F-111Gs were former Strategic Air Command FB-111As assigned the role of destroying Warsaw Pact command bunkers in Eastern Europe with AGM-69s. B-58s, B-36s and B-47s aren’t on the treaty list either because they too were deactivated prior to the date of the treaty.
I should have specifically referred to the SALT II Treaty. The SALT II treaty was signed when the FB-111 was in service. It was agreed by both sides that the FB-111 would not be treaty covered. The same agreement was reached with the Tu-22Ms. Both types were in service when SALT II was signed in 1979. Neither type met the criteria of heavy strategic bombers and thus did not come under any treaty dealing with strategic arms.
http://www.state.gov/www/global/arms/treaties/salt2-2.html
‘3. Heavy bombers are considered to be:
(a) currently, for the United States of America, bombers of the B-52 and B-1 types, and for the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics, bombers of the Tupolev-95 and Myasishchev types;
(b) in the future, types of bombers which can carry out the mission of a heavy bomber in a manner similar or superior to that of bombers listed in subparagraph (a) above;
(c) types of bombers equipped for cruise missiles capable of a range in excess of 600 kilometers; and
(d) types of bombers equipped for ASBMs.’
The subsequent treaty (START) agreement continued with the omission of medium range bombers even though they were nuclear capable. START added the B-2 and Tu-160. Types such as the FB-111 and Tu-22M were negotiated out during the mid-70s. The only treaty that the F-111 and Tu-22M types are covered by is the CFE Treaty.
TJ
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