The FB-111A had the ability to carry a variety of stores either in the enclosed weapons bay or at external stations along the wings. The weapons suspension equipment utilized to attach and support the various weapons and stores permitted a selection of weapon arrangements and configurations. The weapons suspension equipment provided the interface between the basic aircraft and the stores it carried. This equipment consisted of pylons and bomb racks. Eight external hard points were provided for pylon attachment. These were numbered 1 through 8 from left to right looking forward. Stations 1,2,7 and 8 were used for fixed pylons while stations 3,4,5 and 6 were used for pivot pylons. To increase its range, the aircraft was able to carry 600-US gallon drop tanks on stations 2, 3, 4, 5, 6 and 7. These tanks were refueled through the aircraft system. Control, selection, monitoring and release of weapons/tanks were accomplished at the stores control panel in the cockpit. Of the eight wing pylons, the four innermost positions were designed to pivot as the wing sweep varied. As a result, externally mounted stores at these stations remained streamlined at all times. A system of mechanical linkages ensured that the pylons always remained parallel to the longitudinal axis of the aircraft as the wing seep changed. Two types of pylons were used: one to carry weapons and one to carry fuse tanks. The weapon pylons accommodated the ejector racks which suspended the stores from the aircraft. Stores and pylons could be jettisoned from these stations. The outermost wing pylon stations were fixed with respect to the wing, therefore stores were streamlined only for a wing sweep angle of 26 degrees. A wing sweep handle lockout control prevented unintentionally sweeping the wings past 26 degrees.

The weapons bay, containing two lateral, symmetrically located stores stations, was situated in the intermediate fuselage section between the nose gear and main landing gear wheel wells. Weapon suspension was provided by universal MAU-12B/A bomb racks. SRAM suspension was provided by AGM-69A ejector racks. The BRU-3A/A multiple ejector rack mated to the MAU-12B/A bomb rack at all pylon stations and provided carriage, individual launch and jettison capability for a maximum of six stores of the same configuration.

The principal armament of the FB-111A was the AGM-69A SRAM, carried in the internal weapon bay and also on stations 3, 4, 5 and 6. Six gravity nuclear weapons such as the B83 and B61 could be carried in the weapon bay and on stations 3, 4, 5 and 6. For a more conventional role, the FB-111A carried up to 24 M-117 on stations 3, 4, 5, and 6 (6 bombs each). As an alternative, CBU-52B/B were carried on the same stations and the aircraft could be armed with AIM-7L "Sidewinder" on stations 4 and 5.

This view shows FB-111A 69-6510 of the 509th Bomb Wing and some of the ordnance that it may carry. On its wing pylons are 20 BDU-50 500-pound practice bombs. In the front row are, from left: an M-117D 750-pound high-drag bomb, 12 Mark 106 5-pound practice bombs, six Mark 82 500-pound high-drag bombs, 12 more Mark 106 practice bombs and a CBU-85 cluster bomb. In the second row are, from left: B-83 and B-61 nuclear bomb trainers, two AGM-69A SRAM missiles and one more each of the B-61 and B-83 nuclear bomb trainers.

View a FB-111A from the 509th BMW dropping bombs off the coast of New England. (DVIC)

A Mark 82 500-pound bomb is loaded on a FB-111A. (DVIC)