The F-111D and YAIM-7G

The F-111D was the second USAF version of the F-111 Aardvark. Among other improvements, the D featured the Mark II avionics which featured an MTI intercept radar and Ku-band CW guidance beam for SARH missiles. This missile was the YAIM-7G.

I am currently working on a suggestion for the F-111D, but information on the YAIM-7G is extremely scarce. If anyone has any sources or information regarding this missile, especially regarding its production and evaluation, it would be much appreciated.

What we already know:
The YAIM-7G was a modified version of the AIM-7F with a seeker tuned to the F-111D’s Ku (J) band radar as opposed to the Ka (I) of the F-4. Any YAIM-7Gs produced were built on existing AIM-7F airframes.

Development of the YAIM-7G started in 1965 and was cancelled in 1970 though seems to have continued into 1971, or at least was still funded. The first F-111D was produced in 1968 though it only entered service in 1971. So it’s possible that it was mounted for evaluation. The Y designation would also indicate a preproduction, combat-ready batch as opposed to X for a purely developmental program.

Here are some sources to get started, might help
Unfortunately, they’re all secondary or tertiary

https://www.designation-systems.net/dusrm/m-7.html

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(Insert text to boost threads likelihood of being seen)
In all seriousness, would hella love to see a Vark with semi actives, it’s an amazing plane that I would love to see some air to air capabilities added too. Hopefully you find some more info on it! Fingers crossed

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+1 Vark

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That sounds terrific, however it would still be a pain to play if they keep the oswald efficiency the way it is now. It’s hilarious having a stabilator be more effective than the airbrake. Tap s, lose 45 kts instantly. Hold S for three seconds and go from mach 1 to 450 kts. Also it can’t go past Mach 1.1 even at altitude after they completely destroyed its flight model a few months ago apparently?

Pretty much:

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It was the AIM 7f adapted to with a new seeker that represented F111d’s RADAR band.

Been looking around for information about this myself. I went and looked for every single mention of the AIM-7G I could find. Unfortunately I was unable to find any test reports on the missile, and have mostly only congressional reports and anecdotal information from books to go off of. The information provided in the congressional reports is only about budgeting and program status but do give a decent timeline of events.

Information
Encyclopedia of US Air Force Aircraft and Missile Systems: Post-World War II fighters, 1945-1973


Authorization for Military Procurement, Research, and Development, Fiscal Year 1971

Authorization for Military Procurement, Research and Development, Fiscal Year 1970

U.S. TACTICAL AIR POWER PROGRAM - Congressional Hearings 1968

Hearings on Military Posture and Legislation to Authorize Appropriations During the Fiscal Year 1971

Department of Defense Appropriations for Fiscal Year 1970 Part 4 - Congressional Hearings 1969

Department of Defense Appropriations for Fiscal Year 1970 Part 3 - Congressional Hearings 1969

Department of Defense Appropriations for Fiscal Year 1969 Part 3


House Miscellaneous Reports on Public Bills VI

Executive Privilege Secrecy in Government Freedom of Information 1973 Volume 1




External Stores Airload Prediction Technique Vol. 1 - Technical Summary (1975)


Senate Report 1970

Air Force and Space Digest (July 1968)

Naval Air Weapons Station China Lake, Proposed Military Operational Increases and Implementation of Associated Comprehensive Land Use and Integrated Natural Resources Management Plans - Environmental Impact Statement · Volume 2

United States Naval Aviation, 1910-1995

F-111 Aardvark - Peter Davies (1997)

General Dynamics F-111 Aardvark, Aero Series 29 - Jay Miller (1982)

General Dynamics F-111 Aardvark, Air Vanguard 10 - Peter Davies (2013)

The information that I have uncovered through this has led me to make the following conclusion on the AIM-7G:

Spoiler

The AIM-7G (presumably as the YAIM-7G) was most certainly produced and tested. The earliest mention I have of it is from 1968, which corresponds to the development of the first F-111D prototype (an F-111A with the Mark II Avionics suite, 2 Dec 1968). The budget for the AIM-7G existed upwards of FY71 (mentioned in 1970), which would allow for the budget to possibly exist by the time the first F-111D is delivered (30 Jul 1971). We know that the missile was tested at China Lake, though most likely static tests. The F-111D would have most likely carried a maximum of four missile on single pylons, allowing for full sweep of the wings. The last official mention of the AIM-7G is in 1973. However, with no photos of the missile or test results available to me, I cannot say whether or not the missiles were truly combat capable.

Not to leave you with nothing good, here’s a photo of an F-111D carrying four AGM-130s

Spoiler

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Something I’m a bit curious about with the F-111D: did any ever undergo upgrades in the 1990s, similarly to what F-111Es, EF-111As, and F-111Fs went through (AMP for E and EF-111A, Pacer Strike for F-111F)?

No. The F-111D was the first of the variants to be retired, happening in 1991. There was a proposal to fit it with Pave Tack in 1986, but this was rejected. Another proposal for LANTIRN was rejected as well.

+1

Ah, that’s unfortunate. I was really hoping it might’ve gotten a similar CMs kit to the F-111F and C

I couldn’t tell you any specifics as I’m limited to 1980 with those kinds of details.

However the F-111D’s Mark II avionics suite was incredibly sophisticated at the time, and adding anything else would’ve made existing problems worse. These existing problems led to a consideration of retiring the F-111D all the way back in the 1977-1979 period (initially for all F-111, but the F-111D was singled out in 1978). Had it not been for the performance of the F-111D in Coronet Kingfisher, Coronet Beacon, Red Flag 80-1, and especially Coronet Hammer, we could have seen the type retired as early as December 1980.

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You’ve probably seen this then: https://apps.dtic.mil/sti/tr/pdf/ADA172832.pdf

(I think the date on the front page is a typo - the document appears to have been published 1986)

Doesn’t actually make any mention of the missile, but is an interesting read :)

image
image

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Info from another forum - again you may have seen it already but might be of interest to others:

Taken from Google Books

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