F-111

[amalakas]

It was on an Upper Heyford 'Vark that I saw my first live nuclear bomb: a Victor Alert jet. Even loaded with two external fuel tanks on the inner stations and full weapons load on the two outer ones, the 'Vark can still reach high subsonic at as low as 50ft above the Earth's surface. Inside the radome, there are three radar antennas. The largest one is the classical concave half-dish. Right below it are the two TFR antennas. Think Hooters girl. Or Dolly Parton. But with the 'globes' a bit further apart. There are three TFR modes: Soft, Medium, and Hard. In TFR 'Hard' ride and if the altitude is set low enough, the 'Vark has been known to return to base with obvious evidences of scraping tree tops. Over the water, the TFR system can be tuned sensitive enough to pick up surface waves and made for a very bumpy ride. Done it from the WSO's seat. When the 'Vark retirement was officially announced, Russia's air defense chiefs breathed a sigh of relief.

yeah, i'm sure they did

 

[Chogy]

Again, it was only the vulnerability to look-down radars and weapons that negated it.

Look at the B-52. Originally designed for hi altitude, high speed nuclear delivery. SAMS forced it into the weeds, low-altitude penetration. It continued to sit nuke alert. Along came the MiG-29 and Su-27, and the manned, low-level, nuclear penetration of Soviet airspace became much more difficult. Now, nuclear deterrence comes primarily from ICBM, SLBM, and cruise missile. There may still be a role for manned, nuclear attack aircraft, but it is greatly reduced.

But that is vs. a highly integrated air defense system, and extreme long ranges, such as the USSR. There is still a role for conventional delivery in lower-intensity conflicts, w/shorter ranges.

 

[mil-avia]

Meet the Aardvark the original Joint Strike Fighter