B61 and F111s
 Stockpiled
since 1968, the veteran B61 has been modified many times over the
years to update its performance. Its latest modification is the
B61 Mod 11 "earth-penetrater." The B61-11 can penetrate and detonate
deep below the earth's surface, creating a massive shock wave capable
of destroying underground targets. Designed to replace the aging
B53 "laydown" weapon, the much smaller and less powerful B61 can
produce the same destructive ground shock as the massive B53, but
without the collateral damage associated with a surface blast.
In this photo, two older Mod B61s are seen in front of a F-111.
Nicknamed the "Aardvark" because of its long upturned nose, the
F-111 was designed in the early 1960s as a long-range interceptor
for the U.S. Navy and a deep-strike interdictor for the U.S. Air
Force. The prototype flew on December 21, 1964. The F-111 was the
first production aircraft to feature a variable-geometry wing system
and a fully enclosed escape module for the two side-by-side crewmembers.
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