Aardvark I.

This is coolbert:

From a comment to the blog by Steiner:

"I think you're too hard on the F-4 and the F-111 . . . The F-111 was the great lost cause of American aerospace in the Cold War. Upon its introduction, it defined what would come to be called the 'bleeding edge' of combat technology. It took a few years to sort out (especially the TERCOM), and then it became arguably the most advanced production airframe ever deployed in the pre-stealth era."

I think the consensus opinion would be that as originally intended, within the context of the F-111 aircraft as a replacement advanced for the F-105 that the FTX as it was deemed from the experimental stage was appropriate and well within any acceptable parameters. That F-111 as envisioned as a low-level attack penetration fighter/bomber, day-night, all-weather mission possible warplane, able to deliver in the tactical mode nuclear or conventional munitions on a target with precision.

Greatly aided and abetted by the terrain following radar allowing for that low-level nape of the earth mission pilots to an extent passengers as was advertised.

The FTX becoming a political football when Secretary of Defense [SECDEF] Robert Mac Namara began to push and promote and even to a degree mandate the FTX as a suitable multi-role-combat-aircraft [MRCA] for the US Navy, a one size-fits-all warplane able to accomplish any mission.

Such promotion and "push" by the SECDEF only after Mac Namara reputedly overhearing an offhand remark by the then President Kennedy: "why do we have so many different types of aircraft, why can't we have just one type of aircraft?"

JFK at that exact instant watching aircraft carrier take-offs and landings as is the prerogative of the commander-in-chief in the process gaining a better understanding of American military prowess and capabilities, the duties of the President almost mandating such knowledge!

FTX found belatedly after much development to be too large and heavy for US Navy purposes, without question the finished product the F-111 being remarkable nonetheless, variable geometry swept-wings and TERCOM radar as Steiner has remarked cutting edge what they call it.

I can recall very well the anticipation of the first six F-111 when deployed to SE Asian during the Second Indo-China War. Great expectations for big things was the order of the day but sadly came up naught, two of the six planes unexpectedly crashing while during combat missions.

The F-111 with lengthened fuselage and two new larger and improved engines later deployed by the USAF as a medium-range bomber, seeing active service and in the inventory for a span of at least thirty years!!

And because of the FTX boondoggle [especially with regard to the US Navy but not strictly limited to the FTX] all procurement procedures were overhauled and FLY BEFORE YOU BUY BECAME THE WATCHWORD!!

coolbert.