In the 1960s, the U.S. military tried to solve two problems with one aircraft. Then-Secretary of Defense Robert McNamara pushed the Tactical Fighter Experimental (TFX) program, hoping to create a ...

Key Points - The General Dynamics F-111 "Aardvark," born from the 1960s TFX program, was a groundbreaking tactical strike aircraft and the first production plane to feature a variable-sweep wing.

The F-111 is a remarkable platform, years ahead of its time, for having introduced several technologies that were then unheard of, but have since become commonplace. They include: The F-111 gave the ...

The F-111, with its variable sweep wing, terrain following radar, military-rated afterburning turbofan engines and self-contained escape module, was one of the most technically innovative designs seen ...