Forum: Modern Military Aircraft

To Count-2-10:

BTW, I'm curious about the importance behind your personal choosing of that call sign?? Smile

But anyway... I too would have supported an F-23 type wing deep-modification of the F-35... maybe 2 years ago? Today however?? I might still support this accelerated project if you would support FY13 advanced procurement of F-16 and F-15+ units as an interim stop-gap?

Do you realize that over the past 3-4 years, the capability and deterrence 'gap' has expanded even more every year?

And the gap in capability and general deterrence will most likely only grow in the next 3-4 years as 'stay the course' procurement of F-35 continues to decrease, while requirements increase?

If balance of power is of any interest at all to decision makers... I couldn't support interim stop-gap buys more than I do.

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geogen wrote:

To Count-2-10:

BTW, I'm curious about the importance behind your personal choosing of that call sign?? Smile

But anyway... I too would have supported an F-23 type wing deep-modification of the F-35... maybe 2 years ago? Today however?? I might still support this accelerated project if you would support FY13 advanced procurement of F-16 and F-15+ units as an interim stop-gap?

Do you realize that over the past 3-4 years, the capability and deterrence 'gap' has expanded even more every year?

And the gap in capability and general deterrence will most likely only grow in the next 3-4 years as 'stay the course' procurement of F-35 continues to decrease, while requirements increase?

If balance of power is of any interest at all to decision makers... I couldn't support interim stop-gap buys more than I do.

"Count to 10" not a call-sign (I'm a physicist, not a pilot), just an on line name I have been using since I started commenting on forums and blogs years ago. Mostly, it's a reminder to think before I write.

For the rest, I'm not sure what you are talking about. What "deterrence gap"?

At any rate, the F-35 is going to be the best interceptor and air superiority a lot of countries have access to, for all that the US is building it as a strike fighter, so it would make sense if down the line significant funds are directed toward developing variants that specialize in that.
I think it would be particularly interesting if they end up producing a VTOL variant that can actually operate off of a helipad.

count_to_10 wrote:

At any rate, the F-35 is going to be the best interceptor and air superiority a lot of countries have access to, for all that the US is building it as a strike fighter, so it would make sense if down the line significant funds are directed toward developing variants that specialize in that.
I think it would be particularly interesting if they end up producing a VTOL variant that can actually operate off of a helipad.

If we developed a two-seat variant with an F-23-style wing optimized for high-speed flight, it might be better for the interceptor role- as well as long-range, high-speed strike. I just don't see F-XX being exported broadly.

I wouldn't be too terribly surprised that if someday down the road the YF-23 finds its way back into consideration, whether as an upgraded proposal, or some decendant thereof, as a contender for whatever replaces the F-22, or the F/A-18E/F.

A YF-23 with F-35 derived sensors, and benefiting from advances in propulsion and the like, along with our better understanding of RAM, could be a way for NG to find their way back into the fighter business, if they were so inclined.

However, at this point, wouldn't taking a YF-23 and cutting it down to F-16 size strip it of some of its most salient advantages, such as its endurance, warload, and kinematic performance?

HV

Forum: Modern Military Aircraft

F-16 size F-23