Hi CC,
the F111 couldn't survive the modern battlefield.

https://www.news.com.au/technology/innovation/military/f35-stealth-fighters-in-c...




THE defeat of a Russian air defence weapon in Syria may now have a cause: Israel has revealed it has unleashed its F-35 strike fighters for the first time.
Jamie Seidel
News Corp Australia NetworkMay 24, 20189:18pm


SYRIA insisted it could defend itself. Russia said it had provided the means.
But Israel’s air strikes have been spectacularly successful. Now we know why.

Israel’s air force commander has said recent strikes against Iranian targets in and around the Syrian capital of Damascus were conducted by the F-35 Lightning II stealth fighter.

It’s the first time the new combat jet has gone into action anywhere in the world.

“The F-35 squadron has become an operational squadron,” Major General Amikam Norkin told Haaretz earlier this week.

“We are flying the F-35 all over the Middle East and have already attacked twice on two different fronts.”

Israel has dubbed its version of the F-35 the “Adir” (meaning ‘mighty one’).


Haarets says it has seen images of the F-35 flying over Beirut in Lebanon. It also says Major Norkin said the stealth fighter did not participate in the most recent air raids last week. But it did during the previous two.

The newspaper says more than 100 missiles have been fired — in vain — by Syrian air defences.

It’s an indication the F-35 is coming out on top in its battle against Russian-built defences.

RUSSIAN AGAINST US TECHNOLOGY

The prospect of the F-35 flying through some of Syria’s most defended air space raises the likelihood that it has faced some of Russia’s best export weaponry — and defeated it.

Damascus is one of the most heavily protected cities in the world.

It’s armed with a variety of missile systems — both new and old — by its ally, Russia.

Bobby. wrote on Sep 30^th, 2018 at 10:05pm:


Yes it could if it was used in it's primary role as an under the radar strike aircraft. It was called the "Pig" for a reason. It could fly from Darwin to Jakarta and back under the radar. I was blessed to watch the F-111 doing terrain following around Kyogle. Magnificent aircraft.

True but the payload capacity of the F-111 would allow it to carry cruise missiles if it was engineered for it, under the radar for long enough would work very well in that case and fighter cover could be given without refuel 900k on the way there and back. With refuelling... None of out planes can carry the payload of the F-111. Instead of a strike fighter, it should be hailed for what it is, a strike bomber.

Bobby. wrote on Oct 1^st, 2018 at 8:57pm:


I don't know, maybe our ships do, but we should and the F-111 hasd the payload capacity to carry them.

They sell them to the Brits. The yanks don't give us all their tech, we have always had to provide our own to enhance what they sell us.

"Under the radar" doesn't work very well anymore, and certainly not against modern fighters. And nobody flies expensive aircraft and even more expensive pilots over a target in a modern battlefield.

Bobby. wrote on Oct 1^st, 2018 at 8:47pm:


Didn't stop the brits losing half a dozen Tornados, an aircraft designed to do pretty much what the F-111 does.