Lemet kirjutas:Kas mitte siiski F-111 toona pommitajatena juba ammu nimekirjast maas polnud ja vaid elektroonilise toimetamisega ei tegelenud?
Lendasid nii EF-111 kui ka F-111.
USAF EF-111 vs. IRAF Mirage F-1
On the first night of the war, Captain Brent Brandon was flying his EF-111 "Spark Vark" on an electronic warfare mission ahead of a group of jets on a bombing run. Several IRAF Dassault Mirage F1s came in and engaged the flight. One of them went after the unarmed EF-111. Captain Brandon executed a tight turn and launched chaff to avoid the missiles being fired by the Mirage. An F-15 on the same flight, piloted by Robert Graeter, went after the Mirage trying to protect the EF-111. The Mirage launched a missile which the Raven avoided by launching chaff. Captain Brandon decided to head for the deck to try to evade his pursuer. As he went down he pulled up to avoid the ground, the Mirage followed him through, but did not pull up in time and crashed. An unarmed EF-111 had thus scored an air-air victory against a Dassault Mirage F1, although Graeter was credited with a kill. The EF-111A pilots won the Distinguished Flying Cross.[3]
USAF F-111s vs. IRAF MiG-23
An Iraqi MiG-23 fired a R-24T missile at a F-111 on a bombing run and scored a hit, although the bomber made it safely back to base. Another similar incident occurred with the same Iraqi interceptor several minutes later, this F-111 also made it back to base despite the severe damage to the aircraft. This is Iraq's only success of the Persian Gulf War using MiG-23s.[4]
IRAF MiG-29 vs USAF F-111 and B-52G
An Iraqi MiG-29 struck an F-111 aircraft with an R60 missile, though the sturdy F-111 stayed airworthy. Several minutes later the same pilot fired a R27 missile at a B-52G on a bombing run, severely damaging it.[4]
F-111s participated in the Gulf War (Operation Desert Storm) in 1991. During Desert Storm, F-111Fs completed 3.2 successful strike missions for every unsuccessful one, better than any other U.S. strike aircraft used in the operation.[62] The group of 66 F-111Fs dropped almost 80% of the war's laser-guided bombs, including the GBU-15 and the penetrating, bunker-buster GBU-28.[63] Eighteen F-111Es were also deployed during the operation.[62][64] The F-111s were credited with destroying more than 1,500 Iraqi tanks and armored vehicles.[64] Their use in the anti-armor role was dubbed "tank plinking".[65]
The F-111[N 1] was in service with the USAF from 1967 through 1998. The Strategic Air Command had FB-111s in service from 1969 through 1992. At a ceremony marking the F-111's USAF retirement, on 27 July 1996, it was officially named Aardvark, its long-standing unofficial name.[67] The USAF retired the EF-111 electronic warfare variant in 1998.[68]
