nicknamed pig variant medium range tactical strike aircraft developed meet australian requirements design based model included longer wings strengthened australian government ordered equip royal_australian_air_force raaf aircraft delivered long running technical problems aircraft converted reconnaissance variant united states air force purchased australia converted standard replace destroyed accidents australia operated mainly conversion training raaf retired remaining december gave raaf powerful strike capability combat aircraft went programs 1980s 1990s raaf acquired improved weapons maintain ability penetrate hostile despite 2000s outdated expensive maintain leading decision retire originally planned replaced boeing pending delivery lightning development development background june united_states_air_force issued requirement replacement began program develop new air defence fighter use large aircraft carriers february newly appointed united_states secretary defense formally directed services study development single aircraft satisfy requirements requirements based largely air_force needs request proposals provided industry october rounds proposals selected boeing signed contract december navy variants airframe structural components engines featured crew seating escape capsule required navy conflict air_force navy requirements precedence intervened declaring air_force desires suggestions navy variant flew december texas followed flew development continued stall issues arose certain parts flight regime addressed modifying engine inlet ending triple triple designs cancelled navy weight performance deficiencies improved models subsequently developed strategic bomber electronic warfare versions later developed production ended total variants built prediction replacing canberra government publicly discussed need replacing year raaf began receiving bomber non canberra lacked radar electronic based korean war experience raaf believed needed new strategic bomber fulfill nation obligations malaysia air staff requirement year mandated weather attack aircraft capable delivering variety bombs missiles study recommended british bombers prime minister minister defence decided million expensive chief air staff stated april australia needed replacement canberra government decided replace canberra indonesia increasingly aggressive statements malaysia soon caused australia decision reported october soviet bombers reach sydney australian city light bomb load fly weather range miles insufficient reach opposition led report criticize government denied reach sydney minister air acknowledged weakest link present moment stated available foreign bombers unsuitable raaf american boeing example large existing australian suitable aircraft american later soon available said study announced million increase defence spending years proposed send team led overseas evaluate canberra replacements early candidates north american phantom june august team visited france britain united_states evaluate competitors determined aircraft best suited role insufficient range million price expensive immediately available expensive need air air reach indonesia australia schedule budget expensive million aircraft british government support program uncertain controversial united_states promised performance specifications aircraft cost superior expect available recommended buying aircraft million counteract perceived imminent threat indonesia government reluctant choose interim replacement deployed cost million waiting pose great risk considering findings september wanted able offer substantial response criticism defence strategy british american governments competed behalf nations bombers believed export sales increase domestic support aircraft government viewed british promise deploy squadron bombers australia interim defense ready unacceptable technical political reasons cost royal_air_force ordered chief defence staff lord opposed advised australians buying aircraft raaf feared customer decision government determined need ahead immediate replacement canberra preferred original choice long term solution leading government announcement october ordering million squadrons announcement came campaigning general election labor party october reiterated pre campaign promise replace soon formed government government announcement consequent improvement chances labor likely benefited united_states purchase helped american critics kennedy administration preferred defence policies opposition contract signed following year british government cancellation april showed australia decision order correct delays renaming offered squadrons free lease pending delivery australia declined offer june despite aircraft having demonstrated country election interim canberra replacement likely sign american preference offer significant improvements canberra like bombers require longer immensely complex ambitious design construction process forced australian government quickly adopt sophisticated american project management methods australia originally planned buy american design raaf liaison officers requested country specific changes long distance radio melbourne participated intake redesign provided metal fatigue expertise australian test pilot evaluated australian version longer wings performance tropical conditions differences caused designated delivery officially delivered finally giving australia aircraft fly drop bombs return raaf acquired air air possibly avoid causing difficulties asian countries increasing great range training began raaf personnel seeing terrain following radar sophisticated equipment time development delays structural problems delayed acceptance aircraft raaf issues mainly wing attach points redesign engine completion contractual requirements satisfaction australia took time damaging morale hundreds trained raaf personnel little program costs grew rate estimates start program placed million april risen million initial price million aircraft capped million labor costs rising price unexplained losses vietnam month deployment british orders caused controversy australia accumulated flight hours best safety record contemporary aircraft excellent record aircraft modified reconnaissance configuration retaining strike capability carried reconnaissance pack cameras infrared unit refitted standard delivered australia attrition replacements equipped carry laser pods mid-1980s underwent extensive program upgraded digital included twin mission computers modern digital digital weapon management system new terrain following radar new attack radar twin ring laser ins late wing fatigue problems discovered fleet result decision replace wings taken stored short span wings underwent refurbishment australia included extending span effect making wings models following australian received weapons system upgrades design weather attack aircraft capable low level penetration enemy defences deliver ordnance target featured variable geometry wings internal weapons bay cockpit seating cockpit formed escape crew capsule point arrangement wheel nose gear single wheel main variants included terrain following radar system connected aircraft powered engines internal weapons bay carry bombs cannon auxiliary fuel tanks equipped carry targeting system rotating carriage kept pod protected weapons bay use laser rangefinder allowed designate