FLIGHTS OF FANTASY: What if the F-20 Tigershark went into production?

[pathology_doc]

I'm leaning towards no. The F5/F20 airframe was always very tightly packed and didn't have much extra volume. Adding more volume would require a massive redesign, well beyond what happened with Super Bugs or Gripen E.

At that point you've probably lost the attractions of cheapness and ease of maintenance that made the F-5 such an attractive concept in the first place. Granted, you'll still be cheaper than an F-22 or F-35, but possibly not by much. You're probably also making so many changes that you might as well give it a new number.

One of the few benefits of tech marching on, though, is that avionics tend to shrink with time, as does the weight and size of sophisticated guided ordnance. A hypothetical F-20 interceptor upgrade is probably going to have an easier time accommodating a pair of AMRAAMs than a pair of Sparrows, for example, and at a pinch it might even be persuaded to carry four.

 

[Scott Kenny]

At that point you've probably lost the attractions of cheapness and ease of maintenance that made the F-5 such an attractive concept in the first place. Granted, you'll still be cheaper than an F-22 or F-35, but possibly not by much. You're probably also making so many changes that you might as well give it a new number.

I'm not sure that it'd be cheaper than an F-35 to buy. Compare price of new Gripen E versus F-35A.

One of the few benefits of tech marching on, though, is that avionics tend to shrink with time, as does the weight and size of sophisticated guided ordnance. A hypothetical F-20 interceptor upgrade is probably going to have an easier time accommodating a pair of AMRAAMs than a pair of Sparrows, for example, and at a pinch it might even be persuaded to carry four.

Agreed here. The F-CK-1 and the FA-50 are both in the same "weaponized supersonic trainer" class as the F-5/T-38, and both are packing 2-4 AMRAAMs.

 

[pathology_doc]

I'm not sure that it'd be cheaper than an F-35 to buy. Compare price of new Gripen E versus F-35A.

Yeah, we're on the same wavelength here. The only thing which keeps the price down at all is that the updated systems for your hypothetical F-5 or F-20 refit already exist and are proven. Systems and weapon integration are still going to do na$ty thing$ to the cost estimates and unit price, even if the airplane's external shape doesn't have to change to accommodate an off-the-shelf package and ESPECIALLY if you end up being the sole user of a boutique variant.

 

[FighterJock]

And we all know what happened to the F-17 sadly. Would the F-20 have been designed had Northrop won the LWF competition instead of General Dynamics?