1965年12月1日，纽约长岛，通用动力F-111B正在试飞，60年代美国海军试图研制一种能够携带远程空空导弹的舰队防空战斗机，以应对开始挂载空舰导弹的苏联轰炸机，F-111B因此应运而生。 尽管经过1173次试飞，1748飞行小时，其性能已经比较可靠。但F-111B的机动性成为严重掣肘导致研制终止。（The F-111B(151970) was to be a fleet air defense (FAD) fighter for the U.S. Navy, fulfilling a naval requirement for a carrier-based fighter aircraft capable of carrying heavy, long-range missiles to defend aircraft carriers and their battle groups from Soviet bombers and fighter-bombers equipped with anti-ship missiles. General Dynamics, lacking experience with carrier-based aircraft, partnered with Grumman for this version. F-111B suffered development issues and Navy requirements changed to an aircraft with maneuverability for dogfighting. The swing-wing configuration, TF-30 engines, AIM-54 Phoenix air-to-air missiles and AWG-9 radar developed for this aircraft were used on its replacement, the Grumman F-14 Tomcat. The Tomcat would be large enough to carry the AWG-9 and Phoenix weapons system while exceeding the F-4's maneuverability.）