targets drop laser guided bombs carried sensors cameras reconnaissance use equipped launch anti ship missile stand missile operational history entry service australian government ordered aircraft replace raaf bombing tactical strike role aircraft officially handed september structural issues delayed entry service phantom leased interim measure delivered september october wing queensland years raaf service lost june remaining returned like seat multi role aircraft sophisticated canberra capable air air air ground attack roles navigation gun radar experience likely contributed raaf success raaf proposed keeping government decided cost great entered australian service technical problems resolved accepted march march formed california mission australia unit commanded group captain later served chief air staff raaf arrived july subsequent groups arrived july september december allocated squadron squadron control wing squadron raaf strike squadron maintained nominal strength squadron mainly served operational conversion unit operated aircraft times serve strike role required raaf service maintenance undertaken squadron conducted intermediate maintenance aircraft heavy maintenance responsibility squadron operated raaf flight onwards performed maintenance contract australian government entering service proved highly successful saw combat fastest longest range combat aircraft southeast_asia aviation historian written weapons system service provided australia genuine independent strike capability book lincoln canberra described success providing australia potent strike capability aircraft quarter century flight remains second indonesian defense minister told counterpart upset australia cabinet meetings told realise australians bomber bomb window table gulf war late early australian government considered deploying expand australian contribution gulf war mainly comprised task group preferred option government decided expand australia commitment deploy aircraft need electronic warfare equipment upgraded operate war zone small size force loss aircraft combat inflicted heavy blow australia reconnaissance capability second preference advice government deploy squadron defence support event government decided expand australian force result contribution war limited conducting intensive exercises naval ships sailed australian waters route australian led intervention september marked closest australia came combat squadrons deployed august support international forces remained december maximum effort wing available squadron commitment peaked aircraft personnel squadron maintained home base support needed september began arrive maintained high level readiness conduct reconnaissance flights air strikes situation deteriorated role armed concrete filled bombs fitted precision guidance kits kept available times encounter significant resistance operations limited reconnaissance missions conducted november sorties gaining approval indonesian government normally focused bridges communications installations flight took place december war games achieving complete success strike necessary indonesian military headquarters near capital roles controversies royal_australian_air_force fleet times controversial long delay delivery aircraft significant political issue late 1960s early 1970s occurred time massive delays cost making headlines prompting commentators dub flying opera house government tasked surveillance photos project tasmania use raaf aircraft spy territory led minister responsible senator earning nickname famous hero pilot number books captain aspect drew criticism poor work conditions ground crew involved sealing sealing fuel tanks resulted class action lawsuit australian government paying million damages health issues chemical exposure included permanent brain damage number ground crew conditions improved number aircraft delivered australia attrition replacements fleet aircraft modified standard delivered government bought supplement delivered additional stored reserved spare parts sources australian military aviation circles known pig long snout terrain following ability seven destroyed accidents service raaf accidents took lives air crew accidents occurred chosen north korean ship involved australia largest drug recorded history ship sitting government considered fate decided march scuttled air attack sunk march laser guided bombs retirement australia decided retire raaf raaf fleet began retirement models operated squadron late reasons given retirement required average hours maintenance flight hour march review new labor government confirmed purchase interim measure delivery government signed acquisition contract final conversion took place pilots qualifying raaf retired december final flight aircraft squadron southern queensland australia currently partner development lockheed martin lightning stealth fighter plans country examples replace november raaf selected preservation buried site outside raaf considered scrapping aircraft concluded cheaper bury remaining raaf placed display variants export version australia combining design longer wings strengthened aircraft modified reconnaissance configuration aircraft met raaf requirement aircraft photographic reconnaissance capacity original order specified strike variants reconnaissance variants raaf later agreed accept strike aircraft later reconnaissance dropped plans fit reconnaissance aircraft sold design reconnaissance australia million time raaf decided fit aircraft reconnaissance contains cameras infrared unit fitted weapons bay retained strike capability selected conversion variant modified plant texas october april months test flights aircraft returned australia august conducted tropical weather trials darwin aircraft modified raaf raaf base kits purchased variant proved highly successful considered best tactical reconnaissance aircraft world remained raaf service aircraft retired suffering damage landing belly main wheels separated aircraft judged worthwhile impending retirement entire fleet raaf aircraft intelligence surveillance reconnaissance capabilities retired operators wing raaf base squadron squadron aircraft research development unit raaf trials aircraft display retained heritage assets placed display raaf bases gate guard october restored aircraft unveiled display private aviation museums ownership retained australian government aircraft undergo continual maintenance non destructive testing loaned darwin evans head memorial heritage aviation association new south wales fighter world historical aircraft restoration society regional airport queensland air museum airport south australian aviation museum australian flying corps receive crew module crew held display september specifications data wilson characteristics crew pilot weapons system operator length metres wingspan spread metres swept metres height metres wing area spread swept root tip weight kilograms loaded weight kilograms max takeoff weight kilograms powerplant dry thrust lbf thrust lbf zero lift drag drag area aspect ratio spread swept performance maximum speed mph combat radius nmi ferry range nmi service ceiling rate climb min wing loading spread swept thrust weight lift drag ratio armament guns vulcan cannon rounds seldom fitted total wing engines armament capacity ordnance mounted externally internally fuselage weapons bay
General Dynamics F-111C