Raven Aircraft - Geral Dynamics - The Grumman EF-111A Rav is an electronic warfare aircraft designed to replace the U.S. Air Force's EB-66 destroyers. Its crew and maintainers often referred to it as "Spark-Vark," a play on the F-111's "Aardvark" moniker.

The U.S. Air Force contracted Grumman in 1974 to retrofit several existing Geral Dynamics F-111A aircraft with electronic warfare/electronic countermeasures (ECM) systems.

Raven Aircraft

Raven Aircraft

The USAF considered the Navy/Marine Corps Grumman EA-6B Prowler, but wanted a more rugged supersonic aircraft. The EF-111 entered service in 1983 and operated until it was decommissioned in 1998.

Us Air Force Ef 111a Raven \

In the late 1960s, the U.S. Air Force sought to replace its flame-red EB-66 and EB-57 electronic warfare aircraft. In 1967-1968, the Air Force investigated the use of the Navy's EA-6B Prowlers.

Grumman was selected as prime contractor for the EF-111 in December 1974, and was awarded the contract to convert two F-111As into EF-111 prototypes in January 1975.

The first completed model, known as the "Electric Fox," made its maiden flight on March 10, 1977. A total of 42 fuselages were modified at a total cost of $1.5 billion. The first EF-111s were delivered in November 1981 to the 388th Tactical Electronics Squadron at Mountain Home AFB, Idaho.

EF-111A Rav in the foreground, with tail-mounted receiver pod and bottom-mounted transmitter pod, and F-111F

File:airman Raven Romero Gives The Thumbs Up As He Verifies The Weight Of An F A

The Rav retained the F-111A's navigation system, with a modified AN/APQ-160 radar used primarily for ground mapping. However, the main feature of the Rav is the AN/ALQ-99E jamming system, which was developed from the Prowler on the Navy's ALQ-99. The aircraft also uses the ALR-62 Receiver System (CRS) for its Radar and Early Warning (RHAW) system, the same system that all US and Australian built F-111 fighter/bombers are equipped with. The ALQ-99E's main electronics are housed in the weapons bay, and the launcher is housed in a 16-foot (4.9-meter) vertical "canoe" radome; the entire setup weighs about 6,000 pounds (2,700 kilograms). The receivers are mounted in fin-tip pods, or "footballs," similar to those on the EA-6B. The aircraft's electrical and cooling systems will need extensive upgrades to support the equipment. The cockpit has also been reconfigured, with all flight and navigation displays moved to the pilot's side, and flight controls other than the throttle removed from the other seat, where the electronic warfare commander's instruments and controls were installed.

The EF-111 is unarmed. His speed and acceleration are his primary means of self-defense. It cannot fire anti-radiation missiles to overwhelm US air defenses (SEAD), a tactical limitation. The Rav's engines were upgraded to the more powerful D-model TF30-P-9, rated at 12,000 lbf (53 kN) dry and 19,600 lbf (87 kN) with afterburner.

From 1987 to 1994, "Spark 'Vark" stood for Avionics Modernization Program (AMP), similar to the F-type's Pacer Strike program. This adds a dual AN/ASN-41 ring laser INS, an AN/APN-218 Doppler radar and an upgraded AN/APQ-146 terrain radar. The cockpit display was upgraded to a multi-function display.

Raven Aircraft

The EF-111A was given the official common designation Rav, although in service it was nicknamed "Spark 'Vark". The EF-111 was first used with RAF Hayford's 20th Tactical Fighter Wing during Operation El Dorado Canyon against Libya in 1986 and Operation Just Cause in Panama in late 1989.

The Ef 111 Raven Managed To Take Down An Iraqi Mirage… Without Ever Firing A Shot

Rav fought in the Persian Gulf War during Operation Desert Storm in 1991. On January 17, 1991, an Iraqi Dassault Mirage F1 was unofficially shot down by U.S. Air Force EF-111 crew members Capt. James Durden and Capt. Brt Brandon, who successfully piloted the aircraft. ground, making it the only member of the F-111/FB-111/EF-111 family to outwit another aircraft in the air.

No coalition aircraft were shot down by radar-guided missiles in Desert Storm while the EF-111 Rav was on base.

Kill pilots Capt. Douglas L. Bradt and EWO Capt. Paul R. Eichlaub. It was the only EF-111A to be lost in combat, the only loss that resulted in the loss of its crew, and one of only three EF-111s left in service with the aircraft.

However, at the time the two F-15Es watched as the Ratchet 75 made a violent evasive maneuver and crashed to the ground, but there was no enemy aircraft in the area, the presence of an enemy aircraft was disputed.

Ef 111a Ewo Explains Why The Raven Aerial Kill Scored During Operation Desert Storm Was A Low Altitude Maneuvering Kill And Not An F 15c Air To Air Victory

EF-111s were deployed to Aviano Air Base in Italy in the mid-1990s in support of "deliberate operations". Rav also flew missions in Operations "Provide Comfort", "Northern Watch" and "Southern Watch".

