Transferred from the original encyclopedia
The EF-111 was a highly modified version of the F-111 strike
aircraft with all the attack avionics removed and replaced by an
extremely advanced electronic warfare suite, very similar to the one
already fitted to the US Navy’s EA-6B Prowler. Unlike the EA-6B where
the two-man
crew A-6 was augmented by another 2 EW operators the
EF-111A made do with a single EW operator in additon to the pilot
thanks to greater automation. Even the canopy was gold-plated to reduce
electronic interference from the aircraft’s own systems. The aircraft
thus modified were crossattached as needed to normal F-111 squadrons to
provide EW escort on deep-strike packages. During the Cold War EF-111
squadrons were based at RAF Upper Heyford in the UK and Mountain Home
AFB in the US. The retirement of the aircraft in the late 90s was a
severe blow to the USAF’s independent escort-jamming capabilities;
indeed since then the air force has to regularly rely on EA-6B
detachments from the USN to cover its relevant needs.
EF-111A Raven: No weapons. Only external store is AN/ALQ-131 ECM Pod.
APQ-160 radar, APQ-110 TFR. Radically revised EW suite :
o ALR-23 ESM/ELINT
o ALQ-99 Offensive ECM
o ALQ-137 Defensive ECM
o ALR-62 RWR/ESM
(Source: Warplanes CD-ROM 1994)
EF-111A Raven : This designation is
applied to 42 electronic warfare aircraft produced by Grumman as F-111A
conversions and colloquially known as 'Spark Vark' or 'Electric Fox' machines.
Such a version was proposed as early as 1970 as replacement for the Douglas
EB-66 Destroyer, but it was only in January 1975 that Grumman was contracted to
produce two prototype conversions.
The first of these flew in December 1975 with a canoe fairing, some 16 ft 0 in
(4.88 m) long, under the fuselage for the Raytheon Tactical Jamming System of
the Grumman EA-6B Prowler repackaged in ALQ-99E(V) computer-assisted form for
one-man operation, and possessing sufficient power to overwhelm the world's
most intense radar defenses. The canoe fairing is located over the erstwhile
weapons bay, this arrangement accommodating the TJS and its six digitally-tuned
receivers, five exciters and 10 jamming transmitters. The system also includes
a number of forward-, side- and rearward-facing receiver antennae located in a
large, bulged fairing at the top of the vertical tail surface, and the control
section located in the starboard side of the cockpit for the electronic warfare
officer who constitutes the second member of the crew with the pilot.
Other systems are the ALQ-137(V)4 deception jammer, Dalmo-Victor ALR-62(V)4
terminal threat- warning receiver, Tracor ALE-40 chaff/flare dispenser, ALR-23
countermeasures receiver system, and (for possible retrofit) ALQ-131 jammer
system in pods under the wings. With this advanced suite of mission equipment,
the Raven can support tactical warplanes as an escort, in the penetration role,
or as a stand-off jammer.
Other electronic features include APQ-160 main and APQ-110 terrain-following
radars. In other respects, the EF-111A differs from the F-111F in details such
as its powerplant of two TF30-P-3 turbofans supplied with fuel from an internal
weight of 32,493 lb (14739 kg), length of 76 ft 0 in (23.16 m), height of 20 ft
0 in (6.10 m), operating empty weight of 55,275 lb (25072 kg), normal take-off
weight of 70,000 lb (31752 kg), maximum take-off weight of 88,948 lb (40347
kg), maximum level speed 'clean' of 1,226 kt (1,412 mph; 2272 km/h) or Mach
2.14 at high altitude, maximum combat speed of 1,196 kt (1,377 mph; 2216 km/h)
or Mach 2.085 at high altitude, average speed in the combat area of 507 kt (584
mph; 940 km/h) at optimum altitude, radius of 807 nm (929 miles; 1495 km), unrefueled
endurance of more than 4 hours 0 minutes, maximum rate of climb at sea level of
3,300 ft (1006 m) per minute, and service ceiling 45,000 ft (13715 m).
The ALQ-99E electronic system is being upgraded in concert with the ALQ-99
system of the EA-6B, and the EF-111A may be retrofitted to carry the AGM-88
HARM anti-radar missile on its four underwing hardpoints.