F-111H in production

In addition to the reengined B-52J with it's CF-6-50C2 engines and updated electronics. The Reagan administration put into production the F-111H. Using surplus to requirement FB-111As, reengined with F-101-GE-102 as used on the B-1B, lengthened and strengthened fuselages and updated electronics. Some in the fighter community argued against it carrying AIM-120 AMRAAM missiles but it was pointed out that the original F-111B was going to be an interceptor and early F-111As could carry AIM-9 Sidewinders and some were modified to use the AIM-7 Sparrow the arguments died. Credited as the most successful tactical aircraft in Desert Storm, F-111E/Fs were subsequently modified.
 

Archibald

Banned
Alas, the Air force hated the FB-111H. It lacked range and bombload when compared to the B-1A. No way in hell they put it in production. It was more like a desperate proposal from General Dynamics.
 
It is true the FB-111B/Cs were offered as B-1A replacements and the USAF hated them, the F-111H is an upgrade of what the F-111A /D/E/Fs do. While were all focused on what the F-117s were doing during Desert Storm the USAF loved what the F-111Fs did. This is just an even more capable upgrade.
 
The POD for this is easy. Reagan doesn't agree to re-start the B-1 and instead the F-111H is put forward instead because it is cheaper and not as technologically complex and the B-2 is already in the pipeline so more resources can go to that.
 
The POD for this is easy. Reagan doesn't agree to re-start the B-1 and instead the F-111H is put forward instead because it is cheaper and not as technologically complex and the B-2 is already in the pipeline so more resources can go to that.
I presume a knock on effect from this would likely be more B-2's delivered, no? At what point does B-2 procurment lower the cost per unit enough that a larger B-2 force enters service do you think?
 
This is how the procurement process and cost works. It cost $40 billion for the first 20 B-2s, $2 billion per plane. For $10 billion more we would have 100 planes, 500 million per plane. The development cost are already paid for in the first batch. Additional money is for material and production cost. So unit price goes down.
 
I presume a knock on effect from this would likely be more B-2's delivered, no? At what point does B-2 procurment lower the cost per unit enough that a larger B-2 force enters service do you think?

Exactly, the main reason Carter cancelled the B-1 is because we were already working on its replacement. Of course its replacement was highly classified at the time so Governor Reagan didn't know about so he dinged Carter for being weak on defense for cancelling the B-1. When he got into office and found out the truth, he didn't want to break a campaign promise. Similar to 1960 when Kennedy ran on the alleged Missile Gap and then found out when he got into office that the missile gap existed and it was in our favor. Nixon couldn't point that out during the campaign because what we knew and why was classified.

So yes, no B-1 and the F-111H instead means more B-2s cheaper and probably sooner.
 
The POD for this is easy. Reagan doesn't agree to re-start the B-1 and instead the F-111H is put forward instead because it is cheaper and not as technologically complex and the B-2 is already in the pipeline so more resources can go to that.
With Ronnie Raygun any POD is easy...he just consults Nancy, and she asks her astrologer...hell, you can get laser armed Piper Cubs if you want 'em!
 
Does anyone think the F-15E would be produced if we had these F-111H.
Probably yes. The F-111H was a replacement for the FB-111A and would be procured instead of the B-1B; in other words, it was an interim strategic bomber for the SAC, though it probably would end up performing tactical strikes. The F-15E, on the other hand, was to replace the D, E, and F-model F-111s in the tactical precision strike role, something that won't affect the F-111H.
 
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