EF-111 Raven

The EF-111A Raven was created when Grumman modified F-111A aircraft with a large electronic-warfare suite. The National Museum of the U.S. Air Force states that the USAF received 42 EF-111As between 1981 and 1985. Major external changes included a ventral canoe-shaped radome for transmitter antennas and a fin-tip pod for receiving antennas and processing equipment. The conversion turned a strike aircraft into an unarmed electronic-combat platform.

The Raven's mission was to degrade enemy air-defense systems so other aircraft could survive. USAF museum material describes modification kits enabling standoff jamming, close-in jamming, and penetration or escort roles. Because the electronic-warfare equipment required constant attention, the right-seat crewmember became an Electronic Warfare Officer focused on monitoring and controlling the jamming suite rather than ordinary flight duties.

The EF-111A served through the late Cold War and post-Cold War transition, supporting U.S. operations in the 1980s and 1990s. Its retirement in 1998 left the U.S. Air Force without a direct one-for-one replacement, with electronic-attack responsibilities shifting across joint assets. The Raven remains important because it shows how survivability in modern air campaigns depends not only on fighters and munitions, but also on specialized electromagnetic support.