F-106G Delta Dart

Mission

The F-106G is an all weather maneuverable tactical fighter designed to permit the Air Force to defend installations and the CONUS at the farthest point possible, and achieve and maintain air superiority in aerial combat.

Features

The Delta Dart's air superiority is achieved through a mixture of maneuverability and acceleration, range, weapons and avionics. It can penetrate enemy defense and outperform and outfight any current enemy aircraft. The F-106G has electronic systems and weaponry to detect, acquire, track and attack enemy aircraft while operating in friendly or enemy-controlled airspace. The weapons and flight control systems are designed so that one person can safely and effectively perform air-to-air combat.

The F-106G's superior maneuverability and acceleration are achieved through high engine thrust-to-weight ratio, a "cranked arrow" double delta wing structure, thrust vectoring, and low wing loading. Low wing loading (the ratio of aircraft weight to its wing area) is a vital factor in maneuverability and, combined with the high thrust-to-weight ratio, enables the aircraft to turn tightly without losing airspeed. The "cranked arrow" double delta was first tested on the F-16XL and increases the maneuverability and payload of the fighter. Additional changes to the fighter, from its predecessor the F-106A/B, include removing the Semi-Automatic Ground Environment engagement system, the internal missile bay, and trapeze mounts.

The multimission avionics system places the F-106G in the same class as the F-15 Eagle in terms of combat capabilities and pilot workload. It includes a head-up display, advanced radar, inertial navigation system, flight instruments, very high and ultrahigh frequency communications, tactical navigation system and instrument landing system. It also has an internally mounted, tactical electronic-warfare system, "identification friend or foe" system, electronic countermeasures set and the new Boeing Advanced Display Core Processor.

The wide field-of-view heads-up display projects on the windscreen all essential flight information gathered by the integrated avionics system. This display, visible in any light condition, provides the pilot information necessary to track and destroy an enemy aircraft without having to look down at cockpit instruments. Four Multi-Function Displays have replaced the traditional F-106 instrumentation. The Joint Helmet-Mounted Cueing System, or JHMCS, will augment those displays.

The lightweight JHMCS allows its user to aim weapons, radar and sensors by looking at a target and pressing a switch, making it unnecessary to maneuver the aircraft into line with the target. With JHMCS, targeting information and data, such as airspeed and altitude, are projected onto the pilot's visor so they are in view at all times. JHMCS allows the user to remain completely focused on what's happening around the aircraft.

The F-106G's advanced AN/APG-63(v)1 radar system can look up at high-flying targets and down at low-flying targets without being confused by ground clutter. It can detect and track aircraft and small high-speed targets at distances beyond visual range down to close range, and at altitudes down to treetop level. The radar feeds target information into the central computer for effective weapons delivery. For close-in dogfights, the radar automatically acquires enemy aircraft, and this information is projected on the head-up display. The advanced Lockheed-Martin ALR-56C(v)1 electronic warfare system and Northrop Grumman's improved ALQ-135M self-protection system provides both threat warning and automatic countermeasures against selected threats. A Northrop Grumman video camera mounted next to the nose gear wheel well provides long-range identification of targets.

A variety of air-to-air weaponry can be carried by the F-106G. An automated weapon system enables the pilot to perform aerial combat safely and effectively, using the head-up display in conjunction with the JHMCS and the avionics and weapons controls located on the engine throttle or control stick. When the pilot changes from one weapon system to another, visual guidance for the required weapon automatically appears on the head-up display.

The Delta Dart can be armed with combinations of four different air-to-air weapons: AIM-7F/M Sparrow missiles, AIM-9L/M Sidewinder or AIM-120 missiles on pylons under the wings, and two additional AIM-9L/M Sidewinder or AIM-120 missiles on wingtip pylons, and an internal 20mm Gatling gun under the cockpit.

Background

The original F-106A had its first flight on December 26, 1956, entered service with the United States Air Force in July, 1960, and was retired from service in August of 1988.

However, with the cancellation of the Raptor air superiority fighter program in the early 1990's, the Air Force was required to find an additional fighter to augment the F-15/F-16 fighters on alert.

The General Dynamics Division of Lockheed Martin dusted off blueprints of the F-106E/F fighters and, using lessons learned from the F-16XL and F-22, redesigned the Delta Dart, to include a cranked-arrow double delta with wingtip pylons, 21st Century avionics, turbofan engine, modified bubble canopy and thrust vectoring.

The F-106H is the two-seat trainer version of the F-106G, and retains all the combat capabilities of the single-seat version.

General Characteristics

Primary Function: Tactical Fighter

Contractor: General Dynamics

Power Plant: Pratt & Whitney F119

Thrust: 35,000 lbs

Wingspan: 48'0"

Length: 70.75 feet (21.56 meters)

Height: 20.33 feet (6.2 meters)

Speed: 2,000 mph + (Mach 2.6 plus)

Ceiling: 68,000 feet (20,726 meters)

Range:

Crew: F-106G: 1. F-106H: 2

Armament: One internally mounted M-61A1 20mm, six-barrel cannon with 940 rounds of ammunition; six AIM-9L/M Sidewinder and four AIM-7F/M Sparrow air-to-air missiles, or ten AIM-120 AMRAAMs, carried externally.

Date Deployed: 4 July 1998

Inventory: Active Force: 300; Reserves: 0; ANG: 100