The National Interest on MSN

How the US Air Force’s F-111 Aardvark changed air warfare forever

The F-111 Aardvark pioneered a variety of new technological innovations for the US Air Force—and proved that they could be combined to make an excellent strike aircraft.
The National Interest

The F-111 Aardvark Could Kill Anything That Moved on the Battlefield

KEY POINT: Design flaws initially stymied the F-111’s success in combat operations and the airframe was retired by 1996. However, the Aardvarks’ legacy lives on among aviation buffs today. One often ...
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The U.S. Air Force’s F-111 Aardvark Was a Force to Be Reckoned With

The Aardvark is a funny-looking beast with a long snout that hoovers up food with a pig-like body and thick hide to stymie predators. Does this animal remind you of one of the most combat-effective ...
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F-111 Aardvark's Crew Escape Module Ejected The Whole Cockpit

On March 30, 1968, Maj. Sandy Marquardt and Capt. Joe Hodges of the U.S. Air Force were forced to use the escape module of their swing-wing F-111 Aardvark strike jet. The F-111A, which had yet to ...
The National Interest

How the F-111 Aardvark Helped Pioneer Multirole Aircraft

The Aardvark was the first airplane to incorporate specific design features to make it multirole capable. When it comes to pioneering aircraft in the U.S. military’s history, the F-111 Aardvark ...