The F-111 was nicknamed "Aardvark" in the United States due to its long, drooping nose, which resembled the snout of the African mammal of the same name (the Aardvark itself was sometimes referred to as a 'ground pig'). The distinctive long nose of the F-111 was fitted with terrain-following radar, which allowed it to fly low and fast over varied terrain. The F-111 was often called 'The Pig' by the Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) pilots and crews.

General Dynamics F-111C A8-132 was the eighth F-111 from the production line allocated to the RAAF and made its first flight on 21 October 1968. It was delivered to RAAF Amberley on 25 July 1973 following a period in storage in the United States due to concerns about the type's serviceability. After service with 1 SQN it was allocated to the Aircraft Research and Development Unit (ARDU) at Edinburgh in 1979 and remained there until 1988. Its primary role at ARDU was testing and clearance of new systems and weapons for service use, completing over 30 trials programs including a range of guided and unguided weapons including the Harpoon missile. During this period it was given a special paint scheme of camouflaged upper surfaces and white lower surfaces to provide contrast in images of weapons release during trials.