FB-111A Cold War (postulated)

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

(above) 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.

(above) An AN/AXQ-14 data link pod mounted on the aft station of an F-111F.

F-111D/E/F Cold War (postulated)

_{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.}

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

_{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.}

F-111C

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

F-111F El Dorado Canyon

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.

F-111E Proven Force

Gulf War F-111 Bombs

F-111F Desert Storm

F-111F Post Desert Storm (additional)

_{524th FS only.}

Text Copyright © 2002 Jim Rotramel
Images Copyright © 2002 United States Department of Defense and Jim Rotramel
Page Created 14 June, 2002
Last Updated 15 December, 2003

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