F-108, Cf-105 And Tsr-2 Combined?

[Lawman]

In the early '60s (or thereabouts), a coalition forms, to build a new interceptor and high speed strike aircraft. The Canadians, having had their CF-105 cancelled, are eager to secure a follow-on, not being too keen to buy the F-101, which they are not convinced meets their needs. In the UK, the TSR-2 project is being fought against, with people talking up the need to get new fighters at the same time, hopefully in a common airframe. The Americans similarly are eager to get a new long range interceptor and nuclear strike type, with superior performance to anything currently in service.

As a result, the idea is presented of an F-108 Rapier, but with a Rolls Royce Olympus engine, modified to give high speed high altitude performance. The basic design is mostly the original F-108, but with a lot of design elements borrowed from the CF-105 Arrow, and strike systems from the TSR-2. For the nuclear strike role, it relies on an air-launched nuclear armed SAM-derivative, with around 200-300km range. The aircraft, while expensive, takes advantage of combined procurement, with production spread between the partners -

- Canada produces the front fuselage, including the entire cockpit section, though individual parts are from each nation

- The UK produces the engines and wings, ejector seats, and many subsystems

- The US produces the main fuselage, radar and most of the avionics, and completes the airframes

The result is a Mach 3 capable fighter / bomber / recon aircraft (okay, not a perfect bomber, given its likely poor low level performance, but good range). With some air to air refuelling, especially if the UK had embraced VC-10s as tankers early on (a la KC-135 for the USAF), then you might have seen them flying strikes in the Falklands war! Even better, with good enough refuelling, we might have seen them 'teasing' Argentine Mirages into trying an interception, forcing the Mirages to fly in full afterburner for long enough for them to pass bingo, and crash on the way home! They would have been an ideal recon aircraft too, with very high speed and range, functioning as a baby SR-71!

[tigercat2]

What a great idea!!  Too bad that it makes TOO much sense; in the real world each country, service and and companies within that country's aerospace want the whole pie, and too many times the result is no pie at all.

Here is my F-108 with CFTs and a few external AAMs.  Same idea as in your story.



Wes W.

[Archibald]

Fine idea! And well, a plastic  model of your hybrid would look terrific      

CF-105 front part and nosewheel.
+
TSR-2 rear fuselage,tail surfaces, undercarriage and downward wingtips.  
+
F-108 wings,  vertical tail and air intakes
(T-tail = mix F-108 fins with TSR-2 control surfaces)

= A FABULOUS MACHINE !!!

[Lawman]

As for weapons, a good choice might be a production version of the AGM-76 Falcon, which was a hypersonic ground attack missile, derived from the AIM-47 that was designed to go with the F-108. It flew at a speed of around Mach 4, and had a range of more than 160km, with a 250 kiloton nuclear or 250lb HE warhead. Just think about its use as an anti-shipping missile! It would have been absolutely unstoppable, giving the Soviets a similar fear to NATO's concerns about the Tu-22Ms of Soviet Naval Aviation. The F-108 was to fly at supersonic speeds, to a combat radius of 1200+nm, so it is reasonable to assume this would be somewhat longer at efficient cruising speeds.

A revised weapons fit of two AIM-47s and four Sparrows or four Sparrows, and four Sidewinders might be possible, with a suitable weapons bay. In the nuclear-armed interdictor role, it would carry AGM-76s internally, with Sparrows for self defence, or two more externally. In the anti-shipping role, it could carry two missiles, each capable of sinking most Soviet ship types (especially with a small nuclear warhead!).

The US ends up buying 450 as interceptors, not being convinced of the Bomarc's capabilities, replacing the F-101s, and another 150 recon RF-108s, serving as recce types. The UK plans a purchase of 150 as interceptors, and 150 as strike bombers, but ends up with a simple purchase of 250 of a common variant. Canada, instead of getting Bomarc, opts instead to get 100 CF-108s, operating from two bases, in four small squadrons of 16 each, plus a training unit.

In Vietnam, the USAF finds it ideal to carry out post strike recon, being able to fly very high speed runs past the North Vietnamese coast, using oblique photography. In the strike role, one squadron is tried, and it is found to be useful for high priority strike, but otherwise limited in usefulness.

With Canada, the US and UK all getting their aircraft, and showing off their startling performance, Australia secures an order for 50, instead of their F-111 purchase.

In order to boost its conventional strike capabilities, originally limited to four 1000lb bombs internally, and four 1000lb or two 2000lb externally. Conformal tanks are added, boosting range, ironically improving performance slightly, while adding range, and allowing more weapons to be carried. This allows for 24 500lb bombs to be carried on the conformal tanks (four lengthwise, three each side), in an innovative aerodynamic arrangement. Another twelve can be carried on the wing hardpoint, with the internal bay normally reserved for Sparrows and Sidewinders (with the advantage of not cutting into the life of the missiles, by not exposing them to the airstream). The result is, surprisingly for almost all concerned, a reasonable bomber, with 36 x 500lb bombs, and the ability to run away at high speed.

If it proved to be a suitably capable anti-shipping platform, then perhaps the US Navy might buy some, to operate in a similar manner to the Soviet Navy's Tu-22Ms!

As for the cockpit, how about a more modern type, more akin to the Tornado's, without the classic interceptor/bomber dark cave for the RIO?

[tigercat2]

I really like your story; too bad the '108 was never built.  I was amazed at how BIG it is; virtually the same size as the B-58, and had it been built, especially with the components you describe, it would have been a superb and very versatile weapons system.


Wes W.

[DropBear]

With Canada, the US and UK all getting their aircraft, and showing off their startling performance, Australia secures an order for 50, instead of their F-111 purchase.

Oh hell yes!!!

I like the sound of that.