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I hope it's something as Badassed as Raptor...

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Hawk or Fury - Simple, direct and effective.

Enthusiast Joined: May 16, 2006 Posts: 87 Status: Offline

Hawk won't go.

1: It's the name of the Hawker-Siddeley Hawk.

2: The USN already has that jet in service, and they named it the Goshawk since they wanted to avoid confusion with the Hawk anti-air missile.

Even if the Brits have a hand in it, this would still only be the second Lightning for both countries. The EE Lightning wasn't named Lightining II, even though the US had the P-38 already. So Lighting II would still be fitting IMO.

I'm all for Fury. That's just one step away from Star Fury. Though that's at least 50 years away at high technological advancement rates. Fury just sounds cool, its not my first choice, but hell I still like it.

Enthusiast Joined: Nov 20, 2005 Posts: 67

Why not "Viper II" or "Ghost Viper" or "Whatever-Viper" ???

More F-16.net in the news:

Flight International wrote:

US president Bush expected to rename F-35 Joint Strike Fighter next Friday
A military internet discussion forum has concluded that the new name most favoured for the Lockheed Martin F-35 Joint Strike Fighter when it enters service is Phœnix.

The poll of around 100 readers of F-16.net showed 23% favoured taking the name of the mythical bird that rises from the ashes. Second choice was Lightning II, currently considered most likely US Air Force reporting name to be granted by US president George Bush if he visits Lockheed Martin’s F-35 line in Fort Worth as scheduled next Friday. The aircraft programme's working name, the Joint Strike Fighter (JSF), reflecting the aircraft's use by USA's army, navy and air aorce will be replaced once the aircraft enters service, although the US Department of Defense has refused to reveal any firm plans.

Current DoD nomenclature favours birds of prey, ergo the Boeing F-15 Eagle, the Lockheed Martin’s F-16 Falcon and F/A-22 Raptor. However, it is understood the DoD will break this naming convention and instead honour classic military aircraft.

The UK is a first level partner on the F-35 programme and speculation on the discussion site says the two governments will agree a moniker, leading to rumour of a Spitfire II name.

Lightning II, once reserved provisionally for the F-22, is also on the short list, according to insiders. Other names on a provisional shortlist, leaked to various web forums, are: Cyclone, Reaper, Black Mamba and Piasa. Other names reportedly rejected include Mustang II, Fury, Scorpion, Phantom III and Sky Ruler.

Enthusiast Joined: May 16, 2006 Posts: 87 Status: Offline

I'm all for Lightning II, though I'd prefer Phoenix. I can't see us continental Europeans calling it the Lightning, but Phoenix (in translated variants) may just catch on.

Elite 2K Joined: Jan 14, 2004 Posts: 2612 Status: Offline

Phoenix...Only official publications would ever call it by that name. The troops wouldn't. Why? Here's your choices...A goofy looking bird, the capital city of Arizona, or the name already taken by a former American air to air missile.

Here's something nobody has mentioned. Luke AFB (near Phoenix, AZ) trains F-16 pilots...the plane that the F-35 will be replacing...and also, the base which WILL NOT become the home of F-35 training. Name it Phoenix? Mike Foxtrot that!

Lightning II doesn't seem so bad. It fits the 35 a lot better than it did the 22. The Yanks and the Brits have both had a previous Lightning, and apparently they want to name the jet after a classic plane...not after an expensive, heavy, overly-complex air-to-air missile that the USN adopted, but never used in anger. We've already had one Phoenix that was a b#tch to maintain. We don't want another! OOPS! Did I say that out loud?! Wink

To Err is Human. To Forgive is NOT ACC Policy.

Hi All,

I'm enjoying reading the comments and can't help laughing at the names that get toss about.

All said and done, it's the women and the men on the ground, day and night, 24/7, that maintain, fly, feel the plane, smell the fumes, bruise their knuckles, bump their heads and when they see their planes soar in the sky, they'll know what to call it - regardless of the'official name'.

I'll look for to that. Wink

F-16.net Webmaster Joined: May 23, 2003 Posts: 2354

From an article in the Star-Telegram:

Quote:

A flashy name for the F-35

After months of deliberations and a flood of Internet suggestions by everyone from fighter jocks to schoolkids, top Pentagon officials have settled on a name for the F-35 joint strike fighter and are expected to announce their decision next week at the Lockheed Martin plant in west Fort Worth.

[...]

The name-the-plane challenge also became a popular pastime on the Internet as bloggers and military buffs conducted polls on possible monikers.

[...]

Others had their own ideas. A group of Marine pilots was pushing Fury. Phoenix, a mythical bird that arises from its own ashes, topped one Internet poll.

Now which poll would that be? Wink

Elite 2K Joined: Jan 14, 2004 Posts: 2612 Status: Offline

Unfortunately, this one...Golf Delta!

To Err is Human. To Forgive is NOT ACC Policy.

Quote:

After months of deliberations and a flood of Internet suggestions by everyone from fighter jocks to schoolkids, top Pentagon officials have settled on a name for the F-35 joint strike fighter and are expected to announce their decision next week at the Lockheed Martin plant in west Fort Worth.

I'm thinking that tomorrow (7/4) would be uber-appropriate. I'll bet the announcement will be tomorrow. Wink

Quote:

Why not "Viper II" or "Ghost Viper" or "Whatever-Viper" ???

Officially there is no such thing as the Viper, remember that it's the Fighting Falcon.

Elite 1K Joined: Jan 31, 2004 Posts: 1532 Status: Offline

Heads up!!: Scuttlebutt over on ARC says the F-35 will be officially dubbed Lightning II in a ceremony at Ft. Worth on July 7th. Gen Mike Moseley will do the honors. The ARC poster noted Defense News as his source but I checked their site for confirmation and didn't see anything. A Google search turned up nothing solid except the short list of name candidates.

And if it ain't against the rules, here's a link to the ARC thread .

F-16.net

Forum: F-35 Lightning II

Final unofficial poll on the F-35 name