Rav's last deployment was with an EF-111 squadron at Al Kharj/Prince Sultan Air Base in Saudi Arabia until April 1998.

Shortly thereafter, the USAF began decommissioning the last of the EF-111As, storing them at the Aerospace Maintenance and Regeneration Center (AMARC) at Davis-Monthan Air Force Base in Arizona. The last EF-111s were decommissioned on May 2, 1998 at Cannon Air Force Base, New Mexico. These were the last F-111s in service with the USAF.

Raven Aircraft

EF-111, s/n 66–0057, on display at the National Museum of the United States Air Force in Dayton, Ohio

Ef 111a Raven

Of the converted planes, three were destroyed in the crash, four are on display and 35 have disappeared.

The shape resembles a large FAI-class F1C free-flying vehicle. The process is started manually and driven by an electric motor with pressure regulation. The aircraft can fly at altitudes of up to 10 km at a flight speed of 45-100 km/h at an altitude of approximately 150 meters above the ground and above 4,500 meters above mean sea level.

The Rav RQ-11B UAS is manufactured by AeroVironmt. It was the winner of the US Army SUAV program in 2005 and entered full-rate production (FRP) in 2006. Shortly thereafter, it was also used by the US Marine Corps and US Air Force for their ongoing FPASS program. It is also adopted by the armed forces of many other countries (see below). To date, more than 19,000 Rav aircraft have been delivered to customers worldwide. A new version of the Rav that supports digital data links is now being produced for the US military and allies, and offers increased durability, among many other improvements.

The Rav can be piloted either remotely from a ground station, or in fully autonomous missions using GPS waypoint navigation. Simply press a control button to command the UA to instantly return to its starting point.

Raven Aircraft 2xs · The Encyclopedia Of Aircraft David C. Eyre

The RQ-11B Rav UA weighs approximately 1.9 kg (4.2 lbs), has a flight time of 60-90 minutes, and has an effective flight radius of approximately 10 km (6.2 miles).

The RQ-11B Rav UA is manually launched and thrown into the air like a free-flying model aircraft. The Rav autonomously drives to a pre-defined landing spot and performs a controlled "Autoland" desct with a 45° bank (1 foot down for every foot forward). UAS can provide day or night aerial reconnaissance, surveillance, target acquisition and reconnaissance.

In mid-2015, the U.S. Marine Corps tested Harris' Small Secure Data Link (SSDL), a nose-mounted radio on the Rav that provides Marines with visual communications down to the platoon level . Serving as a communications hub for ground forces has become an important role for UAV systems, but only on larger platforms such as the RQ-4 Global Hawk or the RQ-21 Blackjack. Certified "Classified" and only 25 cubic inches (410 cm)

Raven Aircraft

) (3 inches by 5.3 inches by 1.6 inches) and weighs 18 ounces (510 grams), the Harris SSDL enables small Rav UASs to enhance communications for soldiers on the battlefield.

Rq 11b Raven Small Unmanned Aircraft System (suas)

Selected units began receiving updated Rav ssors in August 2015. The Rav Gimbal is a rotating camera with a 360-degree gimbal that replaces a stationary camera that needs to control the aircraft for tracking. The new camera can switch between day and night modes without having to land and change sensors.

Rav is used by the U.S. Army, Air Force, Marine Corps, and Special Operations Command. Additionally, foreign clients include Australia, Estonia, Italy, Germany, Spain and the Czech Republic. As of early 2012, more than 19,000 airframes had been deployed, making it the most widely deployed UAV system in the world today.

In September 2007, the Royal Danish Army received 12 RAV systems; three systems will be delivered to the Huntsm Corps, while the rest will be deployed with soldiers at the Artillery Training Centre.

A 2010 documentary, Armadillo, shows the Danish Army deploying Ravs near the Armadillo base in Helmand Province, Afghanistan. The drone was also used by a Navy SEAL operator in the 2012 film Heroic Action.

Lot Of 4

The Dutch Ministry of Defense purchased 72 RQ-11B systems worth a total of $23.74 million for the intelligence services of the Army, Marine Corps and Special Forces (KCT).

Around the turn of 2009-2010, the systems were installed above the village of Ve as part of increased civil-military cooperation.

In 2012 and 2013, Rav was loaned by the Ministry of Defense to Almere Police to fight theft.

Raven Aircraft

In April 2011, the United States announced that it would provide 85 sets of Rav B systems to the Pakistani military.

X 10 Photo Card Grumman Ef 111a Raven Electronic Warfare Aircraft Original 2

In June 2011, the United States announced plans to provide $145.4 million in aid to combat terrorism in North and East Africa,

Includes four Rav systems

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